The Gibraltar Association of Tax Advisers (GATA) was formally launched in mid-February 2023. The main objective of GATA is to:
- Promote the profession of the Tax Adviser by publicly raising tax awareness
- Promoting tax education
- Facilitating those who work in the sector.
Tax Advisers play an important role in the administration of the tax system and many taxpayers choose to use their services to assist them with their tax compliance and planning.
GATA believes that it will be beneficial to the profession, and to Gibraltar as a whole, for there to be a professional organisation that represents and promotes this distinct profession.
GATA will provide specialist tax support and a local voice for cross-border tax matters impacting Gibraltar.
In achieving this, GATA aims to work with connected well-established organisations locally, along with building relations between Gibraltar’s tax profession and its international counterparts, most notably the UK’s Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT).
The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT)
The CIOT is the leading body in the UK for tax professionals whose primary purpose is to promote tax education. One of its key aims is to achieve a more efficient and less complex tax system for all.
GATA is looking to do something similar in Gibraltar. Its views and recommendations on tax matters will be made on this basis. GATA has met with Gibraltar’s Commissioner of Income Tax, and the CIOT, both resulting in encouraging outcomes.
GATA is looking to promote education in a variety of ways, both on its own and in conjunction with the CIOT. As a starter, it would like to offer quarterly open tax training seminars.
These seminars will be designed to cover a broad range of tax topics, from aspects which may be of interest to many taxpayers locally, to others which will focus on technical aspects of the tax regime which may be of more interest to relevant professionals.
Therefore, GATA is looking to provide a tax education and tax discussion platform. Membership of GATA is open to anyone who:
- Holds either the UK’s Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification or the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT)
- Is a Fellow of the CIOT
- Holds any equivalent qualification issued by a national institute of taxation representing the profession of Tax Adviser in that jurisdiction
- Is studying for any of the above qualifications.
The founding members of GATA, whose specialisms cover the many aspects of tax, and represent a variety of local firms, include:
- Darren Anton, KPMG
- John Azzopardi, RSM
- James Bossino, RSM
- Lynette Chaudhary, Sovereign Group
- Marco De La Chica, RSM
- Gavin Gafan, Deloitte
- Sara Haddow, Entain
- Stephen Hodgson, Entain
- Grahame Jackson, Hassans
- Joseph Lee, PwC
- Paul McGonigal, PwC
GATA officers have been elected: the Chair, Grahame Jackson; Education Officer, John Azzopardi; GSA Liaison Officer, Darren Anton; Tax Technical Officer, Paul McGonigal; and Secretary, James Bossino and Marco De La Chica.
In the first year of operation at least, there is no fee to join GATA. An open invitation stands to all those who meet the entry requirements and who are interested in joining.