The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) is a registered charity (number 1037771) and the leading professional body in the United Kingdom concerned solely with taxation. The CIOT deals with all aspects of direct and indirect taxation. Activities and membership The primary purpose of the CIOT is to promote education in and the study of the administration and practice of taxation. One of its key aims is to achieve a better, more efficient, tax system for all affected by it – taxpayers, advisers and the authorities. The CIOT's comments and recommendations on tax issues are made solely in order to achieve its aims: it is entirely apolitical in its work. The CIOT administers and awards two qualifications: the CTA (Chartered Tax Adviser) qualification for domestic tax practitioners in the United Kingdom, and ADIT (the Advanced Diploma in International Taxation) for international tax professionals around the world. Membership is awarded on passing the Institute's CTA examinations and completing three years' practical taxation experience. Members may use the letters CTA (Chartered Tax Adviser), formerly ATII (Associate of the Taxation Institute Incorporated). Members who joined before the change in designatory letters to CTA may continue to use ATII if they wish. The CIOT describes its qualifications as the 'gold standard'. Fellowship is available following the submission of a thesis or a body of work. Fellow members may use the letters CTA (Fellow), formerly FTII, after their name to indicate fellowship. Since 2014, the CIOT and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) have offered the ACA/CTA Joint Programme, a combined route which allows tax students to achieve both prestigious qualifications in a shorter length of time. Foundation The Institute of Taxation (the forerunner of the Chartered Institute) was formed in 1930, incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee. The Chartered Institute is incorporated by Royal Charter. One of the founder members was Ronald Staples, the founding editor of Taxation Magazine. It was originally proposed to use the letters ATI (Associate of the Taxation Institute) and FTI (Fellow of the Taxation Institute). When it was discovered that these letters had already been allocated to the Textiles Institute, an extra "I" was added to each set of letters, standing for "Incorporated". Affiliations The Institute was the first UK tax body to join the Confédération Fiscale Européenne (CFE). Mergers The 500 members of the Institute of Indirect Taxation (IIT) became members of the CIOT in