From October 12 to 15, Athens is hosting the 25th Meeting of the Automatic Exchange of Information Peer Review Group (APRG) of the OECD Global Forum, organized by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR). At the heart of the Forum is the further strengthening of global tax transparency and the fight against tax evasion through the exchange of expertise and best practices.
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Pitsilis: Tax transparency must evolve continuously
In his opening address, IAPR Governor Georgios Pitsilis underscored the importance of public institutions earning the trust of citizens. As he emphasized, in an interconnected world where financial assets move across borders in seconds, tax authorities cannot carry out their work effectively if information stops at national borders.
Mr. Pitsilis highlighted the fundamental shift brought about by the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), noting as an indicative example that in 2024 alone, information was exchanged internationally on more than 171 million financial accounts, representing assets of nearly €13 trillion.
He also noted that tax transparency must continuously evolve alongside financial innovation, making particular reference to the amended CRS and the new Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). In closing, he stated that the IAPR is firmly investing in digital transformation, data utilization, and robust compliance tools, adding that no country can face these challenges alone.
What the head of the Global Forum Secretariat said
For her part, Global Forum Secretariat Head Maria José Garde expressed her sincere appreciation to the Greek hosts for their warm hospitality and for organizing the meeting in Athens. Ms. Garde noted that the Global Forum is going through one of its most intensive working periods, a fact that demonstrates the peer review process is bearing fruit and highlights the significant progress that has been achieved. She also mentioned that during this meeting, 20 consolidated jurisdictional reports are scheduled for discussion, representing a significant step toward a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of CRS implementation to date.
The four-day meeting agenda
According to the agenda of the four-day meeting, the work is focused on the following areas:
- Assessment of effective CRS implementation: Presentation and discussion of draft consolidated assessment reports for a series of jurisdictions regarding their compliance with the core requirements of the global standard.
- Crypto-asset monitoring: Updates on the work of the CARF working group.
- Implementation of the revised CRS: Review of the status and progress of implementing the amended information exchange standard (Addendum to the CRS MCAA), which approximately 80 jurisdictions have joined, with a general target launch date for exchanges set for 2027.
The hosting of the 25th Meeting in Athens reaffirms Greece’s and the IAPR’s active role in international tax cooperation, laying the groundwork for the next joint actions among jurisdictions in addressing the challenges of the digital age.
