European Chapter Wraps Up Its Year in Bavaria.

The following report was submitted by Anthony J. Maggiore, who is 1999-2000 President of TEIs European Chapter.

TEI's European Chapter capped a successful year with a May 9-10 meeting in Munich, Germany, organized by Compaq and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The meeting was a hit with the 75 registrants, particularly the session on e-commerce. Munich provided a wonderful backdrop with lovely weather and fantastic scenery.

Compaq enlisted its salespeople to set the stage with a presentation highlighting the effect and growth of the Internet, including B2C and B2B sales. PwC invited Professor Albert Angehrn of INSEAD, the European Institute of Business Administration, who captivated the audience with insights about the future of the Internet and opened some eyes with views about thinking "outside the box" to compete in the Internet age.

This meeting was the first time the European Chapter incorporated break-out sessions into its technical meeting. There were two workshops. During the morning workshop, four groups were given a case study involving a European-based record company wishing to rationalize the tax structure of its business, which included attracting artists, recording their music, and distributing that music within the European Union. That afternoon the four groups went to work on a second case study on establishing a centralized purchasing operation for a European-based group of companies in order to gain income and indirect tax advantages. This workshop strategy, which was moderated by PwC, enlivened the session, drawing everyone into the process and the subsequent presentation of the results.

One of the important goals of the Munich meeting was to ensure a seamless transition of the European Chapter's Officers and Directors. Chapter members unanimously approved the nominees listed on this page.

During the Chapter business session, current President Tony Maggiore announced that groundwork is already being laid for the four regularly scheduled meetings in the upcoming fiscal year. Incoming President Jim Diller is already organizing these meetings with the companies that have volunteered, but it is not too late for companies to host a meeting. There are plenty of interesting topics for the European Chapter to address, including harmful tax competition and indirect taxes (which will be organized in cooperation with TEI International Tax Committee's new subcommittee on customs and indirect taxes). Efforts are also underway to continue hosting meetings in different European countries to attract local tax professionals. TEI is the only pan-European organization of industry tax professionals. This is a major attraction for local professionals who would otherwise have only local that include tax advisers.

The European Chapter has already teed up its first meeting of the 2000-2001 fiscal year, which will be hosted by General Motors in Brussels. Tentatively scheduled for October 5-6, the program will include a two-day forum on harmful tax competition in the European Union. Frances M. Horner of the OECD and Matthais Mors of the EU have already agreed to speak and Deloitte & Touche has agreed to moderate the forum and present the business case. The Chapter's Education Committee is still lining up representatives of the Ministry of Finance and tax authorities of several European countries to discuss the viewpoint of each country. Overall, the forum is designed to air all views in a constructive setting. TEI members interested in attending should contact James Diller as soon as possible ([e-mail]). The Chapter anticipates a large turnout but the facility is limited to 150. The Chapter will give priority to TEI European Chapter members (and applicants), their companies' government affairs guests, and other TEI members. Announcements and registration information will be distributed by early July in order to confirm hotel accommodations, which will be held open for only a limited time.

The members of the European Chapter are pleased to have been given the opportunity to organize European-based and European national tax professionals around TEI's goals. Chapter members are looking forward to taking a larger role in advocating TEI positions on issues within the EU and participating in TEI advocacy efforts in the United States.

2000-2001 Officers:

President: James Diller, General Motors Corp. 1st Vice President: Peter Taylor, Dupont de Nemours International 2nd Vice President: Hilary Robinson, Kodak Ltd. Secretary: William Ramirez, Philip Morris Europe S.A. Treasurer: James Van Valkenberg, Cargill Europe Chapter Representative: Mary Carol Holbert, Japan Tobacco International

2000-2001 Board of Directors:

Anthony J. Maggiore, Japan Tobacco International Guy Kersch, Monsanto, Europe Jean-Mark Servais, Federal Express European Services, Inc. Rudy Van Steenbergen, Baxter World Trade S.A. Mark Peterson, Dell Computer Mark Gyorog, Hewlett Packard (Europe)