Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

Good Practices and InnovATIONS in Public Governance
Western Asia
Lebanon
2007 Category 2 Winner
Taxpayer Service
Ministry of Finance, Lebanon
Description
Making it easy and fast to file taxes through an online filing system.
Summary
In Lebanon, the Ministry of Finance has improved services delivered to taxpayers,
their quality and timeliness making it comparable to international standards.
The Problem
In Lebanon the tax filing system was complicated and information was difficult to
access resulting in low tax payment compliance. The Lebanese internal conflicts
had adverse effects on Lebanon’s economy, plagued by a deteriorating public administration,
with aging employees who had limited knowledge of new technologies
and techniques adopted in more advanced economies. This resulted in considerable
delays and inefficiencies in the delivery of services to a constantly developing
private sector.
The Solution
To overcome the above mentioned challenges, the Ministry of Finance launched a
programme to:
• Revamp the tax administration through the reengineering and modernization
of existing systems and processes;
• Promote the simplification of tax returns;
• Develop tax guides and other communication material to inform taxpayers
of their rights and obligations;
• Promote the recruitment and training, as well as rotation of qualified
young graduates;
• Introduce new equipment to improve the delivery of services;
• Minimize contact with taxpayers through the use of regular and electronic
mail for tax enquiries and return filing, and most importantly; and
• Develop a business continuity plan to ensure sustainability of operations
in risk situations, an urgent need given the local and regional context.
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