During the last decade, property prices in Germany steadily appreciated and reached an all-time high in 2022. In the wake of the global financial crisis that was triggered by a housing market bubble in the U.S., banking authorities introduced an additional systemic risk buffer. This buffer aims...

Tax treaties are often seen as a means to mitigate fierce tax competition. We challenge this view by arguing that taxes on passive income reduce e↵ective average tax rates, and induce neighbouring countries to react by reducing bilateral tax rates. As opposed to traditional tax competition,...