This paper examines the relative merits of two dominant economic instruments for reducing pollution—”green” taxes and tradable permits. Theoretically, the two instruments share many similarities, and on balance, neither seems preferable to the other. In practice, however, most countries...

This paper provides an overview of the key economic factors that shape tax policy reform in many high-income countries, developing countries, and/or transition economies. The paper describes and evaluates global and regional developments with respect to tax rates and revenue ratios over the last...

Tax reform in Latin America during the 1980s emphasized broad-based, low-rate consumption taxes over steeply progressive income and property taxes, primarily to simplify the tax structure and facilitate tax administration. While tax reform need not necessarily raise tax-to-GDP ratios, countries...

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...

Die öffentliche Kritik, die 2010 der Senkung des Umsatzsteuer-Tarifs für Hotelübernachtungen von 19% auf 7% folgte, war insoweit überraschend, als der traditionellen Inzidenz-Hypothese zufolge Tarifsenkungen der Umsatzsteuer durch Preissenkungen Konsumenten zugutekommen. Sie wäre berechtigt...

Robust GDP growth, declining unemployment, low and stable inflation, and a string of fiscal and current account surpluses -- it's a record to be envied. These outcomes in Canada owe much to sound macroeconomic policies, as well as to a favorable external environment. This book focuses on these...

Tradable Permits – a Market-Based Allocation System for the Environment. Tradable Permits and Other Environmental Policy Instruments – Killing one Bird with two Stones. Tradable Permits – Ten Key Design Issues. Tradable Permits with Imperfect Monitoring. Emissions Trading with Greenhouse...

This paper examines the reform of the main domestic consumption taxes initiated by the CEMAC and the WAEMU aimed at reinforcing their economic integration. On the whole, compliance with the VAT is relatively weaker in the CEMAC than in the WAEMU. The opposite applies for excises. Major reforms...