The main objective is the prevention of fiscal risk. The Tax Agency and twenty-seven of the country's main companies are participating. Its creation was planned in the update of the Tax Fraud Prevention Plan and is a recommendation of the OECD. The Forum will strengthen the relationship between companies and the Tax Agency and pave the way for Corporate Social Responsibility in the tax field.

July 10, 2009. This morning the Large Business Tax Forum was established, the first meeting of which was attended by the Director General of the State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT); senior management of the AEAT and representatives of the boards of directors and senior managers of the participating companies.

The Tax Forum for Large Companies has the mission of strengthening transparency and trust in the relationship between the tax administration and large corporations in order to reduce tax risks. Initially, contact was made with a group of companies affiliated with the Central Delegation of Large Taxpayers, which stood out for their volume, tax revenues, information provided, number of employees and geographical distribution. The initial participation of these companies will not preclude the possible incorporation of other companies. The agreements adopted by the Large Business Tax Forum will be of general application to all affected taxpayers.

The Large Business Tax Forum will act on issues such as the prior analysis of the effects derived from the implementation or modification of formal obligations, the discussion of interpretative criteria of general interest or the establishment of more agile channels of communication. Under no circumstances may the Forum provide preferential treatment to participating companies, nor will individual files be analysed.

The Forum is chaired by the President of the AEAT and Secretary of State for Finance and Budgets, Carlos Ocaña, and its members include the Director General of the AEAT, as well as the heads of the departments of Organisation, Management, Inspection, Collection, Customs and Large Taxpayers. On behalf of the companies, a member of the Board of Directors or a representative thereof will attend the meetings.

In 2005, with the implementation of the Tax Fraud Prevention Plan, the Central Delegation of Large Taxpayers was created, which houses the administrative and tax relationship with all large Spanish companies. 40% of the gross revenue of the Tax Agency is made through this delegation. In November 2008, the Tax Fraud Prevention Plan was updated and the creation of the Large Business Tax Forum was proposed.

With the Large Business Tax Forum, tax issues are incorporated into Corporate Social Responsibility, just as other areas of business activity, such as technology and the environment, have been incorporated. In this regard, the OECD recommends the creation of these groups to raise awareness among the boards of directors of companies, which are ultimately responsible for tax strategies and their results.

Following the first meeting of the Forum, three working groups will be created. The first is to draw up a Code of Good Tax Practices, the second is to analyse the rationalisation of indirect tax burdens and the third is on transfer pricing. The working documents and conclusions of the Forum will be published on the AEAT website.

Companies participating in the Forum for Large Companies:

ACERINOX
ACS
BANCO SANTANDER
BBVA
CAJA MADRID
CEPSA
COFARES
EL CORTE INGLÉS
ENDESA
FCC
GAS NATURAL
GENERALI SPAIN
WAM ACQUISITION GROUP
IBERDROLA
IBERIA
INDITEX
LA CAIXA
MAPFRE CAJA MADRID
MERCADONA
MICHELIN SPAIN PORTUGAL
NORFIN HOLDER
RENAULT ESPAÑA
REPSOL YPF
SEAT
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