This paper reviews the literature on the revenue implications of a lower capital gains tax rate in the United States. The existing empirical research indicates that the timing of realizations is sensitive to tax changes but is inconclusive on the long-run revenue implications. No study claims...

This paper identifies tax factors in 21 developing countries that have an impact on foreign direct investment flows. It categorizes those factors into issues associated with tax coordination; tax rates and rate structures; and composition of the tax base. Recent actions by countries reveal no...

This paper compares the effective rates of taxation faced by a representative investor located in a major capital-exporting country for investments in machinery and buildings in nine capital-importing European countries. Poland and Hungary are found to have relatively high effective tax rates on...

Capital flows to the nonindustrial countries share three striking characteristics. First, the bulk, of these flows was in the form of debt, not equity; second, the loans were mostly to, or guaranteed by, debtor governments; and third, these debts were largely bank loans, not bonds. This paper...

This paper demonstrates that instability associated with investment risk is critical in explaining the level of foreign direct investment for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, which generally have higher investment risk than developed countries. The empirical results support...

This paper summarizes the theory and empirical evidence on the determinants of foreign direct investment. These determinants include expected relative rates of return, risk diversification, market size, technological advantage, market failure, oligopolistic rivalry, liquidity, currency strength,...

This Technical Assistance Report discusses assessment of HMRC’s (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) Tax Gap Analysis program in United Kingdom, and provides advice and guidance on further improving it. The HMRC’s tax gap analysis program is comprehensive in tax coverage, and...

The 2012 Article IV Consultation reports that Iceland’s fiscal consolidation is continuing, but at a slower pace. Moderate expenditure overruns materialized in 2011, which will partly spill over to 2012 and the medium term. A key priority is to put the medium-term fiscal path back on...