This note discusses trade liberalization and trade taxes. The main issue should not be the reduction of trade taxes but of total tax revenue. By potentially changing the structure of the economy, trade liberalization will affect not just tax revenue but also the role of the state in the economy...

This presentation was commissioned by the Trade and Integration Network of the Regional Policy Dialogue for the 5th Hemispheric Meeting celebrated on August 14th and 15th, 2003. This presentation discusses trade taxes as an important source of revenue in developing countries. The relationship...

This document discusses the effect of tax incentives on business activities and investment decisions. When taxation is not sound it hurts the business climate and hampers economic activities. Since the primary intent of tax incentives is to encourage capital accumulation in specific activities...

This study summarizes the assessment of the impact of fiscal policies on equity in the Andean countries. It evaluates the outcome of the main taxes and social public expenditures on income distribution applying a homogeneous methodology. The full effect of taxes is slightly regressive due to a...

This paper sketches the outline of "Theory of Fiscal Policy" in its most essential elements and outlines the assumptions implicit in it. It then argues that the reality can be far removed from this theory, at least in some countries.

After a long process that began in October 1998, on July 12, 2004 the Andean Community (CAN) approved Decisions 599 and 600 on, respectively, the harmonization of value added tax (VAT) and excise type taxes (ET). The only precedent for the agreement on tax harmonization in the CAN is the...

The approval of Decisions 599 and 600 on the Harmonization of Substantial and Procedural Aspects of Value Added Taxes and the Harmonization of Excise Type Taxes (VAT and selective taxes) by the Commission of the Andean Community is a notable victory for the Andean integration process and sets a...

Para lograr un adecuado equilibrio social y consolidar el funcionamiento del sistema democrático, los países han de contar con sistemas fiscales equitativos que favorezcan el desarrollo económico, que tengan capacidad recaudatoria para financiar un nivel adecuado de gasto público y con...

Globalization is not a new phenomenon. However, the current form is qualitatively different from past experiences. It provides great opportunities for some countries and challenges to others. A first part of the paper identifies positive and negative effects associated with globalization. The...

La Revista Integración & Comercio del BID incluye artículos referidos a las distintas manifestaciones del proceso de integración en América Latina y el Caribe, a la integración hemisférica y, también, a los procesos con igual orientación que se llevan a cabo en otras partes del mundo....