The Asia Tax Forum regularly brings together senior Government officials with leading fiscal experts and industry representatives. Its goal is to create a sustainable and continuing dialogue among all interested sectors on latest developments, studies, issues and challenges on indirect taxation. The forum focuses on the VAT and excise taxation.

The organization of the forum was brought out by the participants in the 2005 Asia Excise Taxation Conference in Singapore. They articulated the need for a regional forum that can bring together government leaders, members of the academe, and the business community for technical and practical discussions on tax policy and administration.

STEERING COMMITTEE
The substantive agenda for the Asia Tax Forum is determined by the participating countries. A Steering Committee is organized to handle the preparations and conduct of the forum for the next year. Its members meet at the conclusion of each meeting.

ADVISIORY BOARD
As the objectives of the Asia Tax Forum are the transfer of best international practice and information sharing among colleagues, the participation of leading public finance experts, as well as representatives from international financial institutions and industry is an important feature of the Forum. These experts and officials will participate as members of an Advisory Board. The proposed members include:

• Professor Sijbren Cnossen, Maastricht University, proposed Chairman
• Professor Richard Bird, University of Toronto
• Professor Charles E. McLure, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
• Professor Joosung Jun, Department of Economics, Ewha Womans University, Seoul
• Dr. Emil Sunley, Assistant Director of Fiscal Affairs Division, IMF
• Ms. Victoria Perry, Head of Tax Administration Division, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
• Dr. Shanta Dedarajan, Chief Economist of the Southern Asian Region, The World Bank
• Representative from the Asian Development Bank
• Mr. Daniel Witt, President, ITIC

SECRETARIAT
The Philippines Public Finance Institute serves as the Secretariat to the Asia Tax Forum. Dr. Milwida Guevara, CEO of Synergeia Foundation and Fellow of the Public Finance Institute, and former Undersecretary of Finance, The Philippines serves as the General Secretary.