IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/zewdip/3280.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

EU Company Taxation in Case of a Common Tax Base: A Computer-based Calculation and Comparison Using the Enhanced Model of the European Tax Analyzer

Author

Listed:
  • Stetter, Thorsten
  • Spengel, Christoph
  • Jacobs, Otto H.
  • Wendt, Carsten

Abstract

Within the EU the relation between financial and tax accounting will be significantly influenced by the regulation adopted in June 2002 that obliges all listed companies to prepare their consolidated accounts according to International Accounting Standards / International Financial Reporting Standards (IAS/IFRS). Since dependency of financial and tax accounting according to different degrees prevails in all EU member states a linkage between IAS/IFRS and tax accounting seems to be possible. Compared to national GAAP the advantage of IAS/IFRS as a starting point for tax accounting derives from the advantages of the creation of a common tax base in the EU. However, the adoption of IAS/IFRS has to be restricted to those standards that are convenient for tax purposes. In particular, this means that tax accounting still has to follow the realisation principle as a general principle; the IAS/IFRS ?fair value-accounting? therefore cannot be adopted for tax purposes. In this paper we present estimates for the consequences of IAS/IFRS-based tax accounting on the comparative effective tax burdens of companies in 13 countries (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the USA). Therefore, certain provisions of IAS/IFRS were considered as a starting point for the tax base. The effective tax burdens are calculated on the basis of the European Tax Analyzer model which was enhanced for the purposes of this study. A further question arises as to what extent an exclusive harmonisation of the tax base will effectively reduce the current EU-wide differences of effective company tax burdens. It turns out that a common tax base cannot alleviate the current EU-wide differences of effective company tax burdens. A major finding of our study reveals that the effective tax burdens in all countries considered here (except Ireland) tend to increase slightly since the tax bases tend to become broader. This offers the possibility to member states to reduce the nominal tax rate leaving the overall effective tax burden unchanged. A tax policy of tax cut cum base broadening would not only tend to increase the attractiveness of the member states as a location for companies. At the same time, this would reduce dispersions of effective tax burdens across industries. Therefore, such a tax policy is in line of the long term Community goals to become more competitive in international terms.

