The first report from the High Level Group on Business Regulation has been presented to the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment. Included in the report is regulation is the area of taxation. ICAI is continuously lobbying for simplification of the Tax Code as a means of encouraging businesses to set up in Ireland.

Some short term measures in the area of taxation include:

• – Online system for tax clearance certificates;
• – Increase in VAT registration thresholds;
• – Less frequent filing of VAT returns;

In addition, the Group has been looking at the interaction of Company Registration Office (CRO) filing and Revenue Commissioner filing; and Central Statistics Office (CSO) filing and Revenue Commissioner filing.

Included in the Appendix to the Report are comments on suggestions by the business sector, including the ICAI, for reducing administrative burdens.

The “Report to the Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment High-Level Group on Business Regulation First Report” is available at http://www.entemp.ie/publications/commerce/2008/HLGReport.pdf.