of 19 EU countries and the US, and discretionary fiscal stimulus packages passed by these countries during the recent …

The tax-to-GDP ratio rose steadily in most EU countries up to the late 1990s, largely reflecting a sustained expansion … of public sector commitments to welfare provision. Since the late 1990s, many EU countries have cut tax rates. However …, the tax burden in the EU area remains much higher than in most other economies. The tax mix is also different, with high …