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The corporate income tax rate-revenue paradox: Evidence in the EU

Author

Listed:
  • Joanna Piotrowska

    (Ministry of Finance, Poland)

  • Werner Vanborren

    (European Commission)

Abstract

In Europe, the decline in the corporate tax rates has not been reflected in the tax-to-GDP ratios. This paper explores to what extent the observed trend can be explained by changes in the effective tax burden on corporate income, in the share of total income accruing to the corporate sector and in total business income relative to GDP. We present an overview of the findings from previous literature, apply the methodology developed by S?rensen to decompose the most complete data available on the European level and make use of information collected from parallel studies on the effective tax burden and corporatization. The results suggest that corporatization is the driving factor for the trend observed in corporate tax revenues.

Suggested Citation

  • Joanna Piotrowska & Werner Vanborren, 2008. "The corporate income tax rate-revenue paradox: Evidence in the EU," Taxation Papers 12, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission, revised Oct 2008.
    • Handle: RePEc:tax:taxpap:0012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Taro Ohno & Masaki Hotei & Eiichiro Sato & Chie Umezaki, 2015. "Decomposition of the Variation of Corporate Tax Revenues : Based on Consideration of Corporate Tax Paradox-," Public Policy Review, Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Finance Japan, vol. 11(2), pages 333-360, March.
    2. Simon Loretz & Margit Schratzenstaller-Altzinger, 2019. "Der EU-Vorschlag zur Harmonisierung der Körperschaftsteuer. Auswirkungen für Österreich," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 92(1), pages 61-71, January.
    3. Clemens Fuest & Felix Hugger & Susanne Wildgruber, 2022. "Why Is Corporate Tax Revenue Stable While Tax Rates Fall? Evidence from Firm-Level Data," National Tax Journal, University of Chicago Press, vol. 75(3), pages 481-515.
    4. Estache, Antonio & Daxbek, Vincent, 2013. "How would the design of an alternative minimum tax impact the effective corporate tax rate in Belgium?," CEPR Discussion Papers 9481, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. 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.
    6. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Violeta Vulovic & Yongzheng Liu, 2011. "Direct versus Indirect Taxation: Trends, Theory, and Economic Significance," Chapters, in: Emilio Albi & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez (ed.), The Elgar Guide to Tax Systems, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Boryana Madzharova, 2012. "Intertemporal Income Shifting in Expectation of Lower Corporate Tax Rates: The Tax Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp462, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    8. Yongzheng Liu & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2015. "Growth–Inequality Tradeoff in the Design of Tax Structure: Evidence from a Large Panel of Countries," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 323-345, May.
    9. De Laet, Jean-Pierre & Wöhlbier, Florian, 2008. "Tax burden by economic function A comparison for the EU Member States," MPRA Paper 14761, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. 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.
    11. Wifo, 2019. "WIFO-Monatsberichte, Heft 1/2019," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 92(1), January.
    12. Slavomira Tahlova & Anna Banociova, 2019. "Assessment of Corporate Income Tax Revenues in the Light of Their Current Determinants," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 15(1), pages 87-97.
    13. Bernardi, L., 2012. "Heterogeneity of taxation in EA Member countries and some implications for EA fiscal governance," MPRA Paper 40050, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. 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.
    15. 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.
    16. 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, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    corporate taxation; tax revenues; incorporation; corporatization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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