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The Value Added Tax and Growth: Design Matters

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  • Mr. Santiago Acosta Ormaechea
  • Atsuyoshi Morozumi

Abstract

Does the design of a tax matter for growth? Assembling a novel dataset for 30 OECD countries over the 1970-2016 period, this paper examines whether the value added tax (VAT) may have different effects on long-run growth depending on whether it is raised through the standard rate or through C-efficiency (a measure of the departure of the VAT from a perfectly enforced tax levied at a single rate on all consumption). Our key findings are twofold. First, for a given total tax revenue, a rise in the VAT, financed by a fall in income taxes, promotes growth only when the VAT is raised through C-efficiency. Second, for a given VAT revenue, a rise in Cefficiency, offset by a fall in the standard rate, also promotes growth. The implication is thus that in OECD countries broadening the VAT base through fewer reduced rates and exemptions is more conducive to higher long-run growth than a rise in the standard rate.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Santiago Acosta Ormaechea & Atsuyoshi Morozumi, 2019. "The Value Added Tax and Growth: Design Matters," IMF Working Papers 2019/096, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2019/096
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Nazila Alinaghi & W. Robert Reed, 2021. "Taxes and Economic Growth in OECD Countries: A Meta-analysis," Public Finance Review, , vol. 49(1), pages 3-40, January.
    2. Sijbren Cnossen, 2020. "Modernizing the European VAT," CESifo Working Paper Series 8279, CESifo.
    3. Mahfoudh Hussein Mgammal & Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Matari & Talal Fawzi Alruwaili, 2023. "Value-added-tax rate increases: A comparative study using difference-in-difference with an ARIMA modeling approach," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Sijbren Cnossen, 2022. "The C-inefficiency of the EU-VAT and what can be done about it," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(1), pages 215-236, February.
    5. Caro, Paolo Di & Sacchi, Agnese, 2020. "The heterogeneous effects of labor informality on VAT revenues: Evidence on a developed country," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).

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