From the outset, turnover taxes have played a fundamental role in the European integration process. Harmonisation of these taxes was perceived an integral part of achieving a common market, and for this reason it was given priority. Over forty years since the introduction of a common VAT system,...

The paper discusses the harmonization of value added tax rates in the European Community1s internal market from a legal and from an economic viewpoint. There is a fundamental trade-off between the goal of avoiding tax-induced distortions in EC commodity trade and the aim to maintain national...

Dieser Beitrag untersucht die quantitativen Efgekte der jüngst vom ECOFIN-Rat beschlossenen Übergangsregelung für die umsatzsteuerliche Behandlung des Handels in der EG nach 1992. Zunächst werden die Funktionsweise des bisherigen Bestimmungslandprinzips und der neuen Regelung beschrieben und...

This paper considers the sensitivity of policy simulation to the specification of the labour market in an Applied General Equilibrium (AGE) model of the European Union. We consider a variety of adjustments to the labour market, including the introduction of labour supply heterogeneity and...

There is little doubt that the step towards a monetary union in Europe will increase both the distortionary effects of existing differences in national tax systems and the intensity of tax competition for internationally mobile commodity and factor tax bases. This paper discusses selected issues...

The paper surveys the characteristics of the common European VAT system, proposed by the EU-Commission to overcome the weaknesses of the transitional European VAT system, which was enacted in 1993 and is still in force. We argue that a harmonized VAT rate will generate substantial costs for EU...