European banks are exposed to a substantial amount of risky sovereign debt. The "missing bank capital" resulting from the zero-risk weight exemption for European banks for European sovereign debt amplifies the co-movement between sovereign CDS spreads and facilitates cross-border...

This paper focuses on two aspects being neglected in the analysis of agglomeration tendencies so far. First, it regards regional agglomeration patterns and secondly, the allocation of capital across industrial sectors. Indeed, the average relative concentration of capital turns out to be of a...

This paper focuses on two aspects being neglected in the analysis of agglomeration tendencies so far. First, it regards regional agglomeration patterns and secondly, the allocation of capital across industrial sectors. Indeed, the average relative concentration of capital turns out to be of a...

This paper tests some of the predictions of recent advances in trade theory that have focused on different trade patterns of firms within the same sector. Helpman, Melitz and Yeaple (2005) develop a model in which innate productivity differences between firms determine the degree of...

This paper investigates whether the size of multinationals? real investments in a high-tax country is affected by profit shifting activities. A simple theoretical analysis shows that tax rates abroad impact the cost of capital in the presence of profit shifting activities of multinational...

Despite the continuing political interest in the usefulness of tax competition and tax coordination as well as the wealth of theoretical analyses, it still remains open whether or when tax competition is harmful. Moreover, the influence of tax differentials on multinationals' decisions is still...

In this paper we analyze the conditions under which firms decide to offshore innovation. We consider the role of internal technological capabilities and technological dynamism in the firm environment, distinguishing speed and uncertainty of technological change. Using unique data from the German...

Foreign-owned subsidiaries make significant contributions to national Research and Development (R&D) in many host countries. Policymakers often support subsidiaries through R&D grants and R&D tax credits. A key objective of this funding is to leverage R&D-driven firm performance benefits for the...

Tax incentives are a key component of governments' investment policy mix as they directly impact companies' tax burden. In this paper, we illustrate the EU's tax attractiveness as investment location over time in terms of effective average tax rates and evaluate potential tax reform options. Our...

Since the mid-1990s, countries offering tax systems that facilitate international tax avoidance and evasion have been facing growing political pressure to comply with the internationally agreed standards of exchange of tax information. Using data of German investments in tax havens, we find...