In this article, I analyze whether German gasoline stations passed on the gasoline tax reduction to consumers. I use a difference-in-differences approach with France as the control group, as well as data for all countries in the European Union. The German fuel discount was in effect from June to...

In this article, I analyze whether German gasoline stations passed on the gasoline tax reduction to consumers. I use a difference-in-differences approach with France as the control group, as well as data for all countries in the European Union. The German fuel discount was in effect from June to...

There is a widespread feeling in Brazilian society that tax reform has become necessary. Analysts seek to mitigate the perverse impact of taxation on economic efficiency and competitiveness of the productive sector. In view of this, the objective of this work is to contribute to the discussion...

This paper addresses two fundamental issues in indirect tax design. It first revisits the case for reduced rates on items especially important to the poor, establishing conditions under which even very crudely targeted spending measures better serve their interests. It then explores the welfare...

News - or foresight - about future economic fundamentals can create rational expectations equilibria with non-fundamental representations that pose substantial challenges to econometric efforts to recover the structural shocks to which economic agents react. Using tax policies as a leading...

Thailand is recovering from a challenging year marked by natural disasters of historic magnitude. This 2012 Article IV Consultation highlights that positive signs of a recovery are already under way with sharp improvements seen in high frequency indicators since December 2011. Executive...

This report investigates tax reductions for domestic services in terms of their effects on the Swedish domestic service sector. Based on a national survey with managers of domestic ser-vice companies, the report discusses the composition of the formally registered market for domestic services,...

This paper presents a new dataset of fiscal consolidation for 17 OECD economies during 1978-2009. We focus on discretionary changes in taxes and government spending primarily motivated by a desire to reduce the budget deficit and not by a response to prospective economic conditions. To identify...

This paper analyzes recent fiscal policies of nonrenewable resource exporting countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in the context of sharp swings in resource prices. Fiscal policies were predominantly procyclical during the boom period 2003-08 but to significantly differing degrees...

This note argues that because fiscal deficit after a crisis owe much to a drop in tax revenues and a sluggish revenue growth, its adjustment has to rely more on revenue augmentation than commonly thought. Cutting extra spending in the wake of the crisis would not balance the book, while a...

The report presents a reassessment of fiscal transparency practices in the Republic of Cameroon, in comparison with the principles of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency. It is the follow-up to a pilot report prepared by the IMF on transparency in fiscal management. The first...

This paper analyzes how fiscal and monetary policy typically respond during downturns in G7 countries. It evaluates whether discretionary fiscal responses to downturns are timely and temporary, and compares the response of fiscal policy to that of monetary policy. The results suggest that while...

This paper is about how multinational enterprises choose transfer prices in the presence of differential corporate income tax rates. A transfer prince is a value placed on the goods which are traded between divisions of an organization. We review and exte

The politics and tax legislation being a manifestation of strict sovereignty of the State, the phenomenon of double taxation occurs frequently representing a difficult poison for the foreign trade activity, especially hindering investments abroad, technology transfer or proliferation outside of...

This 2009 Article IV Consultation highlights that following a period of rapid growth, economic activity in the Slovak Republic tumbled in the first half of 2009 as a result of the global crisis. Slovakia’s banks have so far withstood the global crisis relatively well. Executive Directors...

This paper focuses on the macroeconomic and budgetary impact of tax reforms in a New Keynesian two-country model. Our results show that both income and consumption unilateral tax rate reductions do not constitute a "free lunch", in the sense that they have negative budgetary consequences for the...

Global economic integration intensified tax competition and raised concerns about the resulting "race to the bottom", which could undermine public investment and social spending. The aim of this paper is to test predictions that (i) there is interdependence in CIT rate setting in Eastern Europe...

This Selected Issues paper on Australia highlights the IMF’s new Global Integrated Monetary and Fiscal Model (GIMF), which is used to examine the macroeconomic implications of alternative fiscal responses to higher revenue. Lower labor and capital income taxes, along with higher public...

France’s near–term economic outlook is moderately positive, but clouded by risks from the global environment. The government’s reformist intentions provide an historic opportunity to place France onto a sustained higher growth path with greater opportunities for all....

This paper examines the net benefit accruing to a present-biased government contemplating the option of speeding up investment using a tax cut or an investment subsidy as an incentive. The literature generally suggests the use of an investment subsidy rather than a tax cut. However, this study...

Researchers in policymaking institutions have expended significant effort to develop a new generation of macro models with more rigorous microfoundations. This paper provides a summary of the applications of two of these models. The Global Economy Model is a quarterly model that features a large...

This 2006 Article IV Consultation highlights that the economic upturn that started in mid-2005 in Belgium has remained on track. On the heels of a catch-up in private investment, the revival of private consumption and the cyclical expansion in neighboring countries have broadened the recovery to...

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...

This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that Belgium’s growth has picked up following weakness in early 2005, mainly reflecting a negative contribution from the external sector and weak household consumption owing to high energy prices. The authorities and the IMF staff project GDP...

Fiscal consolidation has become an important policy prescription for many emerging market countries (EMCs), particularly for the highly indebted ones. Although prudent fiscal policies tend to reduce vulnerabilities, their implementation is usually postponed. This paper represents, to the best of...

We explore the underlying determinants of the macroeconomic effects of fiscal policy and tax and social security reform using the Global Fiscal Model (GFM). We show that the planning horizon of consumers, access to financial markets, and the elasticity of labor supply, as well as the...

One of the most striking tax developments in recent years, and one that continues to attract considerable attention, is the adoption by several countries of a form of "flat tax." Discussion of these quite radical reforms has been marked, however, more by assertion and rhetoric than by analysis...

This report provides an assessment of fiscal transparency practices in Greece in relation to the requirements of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency. The assessment reveals that Greece has made progress, in recent years, in meeting the requirements of the fiscal transparency...

Spain showed strong growth performance marked by robust job creation and a solid fiscal position. Executive Directors supported the National Reform Program (NRP), which focuses on improving productivity, market flexibility, and competitiveness. They commended the appreciable fiscal surplus,...

The current cyclical upswing underscores the potential of the Polish economy with regard to EU accession and in the face of favorable global growth prospects. The current juncture offers good opportunities to lock in improved economic performance. Uncertainties remain regarding reducing the...

This 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that following a strong performance in 2004, Israel’s economic expansion accelerated in 2005, supported by a relatively favorable global economic environment, an improvement in the security situation, and prudent policies. Real GDP grew at an...

The staff report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation on Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) highlights economic developments and policies. Lao PDR’s recent macroeconomic performance has been relatively encouraging. Although some headway has been made in reforming the state...

This 2004 Article IV Consultation highlights that during the recent upswing, growth in Belgium has been comparatively robust, propelled by strong household spending and supported by the global recovery as well as macroeconomic policies. Tax cuts and wage increases have sustained disposable...

With new initiatives to provide low income countries with external assistance in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), donors and NGOs are seeking to understand whether "fiscal space" can be provided in the context of IMF-supported programs to support these initiatives. This paper...

Canada’s 2005 Article IV Consultation highlights that it has benefited from a strong institutional framework and continuing structural reforms. Inflation targeting and structural reforms have yielded an enviable macroeconomic performance, including the fastest growth rate and the...