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VAT Evasion and VAT Avoidance: Is there a European Laffer curve for VAT?

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  • Kent Matthews

Abstract

This paper estimates the VAT revenue maximising rate of VAT for the European Union for given conditions of non-compliance and other black economy transactions. It estimates a Laffer curve for the standard rate of VAT using a pooled sample of data of revenue statistics for 14 countries in the EU. The results confirm that the efficiency of the VAT system declines as the VAT rate increases. The decline in efficiency is due to a mixture of a reduction in the VAT base, and VAT evasion and avoidance. As a result of the single market, the EU Commission has proposed a common or closely converged rate of VAT within Europe. The actual common rate of VAT has yet to be decided. This paper contributes to this policy debate.

Suggested Citation

  • Kent Matthews, 2003. "VAT Evasion and VAT Avoidance: Is there a European Laffer curve for VAT?," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 105-114.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:irapec:v:17:y:2003:i:1:p:105-114
    DOI: 10.1080/713673162
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kent Matthews & Jean Lloyd-Williams, 2000. "Have VAT rates reached their limit?: an empirical note," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 111-115.
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    1. Jana Stavjaňová, 2014. "Value Added Tax Gap in the Czech Republic," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 62(6), pages 1427-1436.
    2. Hüseyin ŞEN & Zeynep Burcu BULUT-ÇEVIK, 2021. "The Revenue-Maximizing Corporate Income Tax Rate for Turkey," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(1), pages 122-142, December.
    3. Ruud de Mooij & Michael Keen, 2012. ""Fiscal Devaluation" and Fiscal Consolidation: The VAT in Troubled Times," NBER Chapters, in: Fiscal Policy after the Financial Crisis, pages 443-485, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Alexandra Ferreira‐Lopes & Luís Filipe Martins & Ruben Espanhol, 2020. "The relationship between tax rates and tax revenues in eurozone member countries ‐ exploring the Laffer curve," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 121-145, April.
    5. Keen, Michael & Lockwood, Ben, 2010. "The value added tax: Its causes and consequences," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 138-151, July.
    6. Oguzhan Akgun & David Bartolini & Boris Cournède, 2017. "The capacity of governments to raise taxes," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1407, OECD Publishing.
    7. Agnieszka Szczypińska, 2019. "What drives the VAT gap in the European Union?," Collegium of Economic Analysis Annals, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Economic Analysis, issue 55, pages 69-82.
    8. Uriel Spiegel & Joseph Templeman, 2004. "A Non-Singular Peaked Laffer Curve: Debunking the Traditional Laffer Curve," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 48(2), pages 61-66, October.
    9. Filiz GİRAY & Gamze ÇİMEN, 2022. "Tax Optimality in Turkey: An Analysis for Total Tax Revenues," International Journal of Economics and Financial Research, Academic Research Publishing Group, vol. 8(2), pages 63-77, 06-2022.
    10. Antonio Gómez Gómez-Plana & Pedro Pascual Arzoz, 2011. "Fraude fiscal e IVA en España: incidencia en un modelo de equilibrio general," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 199(4), pages 9-52, December.
    11. Andrew Feltenstein & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Biplab Datta & Sohani Fatehin, 2022. "A general equilibrium model of Value Added Tax evasion: an application to Pakistan," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 537-556, July.
    12. Youngrok Kim & Hongyu Wan & Minjo Kang, 2022. "Card or cash? Evidence regarding consumers' cooperative value‐added tax compliance," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 337-359, September.
    13. Francisca Guedes de Oliveira & Leonardo Costa, 2013. "The Vat Laffer Curve And The Business Cycle," Working Papers de Economia (Economics Working Papers) 02, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
    14. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2016. "Is consumption-Laffer curve hump-shaped? The role of VAT evasion," EconStor Preprints 147001, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    15. Ahmad Farhan Alshira¡¯h & Hijattulah Abdul-Jabbar, 2019. "A Conceptual Model of Sales Tax Compliance among Jordanian SMEs and Its Implications for Future Research," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(5), pages 114-114, May.
    16. Jagrič Timotej & Lešnik Tomaž, 2017. "Audits as a Vaccine or Just Aspirin?," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 63(4), pages 17-28, December.
    17. Tereza Šinkyříková & Jana Soukopová, 2012. "Impact of standard rate of VAT on tax mix in EU 27," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 60(7), pages 369-378.
    18. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2018. "Is consumption-Laffer curve hump-shaped? The VAT evasion channel," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 45(3), pages 598-609.
    19. Ionel Bostan & Cristian Popescu & Costel Istrate & Ioan-Bogdan Robu, 2017. "The Impact of Taxation of the Domestic Economic Transactions on the Vat Collection Through Electronic Fiscal Devices," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 19(45), pages 581-581, May.
    20. Fikri R. Arrachman & Riatu M. Qibthiyyah, 2018. "The Relationship of VAT Rate and Revenues in the Case of Informality," Economics and Finance in Indonesia, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia, vol. 64, pages 73-96, Juni.
    21. Ionela BUTU & Petre BREZEANU & Adriana PORUMBOIU & Sorina Emanuela ȘTEFONI, 2021. "The Relationship Between Vat Gap And Economic Or Institutional Variables," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 30(2), pages 250-259, December.
    22. Keen, Michael & Smith, Stephen, 2006. "VAT Fraud and Evasion: What Do We Know and What Can Be Done?," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 59(4), pages 861-887, December.
    23. Miron Gabriela Monica, 2020. "The Influence of VAT Variation on the Damages Resulting from Fraud in the Romanian Economy," Studia Universitatis „Vasile Goldis” Arad – Economics Series, Sciendo, vol. 30(4), pages 111-131, December.

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