The internal control system is examined as a variety of internal control of an economic entity on the one hand, and as the foundation for transitioning towards tax monitoring on the other. Such approach allows assessing this structure from the perspective of taxpayers, as well as from the standpoint of implementation of public function of tax control. The object of this article is the process of improving internal control system of tax obligations by the taxpayer in the conditions of digitalization of tax administration. The subject of this article is the theoretical aspects of internal control as an administrative function, as well as comparative analysis of the Russian “internal control” system with the classical COSO model. The scientific novelty consists in comprehensive research of the internal control of tax obligations, determination of its essential characteristics,  and assessment of the consequences of formalization of requirements thereof, which led to the conclusion on transformation of the internal control of the taxpayer from the area of reputational merits of the economic entity and internal administration instruments to the subject of public control by tax authorities in tax monitoring processes. It remains to be seen whether state interference in such delicate sphere of activity of an economic entity as internal control is justified. The goal of this research consists in the analysis of the effective requirements of the Federal Tax Service of Russia from the perspective of possibility of their implementation by the particular taxpayers. The article provides the examples of assessment of certain components of the internal control system based on the criteria set by the Federal Tax Service of Russia. The author formulates the definition of control procedure, carries out classification of the aforementioned criteria; develops the examples of effective design of some controls; as well as presents the examples of assessment of IT systems from in the context of extended requirements of the Federal Tax Service of Russia.

This article presents a historical overview of the emergence of tax monitoring in the Russian Federation, as well as the analysis of its peculiarities within the context of trends of global taxation practice. Modern nations apply new approaches to tax administration, but commonly emerging and practically established ideas do not receive due scientific research. The object of this research is the process of digitalization of tax administration based on Russian and foreign experience. The subject of this research is the theoretical aspects of tax monitoring, as well as historical analysis of the emergence of a new format of interaction between tax administration and taxpayers in Russia and global practice. The goal of this work is to determine the role and importance of tax monitoring within taxation system of the Russian Federation, as well definition of tax monitoring as the means of digitalization of tax administration. The scientific novelty of this work consists in the comprehensive research of implementation of tax monitoring from the moment of its emergence in the global practice of taxation and determination of its essential features, which allowed concluding on incorrectness of legislator’s definition of tax monitoring as a form of tax control, and call for legislative definition of the concept of “tax administration”, as well as amending the Taxation Code of the Russian Federation for clarification of the status of taxpayers, who transitioned to the digital model of tax administration. The results of this research can be used in development of amendments to the legislation and criteria for assessing efficiency of tax monitoring.

The classification features, that reflect various aspects of inter-regional differentiation, have been summarized. The initial information for the analysis were the works of domestic and foreign scientists. The methodological basis of the study was a set of formal logical methods. The obtained results confirm, that the researchers do not stop searching for new features, serving as the basis for future classifications. In some cases, they go along the path of complicating the criteria; in others, they try to simplify them. The potential of domestic classifications of regions as an instrument of regional policy is not fully used, which requires concrete steps from scientists and practitioners, in particular, adjusting existing classifications over time, tracking the movement of regions from one group to another, and developing support measures for each group of regions.