Suggested Citation

  • Stetter, Thorsten & Spengel, Christoph & Jacobs, Otto H. & Wendt, Carsten, 2005. "EU Company Taxation in Case of a Common Tax Base: A Computer-based Calculation and Comparison Using the Enhanced Model of the European Tax Analyzer," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-37, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:3280
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/24128/1/dp0537.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hermann, Rico A. & Spengel, Christoph & Jacobs, Otto H. & Stetter, Thorsten, 2003. "Steueroptimale Rechtsformwahl: Personengesellschaften besser als Kapitalgesellschaften," ZEW Discussion Papers 03-30, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    2. Devereux, Michael P. & Griffith, Rachel, 1998. "Taxes and the location of production: evidence from a panel of US multinationals," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 335-367, June.
    3. Strahringer, Susanne, 1998. "Ein sprachbasierter Metamodellbegriff und seine Verallgemeinerung durch das Konzept des Metaisierungsprinzips," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 13632, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Simona Jirásková, 2013. "Range of data reported to the requirements of the IAS 12 and impact of the IFRS adoption for tax purposes in the tax collection of the Czech Republic," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 61(4), pages 961-966.
    2. Estian Calitz, 2019. "Are the South African fiscal authorities serious about tax base broadening?," Working Papers 06/2019, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    3. Kager, Rebekka & Niemann, Rainer, 2011. "Reconstruction of tax balance sheets based on IFRS information: A case study of listed companies within Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 120, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    4. Jan Molín & Simona Jirásková, 2014. "Legal Consequences of the Determination of Corporate Income Tax Base Referring to IFRS," European Financial and Accounting Journal, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2014(4), pages 25-44.
    5. Marcel Gérard, 2006. "Reforming the Taxation of Multijurisdictional Enterprises in Europe, a Tentative Appraisal," CESifo Working Paper Series 1795, CESifo.
    6. Keller, Sara & Schanz, Deborah, 2013. "Measuring tax attractiveness across countries," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 143, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    7. Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung & Max-Planck-Institut fü (ed.), 2006. "Reform der Einkommens- und Unternehmensbesteuerung durch die Duale Einkommensteuer. Expertise im Auftrag der Bundesminister der Finanzen und für Wirtschaft und Arbeit vom 23. Februar 2005," Occasional Reports / Expertisen, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, number 75365.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung & Max-Planck-Institut fü (ed.), 2006. "Reform der Einkommens- und Unternehmensbesteuerung durch die Duale Einkommensteuer. Expertise im Auftrag der Bundesminister der Finanzen und für Wirtschaft und Arbeit vom 23. Februar 2005," Occasional Reports / Expertisen, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, number 75365.
    2. Jean-Louis Mucchielli & Thierry Mayer, 1999. "La localisation à l'étranger des entreprises multinationales," Post-Print hal-01016877, HAL.
    3. Christian Keuschnigg, 2008. "Corporate Taxation and the Welfare State," Working Papers 0813, Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation.
    4. Ralf Ewert & Rainer Niemann, 2012. "Limited Liability, Asymmetric Taxation, and Risk Taking - Why Partial Tax Neutralities Can Be Harmful," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 68(1), pages 83-120, March.
    5. Grégoire Rota-Graziosi & Fayçal Sawadogo, 2020. "The tax burden on mobile network operators in Africa," Working Papers hal-03109370, HAL.
    6. Riccardo Crescenzi & Carlo Pietrobelli & Roberta Rabellotti, 2012. "Innovation Drivers, Value Chains and the Geography of Multinational Firms in European Regions," LEQS – LSE 'Europe in Question' Discussion Paper Series 53, European Institute, LSE.
    7. Mutti, John & Grubert, Harry, 2004. "Empirical asymmetries in foreign direct investment and taxation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(2), pages 337-358, March.
    8. Jan I. Haaland & Ian Wooton & Giulia Faggio, 2002. "Multinational Firms: Easy Come, Easy Go?," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 59(1), pages 3-26, February.
    9. Da Rin, Marco & Di Giacomo, Marina & Sembenelli, Alessandro, 2011. "Entrepreneurship, firm entry, and the taxation of corporate income: Evidence from Europe," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(9), pages 1048-1066.
    10. De Simone, Lisa & Klassen, Kenneth J. & Seidman, Jeri K., 2022. "The effect of income-shifting aggressiveness on corporate investment," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1).
    11. Regina Ortmann & Erich Pummerer, 2023. "Distortional effects of separate accounting and formula apportionment on factor allocation," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(8), pages 1277-1307, October.
    12. Jean-Louis Mucchielli & Florence Puech, 2003. "Internationalisation et localisation des firmes multinationales : l'exemple des entreprises françaises en Europe," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 363(1), pages 129-144.
    13. Richard Kneller & Danny McGowan, 2011. "Tax Policy and Firm Entry and Exit Dynamics: Evidence from OECD Countries," Discussion Papers 11/08, University of Nottingham, School of Economics.
    14. Michael Overesch, 2005. "The Effective Tax Burden of Companies in Europe," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 3(04), pages 56-63, January.
    15. Jozef Konings & Catherine Lecocq & Bruno Merlevede, 2022. "Does a tax deduction scheme matter for jobs and investment by multinational and domestic enterprises?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(4), pages 1966-1989, November.
    16. Konings, Jozef & Lecocq, Cathy & Merlevede, Bruno, 2018. "Does a Tax Credit matter for Job Creation by Multinational Enterprises?," CEPR Discussion Papers 13105, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    17. Desai, Mihir A. & Dharmapala, Dhammika, 2009. "Taxes, institutions and foreign diversification opportunities," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(5-6), pages 703-714, June.
    18. Gaëtan Nicodème, 2008. "Corporate Income Tax and Economic Distortions," Working Papers CEB 08-033.RS, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    19. Mintz, Jack & Smart, Michael, 2004. "Income shifting, investment, and tax competition: theory and evidence from provincial taxation in Canada," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(6), pages 1149-1168, June.
    20. Elek, Péter & Lőrincz, László, 2015. "Az effektív társasági adókulcs rugalmassága Magyarországon a 2009-2011 közötti adókulcscsökkentés alapján [The elasticity of the effective corporate tax rate in Hungary: evidence from the tax cut b," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(1), pages 27-47.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    International Company Taxation; Effective Tax Burden; Tax Accounting; International Accounting Standards;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:3280. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/zemande.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.