Fiscal Reform for a Strong Tunisia (FIRST) assists the Ministry of Finance to rationalize tax policy, modernize tax administration, and undertake other fiscal reforms to secure a sound fiscal foundation for economic stability and long-term growth. The project aims to help the Tunisian government improve revenue collection, reduce taxpayer compliance costs, improve the budgeting and expenditure process, and enhance public accountability.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• Improve efficiency, transparency and cost of compliance of tax administration.
• Enhance capacity to develop and manage tax policy.
• Enhance capacity to address other fiscal reform priorities as they emerge.
• Improve communications, engagement and consultation on priority reforms.

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Collaborating with the tax administration in development and implementation of a comprehensive compliance strategy to improve fiscal civic responsibility.
• Promoting the current e-Filing system for wider use and therefore reducing the costs and burdens of taxpayer compliance. This activity includes the development and promotion of an e-Filing mobile application, training of tax preparers and accountants on e-Filing, promoting multichannel media and communications campaign on e-Filing, and facilitating access and log on credentials for e-Filing users.
• Implementing a Universal Exchange Platform solution for real-time access to data essential for improving taxpayer compliance and fostering efficiency in tax administration.
• Building capacity within the Ministry of Finance (MoF) Fiscal Analysis Unit to enable the Ministry to better understand current and projected fiscal trends, develop proposals for policy change, evaluate the estimated impacts of policy changes, and assess the effectiveness of tax policies in achieving their intended results.
• Assisting the MoF in utilizing cost effective tools to facilitate two-way communication with the public on tax and broader fiscal issues. This activity includes promoting taxpayer services, increasing public awareness of fiscal reforms, enhancing the MoF image and perception, and improving the MoF’s internal and external communications.

CONTACTS