On September 26, 2012, TEI submitted a letter to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development praising the Draft Commentary on the International VAT/GST Neutrality Guidelines and urging the OECD to make changes to the document that would strengthen the application of the VAT neutrality principle by better ensuring that businesses do not bear the burden of the tax or unnecessary administrative rules for claiming VAT refunds.
The comments were prepared under the aegis of TEI's European Indirect Tax Committee, whose chair is Siegert Slagman of Phillip Morris International. Daniel B. De Jong, TEI Tax Counsel, serves as legal staff liaison to the European Indirect Tax Committee and coordinated the preparation of TEI's letter. TEI previously commented on the OECD's Guidelines for VAT Neutrality in its March 30, 2011 letter