Federal Tax Authority Signs Government Services Quality Charter

The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has signed the Government Services Quality Charter, launched by the UAE Government with the aim of offering a new and advanced level of service for the public, driving a notable shift in the efficiency and effectiveness of these services to ensure a comfortable and seamless experiences for all users.

The Charter was signed at the Services 1 Centre at Emirates Towers, in the presence of FTA Director General His Excellency Khalid Ali Al Bustani; H.E. Mohamed Bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government; and a number of officials from both entities. This step forms part of the Authority’s ongoing efforts to upgrade the services provided to its customers, in line with the highest global standards and best practices.

“We are honoured to be signing the Government Services Quality Charter today,” said H.E. Al Bustani. “The Charter embodies the Federal Tax Authority’s commitment to continuously develop all of its services and projects, in an effort to build an integrated tax system that provides high-quality, efficient, and proactive services that meet the highest international standards, in line with our wise leadership’s vision for excellent government performance.”

“We are dedicated to implementing the principles and objectives of this Charter, which serves as a main reference in developing government services and aims to facilitate user experience and enable them to seamlessly access streamlined, efficient, and fast services,” H.E. added.

Under the terms of the Charter, the FTA will work to develop three transformation pathways for service development, including: the ‘Maskan’ smart application for the Tax Refund for UAE Nationals Building New Residences system, where the Authority refunds value added tax (VAT) incurred by UAE citizens on building their new homes. The platform aims to reduce the burden on applicants by streamlining the process with fewer steps and making it paperless.

H.E. Bin Taliah asserted that: “Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the UAE Government is committed to developing government operations and implementing innovative and proactive solutions to all challenges, based on principles of participatory design and individual aspirations, in order to achieve a direct positive impact for users and the community.”

“The Federal Tax Authority’s adoption of the Government Services Quality Charter, launched by the UAE Government, aligns with the country’s efforts to accelerate development and continuously and sustainably upgrade government services, with the aim of providing the best government services and enhancing user experience,” H.E. added. “We strive to enhance government performance and prepare for the future, which, in turn, reflects positively on people’s lives and paves the way for a better future for coming generations.”

The pathways also include developing procedures for issuing Tax Residency Certificates, including streamlining processes and integrating with other systems and departments for faster turnaround and better user experience. The FTA issues this certificate to enable applicants to benefit from the agreements the UAE has signed to avoid double taxation.

The third and final pathway consists of developing an instant messaging and live chat service to improve user experience and provide them with information about the services available for partners on the Authority’s online platforms through a single channel.

The UAE Government launched the Government Services Development Guide to drive a notable leap in the process of planning, designing, applying, and launching government services, in addition to shifting the thought process from project to service management. The Guide focuses on flexibility in forming joint taskforces from various government entities that adopted the new approach and are working to promote knowledge within their organisations. The taskforces collaborate to develop comprehensive and integrated government services, tailored to users’ needs and preferences, in addition to providing services that enhance user experience across various service delivery channels.