AmCham Albania organized a Business Forum in collaboration with Boga & Associates, a member of AmCham who offers legal, tax and accounting services. The meeting focused on the new Law on Tax Procedures, the changes it introduces and their expected effects on businesses activity. Mrs. Alketa Uruçi, representative of Boga & Associates and Member of the Board of AmCham Albania, explained in detail to all participants in this forum the nature of the changes contained in the draft-law and how most provisions affect taxpayers. The draft has been approved by the Council of Ministers and awaits discussion and voting by the parliament.

AmCham Albania and the Tax and Legal Committee have worked over the years to present clear and reasoned requests for improving this law and its application, integrating business requests with expert analysis. According to Mrs. Uruçi, many of AmCham’s requests have been taken into consideration in this draft. Keeping in mind that the request list presented by AmCham was not exhaustive, and that there is always room for further improvements, this draft shows evident improvement and is the best we have seen in many years.

The expected changes in the Law on Tax Procedures comprise some clarifying provisions, changes to the structure of the Tax directorate, provisions that make life easier for taxpayers, changes to administrative penalties, and changes to increase transparency. Two important changes are the move of the Directorate of Tax Appeals out of the General Tax Directorate and the creation of a Board of Examination of Tax Appeals. There are hopes that some of the changes will address the long delays in closing a business, while others will make it easier to correct mistakes in prior declarations of financial documents. The advance notification of tax inspections and audits, as well as the clear declaration of the length of such audits by requiring the initial notice to contain the date when the audit will conclude, should prove welcome changes for businesses.

AmCham will continue to contribute suggestions and improvements to this law and to related regulations, pursuing the always desirable goals of clarity and transparency that make it easier to do business and to comply with the law.