PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has launched the Global Indirect Taxes Academy to share its expertise on topics relevant to this market and to discuss international best practices in indirect taxes.

The academy will be a centre of excellence covering the Middle East region.

To accompany the launch and to assist businesses in understanding this tax, PwC has also released “An information guide to VAT”.

On October 28, the Academy will launch a series of seminars and business briefings to provide information and training for local and regional businesses that will be affected by a possible future introduction of VAT in the UAE.

The first event will be “An introduction to VAT” to be held on 28 October in Dubai and 30 October in Abu Dhabi. A second event on “VAT and Enterprise Systems” will be held in late November in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“Over the past year, the UAE government has been exploring the possibility of introducing a VAT to replace import taxes and studying the impact it might have on its economy and businesses. The UAE is proposing to lead the GCC in implementing the tax over the next few years,' stated Michael Stevenson, PwC’s Middle East senior partner. 

'VAT is one of many different types of tax that fall into the indirect tax category, which also includes customs, excise duties and environmental taxes. VAT is a key component of the taxation systems of more than 140 countries worldwide including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran.”

“PwC runs the Indirect Taxes Academy successfully in other parts of the world and has found it to be an excellent education forum as well as providing an opportunity to build long-lasting relationships with clients,” commented Ine Lejeune, PwC’s Global Indirect Taxes network leader.

In 2007 and 2008, PwC strengthened its tax practice in the UAE with the relocation of Lejeune to Dubai and appointment of David Stevens to establish and lead the premier specialist Indirect Taxes practice for the Middle East.

Stevens previously advised governments throughout Asia and Australia on tax reform matters and was a senior advisor to the former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard.

Lejeune has over 24 years’ experience in the industry and has been ranked fifth most influential Tax Professional globally by the UK’s Tax Business magazine.-TradeArabia News Service