On the 23rd of May 2023, a group of Representatives from The Netherlands Ministry of Finance paid a visit to the Directorate General of Taxes’ (DGT) Head Office. The cohort, styled as Jong Financiën or Young Finance, comprises of 32 personnel from various units within The Netherlands Ministry of Finance, including its tax administration. Ms. Guusta Visser, Customs attaché for Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand & Vietnam at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Singapore had coordinated and led the visit. Director of International Taxation of DGT, Mr. Mekar Satria Utama accepted the visit and held a session accompanied by: Ms. Leli Listianawati, Deputy Director of International Tax Agreement and Cooperation, Mr. Satrio Adhi Wibowo, Head Section of International Tax Agreement and Cooperation I, and Ms. Niken Evi Suryani, Head of Section of International Cooperation.

The study visit was the final stop on the cohort’s two week stay in Indonesia, after having previously visited several echelon I units within the Ministry of Finance of The Republic of Indonesia. The study visit to DGT was conducted as a mean of sharing session between the two tax administrations. During the session, Jong Financiën was presented the opportunity to learn about Indonesia’s tax system and DGT at a glance as the tax administration. DGT also presented some of its strategies on service delivery upon geographical challenges and early education on tax, role in international taxation, as well as digital development in DGT.

The study visit went on very well with lively discussions and short but meaningful Q&A session displaying both DGT and Jong Financiën’s enthusiasm and eagerness to learn from one another. The colleagues from Netherlands were particularly interested in the digital development in the DGT. Both DGT and Jong Financiën realised on the common challenges tax administrations face especially in dealing with the legacy systems in times of digitalisation and on navigating and accommodating the different interests and needs in doing their task. As the session drew to a close, there were heart-warming exchange of token of appreciations and a photo session opportunity to end the day.

Jong Financiën is a group of young and young at heart colleagues from various departments of the Netherlands Ministry of Finance which interests are holding meetings, discussion sessions and social gatherings to meet, network, exchange ideas and information from each other. The group organises annual study trips outside Europe to meet various government and non-governmental organisations to hear and learn from other countries. This year, Jong Financiën spent two weeks in Jogjakarta and Jakarta and finalised their visit in the DGT Head Office.