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A bird’s eye view on 20 years of tax-benefit reforms in Belgium

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Listed:
  • André Decoster
  • Sergio Perelman
  • Dieter Vandelannoote
  • Toon Vanheukelom
  • Gerlinde Verbist

Abstract

Belgium has seen major changes in its tax-benefit system over the past twenty years. These changes have, to a large extent, co-determined the evolution of disposable incomes of Belgian households on one hand, and their incentives to work on the other. In this paper we assess equity and efficiency aspects of changes in tax-benefit policies over the full course of 1992-2012. By simulating effects of current and past tax-benefit policies using the microsimulation model MEFISTO-EUROMOD, we summarize the shifts in policy orientation over this period using two summary measures of redistribution and work incentives. Our three main findings are: 1) the changes in the tax-benefit system have to a large extent been pro-poor, and redistribution has been increased; 2) the introduction of an earned income tax credit and the lowering of personal income taxes has contributed to improve work incentives, but this effect was partially eroded by an increase in unemployment benefits since 2000; 3) the results crucially depend on whether one chooses as ‘no policy change’ counterfactual indexation with inflation or indexation with nominal wage growth.

Suggested Citation

  • André Decoster & Sergio Perelman & Dieter Vandelannoote & Toon Vanheukelom & Gerlinde Verbist, 2015. "A bird’s eye view on 20 years of tax-benefit reforms in Belgium," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven 494657, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    • Handle: RePEc:ete:ceswps:494657
    Note: paper number DPS 15.07
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    1. Diego Collado & Bea Cantillon & Karel Van den Bosch & Tim Goedemé & Dieter Vandelannoote, 2016. "The end of cheap talk about poverty reduction: the cost of closing the poverty gap while maintaining work incentives," ImPRovE Working Papers 16/08, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    2. H. Xavier Jara & Katrin Gasior & Mattia Makovec, 2020. "Work Incentives at the Extensive and Intensive Margin in Europe: The Role of Taxes, Benefits and Population Characteristics," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 705-778, November.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General

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