Event description
Tax abuse by multinational firms and wealthy individuals undermines state revenues, public trust, and fair competition. Despite decades of research, much of the evidence has relied on aggregated, publicly available datasets. While useful, these sources lack the granularity needed to answer core policy questions—such as which reforms deter abuse, how firms respond to enforcement, how to most efficiently identify cases for audits, and what works in practice.
Administrative micro-data—e.g. corporate tax returns, country-by-country reporting filings, information exchange data, financial transaction records—now offer a way forward. Access to such data has allowed researchers to measure tax abuse more precisely, apply causal inference methods, and evaluate policies with a level of rigor previously impossible. The same data has allowed staff from relevant government agencies to gain evidence-based insights into their work, building local capacity. Yet access remains fragmented: in some countries, collaboration depends on personal networks, in others it is facilitated by international organisations or funders, and a few have invested in dedicated secure data labs. The absence of common standards makes it harder for governments to benefit from research and for researchers to identify opportunities.
For these reasons, the Tax Justice Network is launching a new initative called Admin Data for Tax Justice, which aims to coordinate, support, and expand the use of administrative data in tax research. The initiative brings together researchers and tax administrations (and other relevant government agencies) to share methodologies, improve data access frameworks, and build a global community capable of producing robust evidence on tax abuse, inequality, and the effectiveness of tax systems using the best available micro-level data. The initiative has a growing network of institutional partners, including universities, research institutes, and international organisations already working with administrative data or seeking to build such capacity. We welcome new collaborators: if your institution is interested in joining or learning more, please reach out to us. And if you would like to stay updated about future activities of the new initiative, you can sign up to receive our newsletter.
In the immediate future, two major events will mark the start of this intitatie. The first is the virtual global launch of the initiative on Monday, December 15, which includes a high-level panel with some of the world’s most active stakeholders in research collaborations on administrative data.
The second is an in-person workshop co-organised by the Tax Justice Network, Skatteforsk – Centre for Tax Research, Charles University, and the International Growth Centre, bringing together practitioners and researchers to exchange experiences and develop concrete pathways for new collaborative projects. The workshop takes place in Prague on 16 and 17 December 2025. Our overarching objective is to jump-start a network of stakeholders working with administrative data to strengthen the global ecosystem of research–government collaboration. Around 25 researchers with hands-on experience of administrative data will convene together with around 10 staff from tax administrations from around the world. Together they will share lessons on data access models, anonymisation, disclosure control, and how to ensure that collaborations create value for both scholarship and policy. During the workshop, we will jointly work on producing a report that will codify best practices for research–government partnerships. The report is intended as a reference for governments, funders, and scholars seeking to expand such collaborations, and will be made publicly available at the Admin Data for Tax Justice website in the coming months.
Details of the workshop
Dates: 16–17 December 2025
Location: Prague, Czechia, Charles University
Attendance: In-person only
Local organiser: Miroslav Palanský, Head of Research, Tax Justice Network, contact: [email protected]
Workshop programme
You can find the detailed workshop programme here