The Institute has been formed with the following principal aims:

To promote the study of the law, administration and practice in the fields of:

• value added tax
• customs duties and excise duties
• insurance premium tax
• air passenger duty
• landfill tax
• all other indirect, sales or purchase taxes, duties or levies whatsoever applicable in the UK, the EU and throughout the world
• the regulation and control of the import and export of goods and services of all kinds both in the EU and throughout the world.

These are referred to as "Indirect Taxation" throughout this website.

In furtherance of these aims the Institute has numerous powers which include the power to:

• recruit, educate and train members
• preserve members' independence
• develop and enforce professional standards
• develop and maintain examinations
• exchange information on technical matters
• make recommendations for the improvement or simplification of the law and practice of Indirect Taxation
• draw attention to anomalies in the law and practice of Indirect Taxation
• comment on proposed changes in the law and practice of Indirect Taxation
• maintain a library
• publish literature on indirect taxation.