A Comparative Analysis Of Tax Administration In Asia And The Pacific

This report is the 5th edition of ADB’s A Comparative Analysis of Tax Administration in Asia and the Pacific. It provides internationally comparative data on aspects of tax systems and their administration in 38 economies and detailed analysis of the comparative results across the region, aiming to assist the revenue bodies to improve their performance by providing opportunities to benchmark their administration against similar economies in the region. The comparable data and analysis are based largely on the 2020 round of the International Survey on Revenue Administration, for the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years.

Assessing how Asia and the Pacific can benefit from stronger tax systems, this comparative analysis drills down into the set-ups and performance of revenue bodies in 41 economies to highlight reform challenges and outline opportunities. Drawing on the results of the International Survey on Revenue Administration (ISORA 2022) survey, it provides background on each economy, details the performance of their revenue bodies, and looks at growing digitalization. The seventh edition in the series, it outlines major trends and sets out ways governments and officials can reform their revenue bodies to build more effective and efficient tax systems.

For ADB members in Asia and the Pacific, stronger tax systems are now more important than ever—to boost revenues enabling recovery from the economic shocks of COVID-19, and to reinforce implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. Using comparative data up to the fiscal year 2020, and drawing from the International Survey on Revenue Administration (ISORA 2021), this sixth edition in our series analyzes the administrative setups and performance of revenue bodies in 40 economies across the region—to help governments and officials identify promising options for building more efficient, inclusive tax systems.

This publication provides information on revenue bodies in Asia and the Pacific to support efforts of developing member countries to strengthen their tax administration systems. Improved tax systems can help countries in the region generate the resources needed to implement the Sustainable Development Goals. In this publication, current tax administration practices of 34 economies are presented. It also includes an analysis of the administrative frameworks, practices, and performance of revenue bodies. The analysis was largely based on survey data gathered by the Asian Development Bank in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund.

This comparative analysis report, the second in a series, is part of ADB's regional research and development project on tax administration that analyzes the administrative frameworks, functions, and performances of 21 economies in Asia and the Pacific. The initial version of this report was published in 2014. The primary objective of the series is to motivate governments and revenue officials by sharing knowledge of important developments and trends in tax administration practice and performance, and to identify opportunities to enhance the operation of their tax systems.

This comparative analysis of administrative frameworks, functions, and performance of revenue bodies in 28 AsiaPacific economies includes developments and trends in tax administration practice and performance. The analysis and practical guidance provided in this report are based on surveys of revenue bodies conducted in 2016 and 2017, along with accompanying research of revenue bodies' corporate documents, and guidance and diagnostic materials published by international organizations that seek to promote improvements in tax administration. This report also encourages governments and revenue officials to identify opportunities to enhance the operation of tax systems. It is third in the series on ADB's tax administration that aims to help revenue bodies and governments identify opportunities for enhancing the operation of their tax systems by sharing internationally comparable data on aspects of tax systems and their administration. However, considerable care needs be taken with international comparisons of tax administration setups and performance-related data. In this report, ADB adopted the International Survey on Revenue Administrations survey instrument.

Improved tax systems can help countries in Asia and the Pacific generate the resources needed to implement the Sustainable Development Goals. This report provides information on current tax administration practices in the region to help governments identify opportunities to strengthen their tax systems. It analyzes the administrative frameworks, practices, and performance of revenue bodies in 34 economies. The analysis was largely based on survey data gathered by the Asian Development Bank in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund.