Academic literature on the topic 'VAT information exchange system'

The article discusses the legal aspects of supranational legal regulation of value added taxation in the Persian Gulf countries. The novelty of the research lies in the comparative aspect of the legal study of supranational law on the value-added tax in the Gulf countries, which allows formulating fundamentally new characteristics and interpretations that extend the theoretical and legal views on the legal mechanism of VAT, and analyzing the key provisions of the legal regulation of VAT of the states that are parties to the Common VAT Agreement. The issues of the Agreement for the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as acts of national legislation on this tax, were studied. The analysis of the provisions of the Agreement allows concluding that the tax instrument this Agreement regulates can be classified as a type of neutral legal regulation of value-added taxation. Its peculiarity is that the country for one reason or another introduces VAT into the national tax system with minimal tax rates and continues to keep it at a low level that does not have a restraining effect on the development of its own industry. This is the reference point for the Common VAT Agreement for the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The research shows that the supranational legislation of the Persian Gulf countries covers the most complex and fundamentally significant issues of legal regulation of value-added taxation, which developed taking into account the accumulated world experience in the administration of this tax. Conclusions have been obtained that the main direction of the adopted supranational legislation is the creation of a unified legal framework for the development of a coordinated legal regulation of VAT in each of the six Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The definitions of concepts that are crucial for VAT regulation are given, among which the following can be distinguished: reverse VAT accrual, input tax, deductible tax, net tax, mandatory registration threshold, voluntary registration threshold, and tax group. In the final part of the work, it is concluded that the second regional system of legal regulation of value-added taxation after the European one is being created, which begins its development on the basis of supranational legislation. Within its framework, the states that are parties to the Agreement shall organize administrative cooperation in the following areas: (1) exchange of information necessary for determining tax accuracy; (2) coordination of synchronized audit procedures and participation in audits; (3) assistance in tax collection and adoption of necessary procedures related to VAT collection.

Globalization and digitalization lead to significant changes in society and economy, including the field of taxation. Moreover, the efforts of governments of many countries are aimed at implementing measures to combat profit shifting and ensure that budget revenues from corporate income tax and VAT are received in the proper amount. The article analyses main problems of corporate income tax and VAT, possible ways to solve them in near and distant perspectives. With regard to respective taxes, the main aspects of combating tax base erosion and tax evasion with the use of new digital methods, and the state of BEPS steps implementation in this part are analysed. Given that the corporate income tax in modern conditions has a number of disadvantages, it is likely that in the future it will be replaced by an alternative – a tax on withdrawn capital or a tax on cash flows at destination. VAT, in turn, is a neutral tax that is easy to algorithmize and administer. Therefore, it can also displace corporate income tax from the tax systems of countries. At the same time, there are a number of problems with VAT: cases of fraud, non-taxation or double taxation of transactions in international trade. It has been found that in the short run (up to 5 years) it is important for national governments to increase efforts to implement BEPS plan and to strengthen information exchange and international cooperation to counteract base erosion and profit shifting. To simplify VAT administration and improve the interaction between taxpayers and tax authorities within the same country, as well as in international trade, it is feasible to use the e-invoicing practice more widely. In distant perspective, it is possible to use blockchain technology. Taking into account global trends, the article provides recommendations for improving VAT and corporate income tax in the context of globalization and digitalization (in particular – further implementation of BEPS measures in all countries of the world, mandatory registration as VAT payers in jurisdictions, where sells of goods and services to end users take place, strengthening international coordination and cooperation in the field of taxation), as well as general recommendations that should contribute to digitalization and economic development of Ukraine in the near and distant future.

Purpose of research. In modern ventilation and air conditioning systems (VAC), one of the main components is an automatic control system (ACS) which performs various functions and also provides highly efficient operation in the range from shutdown functions to centralized regulation and control of climate parameters (temperature, humidity, monitoring concentrations of harmful substances, air speed). The goal is to study a mathematical model of heat flow control of a supply and exhaust ventilation system with a builtin integrated recuperative heat exchanger for the purpose of utilization of low-temperature heat of ventilation gases and emissions with the associated production of thermoelectricity.Methods. To achieve these goals, we used methods of mathematical simulation and computational model development. The automatic control of VAC is based on the principle of feedback – regulation of processes by obtaining information from external sensors based on mathematical simulation of physical processes occurring in the building or structure serviced.Results. An experimental supply and exhaust system with a plate heat exchanger-recuperator operates in a quasi-steady heat transfer mode. Exhaust air removed from the room is used as a heating medium. At the same time, the system is controlled using an independent scheme of connection to the heat supply system. The air heated in the room is considered as an incompressible gas, the heat exchange between the heating and heated heat transfer media is a steady­state process, the turbulence of the heating and heated flow of heat transfer media is isotropic. The result of the study is a mathematical model of heat flow control in the supply and exhaust ventilation system with a builtin integrated heat exchanger-recuperator. The optimal values of the heat energy consumed and the parameters of the ventilation system operation are obtained.Conclusion. A mathematical model of heat flow control in a supply and exhaust ventilation system with a builtin integrated heat exchanger-recuperator is proposed and investigated. The optimal values of the consumed heat energy and the parameters of the ventilation system operation are obtained.

This study analyzed the interest rate channel, credit channel, exchange rate channel and asset price channel for monetary policy transmission mechanism in Namibia. The idea behind this study is to have a comprehensive study that covers a variety of channels for monetary policy transmission mechanism. The study utilized a Bayesian vector autoregression (BVAR) technique on quarterly time-series data covering the period 2000:Q1 to 2016:Q4. In particular, the validity of the data used is checked and verified by using two sets of prior distributions suggested by Sims and Zha as well as prior distribution of Koop and Korobilis. The variables used in this study are real output (Yt), real effective exchange rate (Et), inflation rate (P t), repo rate (Rt), housing price index (Ht) and credit extended to private sector (Lt). The findings revealed that interest rate and credit channels remain important in the transmission mechanism to this day. Notably the exchange rate and asset price channels are also slowly gaining prominence in monetary policy transmission mechanism. Therefore, the study provides useful information to the monetary authorities regarding the process of transmission mechanisms. This is quite important especially that the Central Bank (Bank of Namibia) is very serious about financial stability within the financial system, given the fragility of the financial systems in the world due to financial crisis.

<p>The reconstructive study of the urban arrangement of Susa in the 4th century arose from the intention to exploit some resources derived from local studies, and survey activities, fulfilled by innovative methods from which the modelling of architectural heritage (AH) and virtual reconstructions are derived. The digital Segusio presented in this paper is the result of intensive discussion and exchange of data and information during the urban landscape documentation activities, and due to the technology of virtual model generation, making it possible to recreate the charm of an ancient landscape. The land survey has been accomplished using aerial and terrestrial acquisition systems, mainly through digital photogrammetry from UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and terrestrial laser scanning. Results obtained from both the methods have been integrated into the medium scale geographical data from the regional map repository, and some processing and visualization supported by GIS (Geographical Information System) has been achieved. Subsequently, with the help of accurate and detailed DEM (Digital Elevation Model) and other architectural scale models related to the ancient heritage, this ancient landscape was modelled. The integration of the history of this city with digital and multimedia resources will be offered to the public in the city museum housed in the restored castle of Maria Adelaide (Savoy dynasty, 11th century), which stands in the place where the acropolis of the city of Susa lay in ancient times.</p>

<p class="VARKeywords">Data sharing is a fundamental process for the advancement of both natural and social sciences. Starting from the idea that computers and the internet have drastically changed the world in the last decades, this paper advocates for the creation of a space where archaeologists from around the world can share information about maritime history and exchange data with colleagues. Following the principles of open access, we argue that raw data publication is necessary and significant for the development and democratization of the discipline. This study explains the fundamental aspects of the Nautical Archaeology Digital Library (NADL) and its efforts to standardize information collection for shipwrecks and related sites, so that scholars can create a community to disseminate both raw data and complete information in the field of maritime archaeology. To achieve this, our purpose is to facilitate the development of common-ground methodology and terminology that promotes an intelligible dialogue within the global community of nautical archaeologists. This paper addresses some considerations on terminology and systematization in scientific disciplines and discusses the theoretical and methodological issues linked to the process of making a template for recording shipwrecks. Furthermore, this article analyses some of the problems related to the standardization of description processes and the necessity to create a flexible system that accounts for data diversity. The third section discusses how science is greatly enhanced by publishing information in open access platforms.</p><p>Highlights:</p><p>• Standardization of data allows robust comparative and inter-subjective analysis of coastal and maritime projects, shipwrecks and nautical technology.<br />• Research is strongly benefited by sharing information underlying publications and raw data generated within a project in open source platforms.<br />• Digital databases such as NADL enhance cooperative research, as well as teaching and outreach strategies.</p>

The authors put forward and consistently proved the hypothesis that changes in the structure of international trade (the development of electronic commerce, the active implementation of electronic cross-border payments), its legal regulation (the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation and the Framework Agreement on Paperless Cross-Border Trade, the entry into force of the Customs Code of the Eurasian Customs union) determine the need for changes in the paradigm of control and supervision activities in the sphere of charging, paying and collecting customs payments. We concluded that the tools introduced by the Federal Customs Service and the Federal Tax Service (electronic tracking of goods, electronic information exchange between tax and customs authorities, integrated information resource on international trade operators) are effective. The authors also present the results of the analysis of the economic effect of changes in the legal regulation of the accrual, payment, collection of customs payments, expressed in the growth of additional accrued and additional collected payments. Based on the analysis of the system of customs and tariff regulation, of the dynamics of the rates of the unified Customs Tariff of the EEu, and of the law enforcement practices, the authors formulated areas of risk that include the lack of uniform application of customs legislation and the strong influence of WTO law. The research carried out by the authors made it possible to forecast directions for improving the legal regulation and administration of the charging, paying and collecting customs payments. It includes: improving the unified mechanism of customs and tax administration, as well as foreign currency control based on the creation and application of integrated information technologies; implementation of international standards developed under the World Customs Organization; the existence of prerequisites for the possibility of payment of import customs duties and taxes after the release of goods for conscientious operators; redistribution of functions of customs and tax authorities (leaving control over the payment of import customs duty in the competence of customs authorities, with the possible transfer of control over the payment of indirect taxes (VAT and excise) payable in respect of imported goods).

<p>Umm ar-Rasas is a Jordan archaeological site, located 30 km southeast of the city of Madaba, in the northern part of Wadi Mujib. It preserves findings dating back the period from the end of 3rd to the 9th century AD and, since 2004, it belongs to the world heritage list of UNESCO. In 2015 a multidisciplinary work was undertaken over the archaeological site, mainly focusing on the Church of Saint Stephen, with the main purpose of enhancing the knowledge and documenting the conservation state of the polychrome mosaic floor, which covers the entire surface of the hall and presbytery. A huge amount of data has been collected, coming from archaeological and historical investigations, geophysics and geodetic inspections and geomatics surveying, which produced also a true orthophoto of the mosaic floor. Data has been organized in a geo-database, facilitating the exchange of information between different actors. Moreover, the management of data within a dedicated Geographic Information System (GIS), has allowed in-depth analysis for understanding the evolution of the iconographic repertoire that, over the centuries, has undergone several disfigurements due to the iconoclastic age. The knowledge of the mosaic has also been vital for the implementation of multimedia applications and for the creation of virtual experiences, in which the information can be conveyed and visualized directly on the virtual reconstruction of the whole archaeological site. The innovation of the proposed work, is therefore in the management of a data flow that can be exploited by different actors through different platforms: experts, thanks to the use of GIS, and visitors with the use of multimedia applications (such as Augmented Reality (AR) or highresolution web visualization) for dissemination purposes, in order to preserve this priceless mankind heritage.</p><p>Highlights:</p><ul><li><p>Definition of a complete pipeline ranging from data acquisition to visualization in multi-channel multimedia applications.</p></li><li><p>Management of heterogeneous data in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their exploitation in Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR).</p></li><li><p>GIS applied to the archaeological domain for expert and non-expert users.</p></li></ul>

This paper examines the problem of information asymmetry between foreign, local, institutional and individual investors on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) for the period 2004–2011. Using monthly returns for individual companies listed on BVB, stock market indices during the seven years period, as well as aggregate data on foreign and domestic investors (both institutional and individual) sales and purchases on the Romanian stock market, this research intends to provide an answer to the following question: Are foreign investors better informed than the domestic ones and continually achieve higher rates of return on the Romanian stock market? We compare the information advantage of the different investors’ categories by separating the stock in our data sample into two categories, namely blue-chips stocks (mostly stocks that are part of the BET index, and also containing one international stock, Erste Bank), and “regular” stocks. Subsequently, we study the explanatory power for stock returns of potential impact factors, which reflect the monthly net position of four groups of investors on the Romanian Stock market (Purchases-Sales) by employing multivariate regression models and a five variable VAR system. Ultimately, we are interested in whether investors in one particular category are consistently net buyers just before stock returns increase and are net sellers before stock returns decrease, thus suggesting they have an information advantage as compared to the domestic ones. Our aim is to provide robust empirical evidence on the nature of investors’ information asymmetry by utilising a unique data set and directly assessing relevant inter-relationships.

The paper analyzes the Zimbabwean VAT system. The main objective was to establish and evaluate the gaps within the Zimbabwean VAT system, with the view of closing them so that the Zimbabwean VAT is attuned to the dictates of the best practice VAT. A review of literature was used and the main sources of information were the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, the South African Revenue Services, literature from various journal articles and books and various reports and legislative instruments. The key finding of the study was that the Zimbabwean VAT system falls short of both the South African and best practice VATs. The main reasons for the gap are; a narrow VAT base fuelled by rampant VAT zero-rates and exemptions; it defies the destination principle; it does not conform to the principle of tax neutrality and tax simplicity; and it has high costs of collection and compliance. The study recommends that the Zimbabwean VAT system should be aligned to the best practice VAT through streamlining VAT privileges and correctly implementing the destination principle. Adequate funding should be allocated to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in order to embrace the Information Communication Technology (ICT) drive to reduce costs of compliance and collection.

The diploma thesis deals with the finding and evaluation of the usefulness and influence of tax authority tools in the Czech Republic and in selected countries of the European Union according to similar indicators. The aim of the thesis is to analyze the effectiveness and utility of the tools used. The number of information in the international exchange of information is compared and the number of tax subjects in the gray economy and their involvement in tax evasion is evaluated. The theoretical part defines core elements of the diploma thesis which are the value added tax, the VAT GAP and the division of tax authority instruments. Concurrently, it describes related mechanisms which shall ensure the elimination of tax evasion. The practical part analyzes selected instruments and their values that the tax authority has at its disposal to combat tax evasion. From the output data, the VAT GAP is estimated using a calculation using the gross domestic product adjustment method. All results found within the Czech Republic will be compared with available comparable data in the EU countries. To conclude, the results are valorized, and instruments are evaluated internationally. It is estimated the amount of the VAT GAP and the possible prediction of future developments.

In Saudi Arabia, medical errors are at an alarming level. Lack of a Health Information Exchange (HIE) system is one the greatest reasons for medical errors in the Kingdom. Health care in many countries has evolved with the invention of electronic health information exchange system, henceforth HIE. This research paper purposes to implement HIE in Saudi Arabia, which entirely does not have a system of the sort. It is imperative instill HIE in the health care system in Saudi to allow physicians, nurses, health care facilities as well as patients to electronically share medical information in a safe and secure manner. Many countries such as United States, New Zealand and Germany have had great success with the HIE system and have reported vast benefits. Benefits of HIE are such as reduction of health care cost as well as decreasing medical errors. For Saudi Arabia to reach the same heights, many stakeholders will be involved in the triumph of the HIE system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The biggest contributor will be the Ministry of Health, which will be in charge of implementing as well as making the system mandatory in the main four hospitals in the country: Shomasy, Kind Saud University Hospital, Ministry of interior Hospital and Ministry of Defense Hospital. Each hospital having their own current medical information recording system, will now have one universal system that is made sure to be secure and safe for patients as well as other participating organizations who have access to the HIE system. The main concentration of the HIE system in Saudi Arabia will be in the emergency care of these four hospitals. It is crucial to have an organized and controlled way of recording as well as accessing patient medical records electronically, in a fast and effective way. This paper proposes that an HIE system in Saudi Arabia will reduce the cost of medical care and decrease medical errors. Through the use of Lean thinking and the use of quality tools, the HIE system will be able to change and increase the reliably as well as effectiveness of Urgent Care in the country and therefore have consequent benefits as well. Also, understanding who is going to play a great role in the triumph of the HIE system, such as the Ministry of Health and knowing what stakeholders will need to be affiliated and contribute will lead the project to a better success.

Thesis (M.S. in Information Technology Management)--Naval Postgraduate School, September 2007.
Thesis Advisor(s): Pfeiffer, Karl ; Barreto, Buddy. "September 2007." Description based on title screen as viewed on 10/23/2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-131). Also available in print.

The Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS) is a coordinated Department of Defense Program established at the request of the Combatant Commands (COCOMs) to support the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). CENTRIXS is a standing, global enterprise network allowing U.S. and coalition nations and their forces, in a seamless manner, to securely share operational and intelligence information in support of combined planning, a unity of effort, and decision making in multinational operations. This thesis describes CENTRIXS networks that support the needs of the COCOMs on a global basis. The document also addresses who is connected to whom, what kinds of information must be passed from one user to another, and the services provided to the users of CENTRIXS networks. We conduct a Knowledge Value Added analysis to streamline the manning and usability of CENTRIXS nodes. We also explore how to efficiently and effectively go through the process of acquisition, installation, and accreditation of a CENTRIXS node.

The Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS) is a coordinated Department of Defense Program established at the request of the Combatant Commands (COCOMs) to support the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). CENTRIXS is a standing, global enterprise network allowing U.S. and coalition nations and their forces, in a seamless manner, to securely share operational and intelligence information in support of combined planning, a unity of effort, and decision making in multinational operations. This thesis describes CENTRIXS networks that support the needs of the COCOMs on a global basis. The document also addresses who is connected to whom, what kinds of information must be passed from one user to another, and the services provided to the users of CENTRIXS networks. We conduct a Knowledge Value Added analysis to streamline the manning and usability of CENTRIXS nodes. We also explore how to efficiently and effectively go through the process of acquisition, installation, and accreditation of a CENTRIXS node.

With the advent of Network-Centric Warfare (NCW) concepts, Command and Control (C2) Systems need efficient methods for communicating between heterogeneous systems. To extract or exchange various levels of information within the networks requires interoperability between human and machine as well as between machine and machine. This dissertation explores the Information Exchange Framework (IEF) concept of distributed data fusion sensor networks in Network-centric environments. It is used to synthesize integrative battlefield pictures by combining the Battle Management Language (BML) and System Entity Structure (SES) ontology framework for C2 systems. The SES is an ontology framework that can facilitate information exchange in a network environment. From the perspective of the SES framework, BML serves to express pragmatic frames, since it can specify the information desired by a consumer in an unambiguous way. This thesis formulates information exchange in the SES ontology via BML and defines novel pruning and transformation processes of the SES to extract and fuse data into higher level representations. This supports the interoperability between human users and other sensor systems. The efficacy of such data fusion and exchange is illustrated with several battlefield scenario examples.A second intercommunication issue between sensor systems is how to ensure efficient and effective message passing. This is studied by using Cursor-on-Target (CoT), an effort to standardize a battlefield data exchange format. CoT regulates only a few essential data types as standard and has a simple and efficient structure to hold a wide range of message formats used in dissimilar military enterprises. This thesis adopts the common message type into radar sensor networks to manage the target tracking problem in distributed sensor networks.To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed Information Exchange Framework for data fusion systems, we illustrate the approach in an air defense operation scenario using DEVS modeling and simulation. The examples depict basic air defense operation procedure. The demonstration shows that the information requested by a commander is delivered in the right way at the right time so that it can support agile decision making against threats.

The development of agroecological food systems in the Andes provides a fruitful study environment for understanding innovation processes in participatory research. In this particular context two knowledge based communities - the modern scientific and the traditional indigenous form an intercultural dialogue that frames the conditions for innovation to be developed and sustained. This thesis presents an exploratory case study of the Communal Agricultural Risk Management project in Challa, Bolivia. A project that aims at combining local knowledge with technological innovation as a strategy to reduce vulnerability to climate risk by strengthening local production systems. The study applies a sociotechnical approach to agricultural knowledge and information systems to analyse how innovations are facilitated and sustained by the projects main actor - the local stakeholder and participatory researcher denominated as Yapuchiri. The main findings of the study conclude that innovation is facilitated but not sustained as vertical linkages between actors and diverging perceptions of personal benefits, project goals and material/immaterial resources limit the performance of the system. The study consequently suggests that the Yapuchiris have to reach consensus on mutual benefits with the collective coordination of agroecological practices in order to find equitable partnerships that help to sustain their work after the project has ended.

Financial exchange markets are institutions that have a unique place in the system of market economy and are rightly considered to be the main pillars of the financial markets. Especially thanks to its functional and social status. The recent development of information and communication technologies has been significantly changing the exchange market systems. This thesis deals with the exchange market's system. In the theoretical part of the paper is the main attention paid to the decomposition of the whole complex into subsystems and characteristics of its individual components, in particular trading and information subsystem within the structure of the exchange market. The practical part is devoted to research the presence of tacit knowledge and its impact on trading.

The study aims to investigate the current process for vacation exchange at Karlstad municipality to elicit system requirements for a future system. The investigation includes creating an understanding of the vacation exchange process, the roles involved, and their tasks performed in the process. Further, the limitations, the information used, and the decisions made in the vacation exchange process were also a part of the investigation. The investigation of the vacation exchange process is performed by analyzing an internal document from Karlstad municipality and interviews conducted with the three roles involved in the process. The interviews are transcribed, summarized, and modeled by process models using 2c8 Modeling Tool to explain the vacation exchange process, inputs, and outputs, and the tasks each role performs. The findings showed three specific categories in the vacation exchange process that should be improved when a future system is designed and developed to support the process. The three found categories were: lack of information, information flow, and distribution of responsibilities. In conclusion, the future system should have a function to notify the roles involved. Information used in the vacation exchange process should be gathered and easily accessible in the future system. Further, the future system should support communication between the roles involved in the vacation exchange process, as well as include functions for back-up, digital sending of documents, and facilitate rarely performed tasks. Lastly, the future system should define the responsibilities for each role to balance the tasks each role performs in the process.

Thesis (M.S. in Systems Technology (Joint Command, Control, and Communications)) Naval Postgraduate School, Sept. 1997.
Thesis advisors, Michael G. Sovereign, Orin E. Marvel. Includes bibliographical references (p. 131). Also available online.

A crucial factor in the success of developing integrated manufacturing systems lies in the ability to exchange information among the various computer-aided systems. Although a vast amount of research has been conducted on computer-aided fixture design systems, the need for information exchange between a fixture design system and other manufacturing systems has not been dealt with thoroughly. Models for the exchange of information within an enterprise or within an extended enterprise depend on the functionality and behaviour of individual enterprises. One means of developing an information model for an enterprise is to determine the information requirements by modelling the enterprise. However, this results in a monolithic model that is only applicable to that enterprise. As a solution to this drawback, we describe the development of a reference model for fixture design information support, which can be instantiated to be applied to different types of enterprises. We concentrate on machining fixtures and information form the fixture design domain to other domains.

The topic of e-commerce has become more and more relevant in the last few years. With the advancement of technology and the ever-increasing power of the internet, many people choose this type of presentation instead of the classic “physical” store or office. Of course, this has its advantages: saving a lot of costs, unlimited market, saving time in endless shopping, and more. With the ever-expanding Internet market, online shopping and retailers offering similar types of services have also become more frequent. Tax authorities are increasingly paying attention to this growing industry. In the tax practice, there are already a large number of merchants who have been severely sanctioned for failing to comply with legal requirements for online business. With regard to the distance selling of goods and services / via e-commerce or otherwise / within the EU there are specific provisions in the European VAT Directive creating obligations to register and charge VAT in the country of consumption. Member States tax administrations are also looking for new and more effective digital business control methods to reduce non-taxation and to increase tax collection. That is why a number of countries are introducing electronic audits / audits / on the basis of enhanced exchange of information and control in real time, such as the new requirements of the H-18 Regulations for cash registers and the introduction of CPRMS / Commercial Property Revenue Management System. The topic presented on the need and application of electronic controls and audits has been particularly relevant in recent years globally. It is linked to the rapid pace of e-commerce development and the increasing profits in the sector at the expense of tax avoidance. This is precisely where the research proves the need to apply and develop control over e-commerce, in conclusion, it can even be assumed that the organization and implementation of electronic control / audit is even delayed.

Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions have adopted an online collaboration system to coordinate information sharing and dissemination among hundreds of people from numerous organizations and across multiple countries, including universities, competition organizers, and sponsors involved in the competitions. Microsoft SharePoint is a collection of software elements that includes web browser based collaboration functions, process management modules, search modules and a document-management platform that serves as the foundation for this online collaboration system. SharePoint is used to host a secure web site that accesses shared workspaces, information stores and documents, as well as threaded discussion forums. Users can manipulate controls called “web parts” or interact with pieces of content such as lists and document libraries. The overall team-based engineering education strategy is facilitated throughout the three year EcoCAR program by a two way flow of information between the teams and organizers. Safety and design rules are updated and posted for teams to access. Each team has their own secure document library area for posting required progress reports, design reports, safety documentation, and technical report deliverables that are scored as part of the competition. Scoring results with comments are returned to each team under the team specific site. Proprietary vehicle and component data are also made available, and can be restricted to only those teams that have approved non disclosure agreements with the sponsor. Specific subject and component-based forums are used for asynchronous, threaded exchange of information and questions to subject matter experts. Issues and solutions discovered by students are shared among all teams. The SharePoint Online Collaboration system has significantly improved the information-sharing, evaluation and communications capabilities of the Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions across a vast audience. This has enabled us to significantly enhance the technical scope of the program and improve the educational value to the university participants.

The value added tax (VAT) is supposed to be a tax on consumption that achieves greater economic efficiency than alternative indirect taxes. It is also meant to facilitate enforcement through the ‘self-enforcing mechanism’ – based on opposed incentives for buyers and sellers, and because of the paper trail it creates. Being a rather sophisticated tax, however, the VAT is complex to administer and costly to comply with, especially in lower-income countries. This paper takes a closer look at how the VAT system functions in practice in Rwanda. Using a mixed-methods approach, which combines qualitative information from focus group discussions with the analysis of administrative and survey data, we document and explain a number of surprising inconsistencies in the filing behaviour of VAT-remitting firms, which lead to suboptimal usage of electronic billing machines, as well as failure to claim legitimate VAT credits. The consequence of these inconsistencies is twofold. It makes it difficult for the Rwanda Revenue Authority to exploit its VAT data to the fullest, and leads to firms, particularly smaller ones, bearing a higher VAT burden than larger ones. There are several explanations for these inconsistencies. They appear to lie in a combination of taxpayer confusion, fear of audit, and constraints in administrative capacity.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.

The PLAC Network's Pension Indicators are a dataset containing information related to the labor markets and pension systems of the nineteen PLAC Network member countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. The indicators are divided into five main categories: environment, performance, sustainability, society's preparedness for aging and reform, and pension system design. Each one of these categories are divided into a few subcategories as well. These indicators were constructed with the objective of becoming an important tool for the improvement of the following aspects of pension systems: coverage, sufficiency of benefits, financial sustainability, equity and social solidarity, efficiency, and institutional capacity. An important characteristic of this dataset is the comparability of these indicators since it permits the identification of areas of cooperation and knowledge exchange among countries. The dataset is accompanied by a User's Manual, which can be found in this link https://publications.iadb.org/en/users-manual-idb-plac-network-pension-indicators

The 2019 PLAC Network's Pension Indicators are a dataset containing information related to the labor markets and pension systems of the nineteen PLAC Network member countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. The indicators are divided into five main categories: environment, performance, sustainability, society's preparedness for aging and reform, and pension system design. Each one of these categories are divided into a few subcategories as well. These indicators were constructed with the objective of becoming an important tool for the improvement of the following aspects of pension systems: coverage, sufficiency of benefits, financial sustainability, equity and social solidarity, efficiency, and institutional capacity. An important characteristic of this dataset is the comparability of these indicators since it permits the identification of areas of cooperation and knowledge exchange among countries. The dataset is accompanied by a User's Manual, which can be found in this link: https://publications.iadb.org/en/users-manual-idb-plac-network-pension-indicators

This master thesis explores the challenges for waste management business models in the field of textiles regarding the requirements of the circular economy, as well as improvement potentials in the current framework conditions. It is concerned with the research question: "Is it advisable to change the frame-work conditions at meso or macro level, with regard to business models for waste management companies in the textile sector that are oriented towards the requirements of the circular economy, and - if so - in what way?” The approach of the study is based on the delta analysis of the e Society for Institutional Analysis at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences. It compares the target state of the normative requirements with the actual state of the textile and waste management framework conditions and attempts to identify the gaps (the delta). Based on the delta, it develops approaches that are intended to help reduce the gaps. The thesis develops three business models for the target year 2025 in different areas: an exchange platform for sorters, recyclers and designers, an automatic sorting plant and a plant for fibre-to-fibre recycling of mixed materials. It is becoming clear that these business models cannot meet the target requirements for the circular economy. The analysis identifies the remaining gaps in the framework conditions as the main problem. For example, insufficient innovation impulses and the lack of competitiveness of secondary raw materials inhibit the actors from applying and using new technologies and business models. Restricted access to knowledge and information, as well as a lack of transparency between the actors, also prove to be problematic. In order to answer the research question, the study recommends altering the framework conditions at meso and macro level. It proposes a platform for cooperation between designers, the introduction of a material declaration system and an eco-design guideline for textiles as possible development options. In addition, this work offers a matrix of criteria to help the actors test and improve their new waste management business models regarding their suitability for the circular economy. The analysis is carried out from an outsider's perspective on the entire textile industry. It therefore cannot cover and deal with all aspects and individual circumstances of each player in detail. The necessary changes in the framework conditions that have been identified can therefore be used as a basis for further investigations.

Planning and investing in digital health information systems can lead to improvements in decision-making, patient services, and quality of care. With increased internet connectivity, Pacific island countries have more opportunities to move away from paper-based information systems and connect remote health facilities for greater information exchange. This guide provides resources for those working in health information planning, design, and implementation, including in public health, and includes examples from across the Pacific. The guide makes recommendations on how to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable digital health information system that improves decision-making and, ultimately, improves patient experiences.

With its annual Payment Systems Report, Banco de la República offers a complete overview of the infrastructure of Colombia’s financial market. Each edition of the report has four objectives: 1) to publicize a consolidated account of how the figures for payment infrastructures have evolved with respect to both financial assets and goods and services; 2) to summarize the issues that are being debated internationally and are of interest to the industry that provides payment clearing and settlement services; 3) to offer the public an explanation of the ideas and concepts behind retail-value payment processes and the trends in retail payments within the circuit of individuals and companies; and 4) to familiarize the public, the industry, and all other financial authorities with the methodological progress that has been achieved through applied research to analyze the stability of payment systems. This edition introduces changes that have been made in the structure of the report, which are intended to make it easier and more enjoyable to read. The initial sections in this edition, which is the eleventh, contain an analysis of the statistics on the evolution and performance of financial market infrastructures. These are understood as multilateral systems wherein the participating entities clear, settle and register payments, securities, derivatives and other financial assets. The large-value payment system (CUD) saw less momentum in 2019 than it did the year before, mainly because of a decline in the amount of secondary market operations for government bonds, both in cash and sell/buy-backs, which was offset by an increase in operations with collective investment funds (CIFs) and Banco de la República’s operations to increase the money supply (repos). Consequently, the Central Securities Depository (DCV) registered less activity, due to fewer negotiations on the secondary market for public debt. This trend was also observed in the private debt market, as evidenced by the decline in the average amounts cleared and settled through the Central Securities Depository of Colombia (Deceval) and in the value of operations with financial derivatives cleared and settled through the Central Counterparty of Colombia (CRCC). Section three offers a comprehensive look at the market for retail-value payments; that is, transactions made by individuals and companies. During 2019, electronic transfers increased, and payments made with debit and credit cards continued to trend upward. In contrast, payments by check continued to decline, although the average daily value was almost four times the value of debit and credit card purchases. The same section contains the results of the fourth survey on how the use of retail-value payment instruments (for usual payments) is perceived. Conducted at the end of 2019, the main purpose of the survey was to identify the availability of these payment instruments, the public’s preferences for them, and their acceptance by merchants. It is worth noting that cash continues to be the instrument most used by the population for usual monthly payments (88.1% with respect to the number of payments and 87.4% in value). However, its use in terms of value has declined, having registered 89.6% in the 2017 survey. In turn, the level of acceptance by merchants of payment instruments other than cash is 14.1% for debit cards, 13.4% for credit cards, 8.2% for electronic transfers of funds and 1.8% for checks. The main reason for the use of cash is the absence of point-of-sale terminals at commercial establishments. Considering that the retail-payment market worldwide is influenced by constant innovation in payment services, by the modernization of clearing and settlement systems, and by the efforts of regulators to redefine the payment industry for the future, these trends are addressed in the fourth section of the report. There is an account of how innovations in technology-based financial payment services have developed, and it shows that while this topic is not new, it has evolved, particularly in terms of origin and vocation. One of the boxes that accompanies the fourth section deals with certain payment aspects of open banking and international experience in that regard, which has given the customers of a financial entity sovereignty over their data, allowing them, under transparent and secure conditions, to authorize a third party, other than their financial entity, to request information on their accounts with financial entities, thus enabling the third party to offer various financial services or initiate payments. Innovation also has sparked interest among international organizations, central banks, and research groups concerning the creation of digital currencies. Accordingly, the last box deals with the recent international debate on issuance of central bank digital currencies. In terms of the methodological progress that has been made, it is important to underscore the work that has been done on the role of central counterparties (CCPs) in mitigating liquidity and counterparty risk. The fifth section of the report offers an explanation of a document in which the work of CCPs in financial markets is analyzed and corroborated through an exercise that was built around the Central Counterparty of Colombia (CRCC) in the Colombian market for non-delivery peso-dollar forward exchange transactions, using the methodology of network topology. The results provide empirical support for the different theoretical models developed to study the effect of CCPs on financial markets. Finally, the results of research using artificial intelligence with information from the large-value payment system are presented. Based on the payments made among financial institutions in the large-value payment system, a methodology is used to compare different payment networks, as well as to determine which ones can be considered abnormal. The methodology shows signs that indicate when a network moves away from its historical trend, so it can be studied and monitored. A methodology similar to the one applied to classify images is used to make this comparison, the idea being to extract the main characteristics of the networks and use them as a parameter for comparison. Juan José Echavarría Governor