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Corporate Effective Tax Rates in an Enlarged European Union

Author

Listed:
  • Christina Elschner

    (University of Mannheim, Germany)

  • Werner Vanborren

    (European Commission)

Abstract

This paper offers an assessment of European corporate tax regimes using forward-looking indicators for corporate investment based on the Devereux-Griffith methodology. It draws on time series of average effective tax rates (EATR) using a detailed set of tax parameters for 27 EU Member States as well as some important non-EU countries. The analysis shows that over time the reduction in the corporate effective average tax rates (EATR) was lower than for the corporate statutory rates and the figures suggest that simple corporate tax base broadening by means of less generous capital allowances is not a sufficient explanation for this phenomenon. Finally, it is shown that the tax gap between the old and new EU Member States has grown over time and even accelerated after accession.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Elschner & Werner Vanborren, 2009. "Corporate Effective Tax Rates in an Enlarged European Union," Taxation Papers 14, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission, revised Apr 2009.
    • Handle: RePEc:tax:taxpap:0014
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    File URL: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/sites/taxation/files/resources/documents/taxation/gen_info/economic_analysis/tax_papers/taxation_paper_14_en.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anping Chen & Marlon Boarnet & Mark Partridge & Yongzheng Liu & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2014. "Interjurisdictional Tax Competition In China," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 606-628, September.
    2. Callan, Tim & Savage, Michael, 2013. "Tax and Taxable Capacity: Ireland in Comparative Perspective," Research Notes RN2012/4/1, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    3. Keller, Sara & Schanz, Deborah, 2013. "Measuring tax attractiveness across countries," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 143, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    4. Heer, Burkhard & Schubert, Stefan Franz, 2012. "Unemployment and debt dynamics in a highly indebted small open economy," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 1392-1413.
    5. Elschner, Christina & Heckemeyer, Jost Henrich & Spengel, Christoph, 2009. "Besteuerungsprinzipien und effektive Unternehmenssteuerbelastungen in der Europäischen Union," ZEW Discussion Papers 09-034, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    6. Christina Elschner & Jost H. Heckemeyer & Christoph Spengel, 2011. "Besteuerungsprinzipien und effektive Unternehmenssteuerbelastungen in der Europäischen Union: Regelt sich die EU‐weite Steuerharmonisierung von selbst?," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 12(1), pages 47-71, February.
    7. Veronika Sobotková, 2012. "Revisiting the debate on harmful tax competition in the European Union," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 60(4), pages 343-350.
    8. Jaafar, Aziz & Thornton, John, 2015. "Tax Havens and Effective Tax Rates: An Analysis of Private versus Public European Firms," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 435-457.
    9. Yongzheng Liu, 2016. "Do government preferences matter for tax competition?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 23(2), pages 343-367, April.
    10. Schubert, Stefan F., 2011. "The effects of total factor productivity and export shocks on a small open economy with unemployment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 1514-1530, September.
    11. Jan Svitlík, 2015. "ETR Development and Analysis: Case from the Czech Republic," European Financial and Accounting Journal, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2015(4), pages 5-18.
    12. Hayato Kato, 2018. "Lobbying and tax competition in an oligopolistic industry: a reverse home-market effect," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 276-295, July.
    13. Lourdes Jerez Barroso, 2011. "Base imponible y neutralidad del Impuesto de Sociedades: alternativas y experiencias," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 197(2), pages 113-146, June.
    14. Bernardi, Luigi, 2009. "Le tasse in Europa dagli anni novanta [Taxation in Europe since the Years 1990s]," MPRA Paper 23441, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. repec:esr:wpaper:rn2012/4/1 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Spengel, Christoph & Heckemeyer, Jost Henrich & Bräutigam, Rainer & Nicolay, Katharina & Klar, Oliver & Stutzenberger, Kathrin, 2016. "The effects of tax reforms to address the debt-equity bias on the cost of capital and on effective tax rates," ZEW Expertises, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, volume 65, number 148156, September.
    17. Kato, Hayato, 2015. "Lobbying and Tax Competition in an Agglomeration Economy: A Reverse Home Market Effect," CCES Discussion Paper Series 56, Center for Research on Contemporary Economic Systems, Graduate School of Economics, Hitotsubashi University.
    18. Escudero, Verónica & Ha, Byung-jin & Khatiwada, Sameer & Tobin, Steven, 2011. "Germany : a job-centred approach," Studies on Growth with Equity 463476, International Labour Office, Research Department.
    19. Escudero, Verónica. & Ha, Byung-jin. & Khatiwada, Sameer. & Tobin, Steven., 2011. "Germany : a job-centred approach," Studies on Growth with Equity, International Labour Office, Research Department, number 994634763402676, January.
    20. Swianiewicz Paweł & Łukomska Julita, 2016. "Local Tax Competition in Poland?," Miscellanea Geographica. Regional Studies on Development, Sciendo, vol. 20(3), pages 37-43, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    European Union; effective tax rate; effective tax burden; corporate taxation; company taxation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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