Aims to increase taxpayer compliance and transform the tax landscape in Qatar
The General Tax Authority (GTA) and implementation partner Invenio Business Solutions successfully launched a state-of-the-art digital tax administration system in the State of Qatar.
The new system has transformed the tax administration lifecycle, digitalising existing services and making them 100% contactless. Over 58,000 taxpayers have already registered on the comprehensive new system, which supports multiple revenue types and offers access to 24/7 online services.
Driving change
The GTA embarked on a national-level change programme to modernise tax administration and enhance the taxpayer experience in Qatar. The authority needed to simplify legislations, automate processes, and optimise the user experience, to increase taxpayer compliance. Additionally, there was a requirement for a business rules framework that could be easily adapted as laws and policies evolve.
Invenio and the GTA worked in partnership to develop an approach aligned to Qatar’s long-term aspirations. As a result, with Qatar’s tax strategy at its core, the state now has an agile platform, where evolving tax policies, laws and innovations can be built with ease. The SAP Tax and Revenue Management (TRM) solution on SAP S/4HANA® provides end-to-end taxation management, advanced analytical processing, and seamless data integration, whilst retaining data quality, making it the perfect tax administration solution for the GTA.
Overcoming obstacles
Despite the obstacles due to the current pandemic, the project continued as planned, with Invenio’s team working remotely to ensure all system requirements were met. The project, which included the design, build, test and deployment of the system, and delivery of training workshops, was completed successfully in a remote delivery mode.
In July 2020, the full registration module went live on Dhareeba, the front-end portal supporting the tax administration system. This was followed by the introduction of e-filing and e-payments. Excise Tax, Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Withholding Tax (WHT) and Capital Gains Tax ‘CGT’ went live in November 2020, with data from the legacy system successfully migrated over the course of a weekend.
Enhancing citizen experiences
The platform has replaced manual processes with workflow-driven operations and automated functions. Importantly, it is also integrated with ministries, banks and other third parties, like the National Authentication Service (NAS). These substantial changes will save time and offer far greater visibility, enabling single taxpayer views across regimes, levies, duties, and charges; and thereby help the GTA to reduce the national tax gap.
As a one-stop-shop, the new system has reduced the need to visit tax offices. Now, taxpayers can access accounts remotely, submit queries and receive notifications about their application progress. A more responsive and personalised service ensures the citizens of Qatar can take advantage of the many benefits the new platform has to offer, ultimately, encouraging higher levels of voluntary compliance.
Having undertaken such a multi-faceted digital transformation project, Qatar is now on its way to becoming a truly modern data-driven tax authority. This will go a long way in supporting the Qatar National Vision 2030, enabling the country to sustain its own development and provide a high standard of living for its citizens.
HE Ahmed bin Issa Al Mohannadi, President of the GTA, said that they are delighted to have partnered with Invenio. He added that the Dhareeba tax portal is in line with the GTA’s digital transformation strategy and stands within its commitment to empowering the tax landscape by offering the easiest and most secure tax services. He also thanked and acknowledged the team behind Dhareeba.
The GTA is committed to leading digital transformation in taxations by introducing innovative digital solutions through the Dhareeba platform, which is responsible for facilitating tax transactions as it manages, calculates, and reviews various types of taxes implemented in the State of Qatar.
Invenio’s CEO Arun Bala, on the other hand, said that Qatar now benefits from a digital tax administration system which he described as both robust and efficient and has compliance and innovation at its core.
The successful go-live is a testament to the technical experts at Invenio, who worked in unique conditions this year, amid a pandemic, to ensure that the GTA’s requirements were met. This project will continue into the new year, and we look forward to implementing further new service elements that will streamline existing processes and continue to enhance taxpayer experiences.
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