Digital tax reform in Indonesia: Perspective on tax policy development

Abstract

In Indonesia tax reform has undergone multiple revisions in recent years, all within a brief timeframe. Digital tax reform in Indonesia began with significant milestones in recent years to adapt to the digital economy’s challenges. The specific start date for digital tax reform in Indonesia can be traced back to the passing of the Tax Regulations Harmonization Law on 7th October 2021, which officially became Law No 7/2021 on 29th October 2021. This law marked a crucial step in Indonesia’s journey towards modernizing its tax system to address the implications of the digital economy. The provisions of this law have varying effective dates, such as for income tax purposes from the 2022 fiscal year and for VAT purposes from 1st April 2022. These changes under the Tax Regulations Harmonization Law are extensive and wide-reaching, signifying a pivotal moment in Indonesia’s digital tax reform efforts. This shows that the Indonesian government intends to radically overhaul the tax system, yet there are inconsistent approaches to deciding on the long-term course of tax policy. It is critical to investigate the concept of tax legislation in Indonesia in order to provide legal clarity on digital tax reform. Normative juridical research methodology is employed, together with a qualitative research strategy and descriptive-analytical research specifications. The findings suggest that the Indonesian government’s efforts to establish strict policies governing taxes on digital activity are inadequate and uneven. In order to apply to digital platform enterprises, the definition of permanent establishment as outlined in a number of national regulations must incorporate a substantial economic presence criterion. Legislative progress toward the establishment of a framework for digital tax collection is necessary to mitigate the possible income loss of states in this area, which could result from the rapid advancement of information technology. The OECD consensus is still in the process of drafting an international tax reform that will require adjustments from national tax reform. Therefore, it is imperative that the Indonesian government establish a thorough framework for tax regulation that can ensure robustness, economic efficiency, fairness, against motivation compatibility, administrative ease, and avoidance.