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Tax Havens, Tax Evasion and Tax Information Exchange Agreements in the OECD

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  • David M. Kemme
  • Bhavik Parikh
  • Tanja Steigner

Abstract

Using data on Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI), we find a positive relationship between higher tax burden and OECD residents’ tax evasion, especially via tax havens. Contrary to established investor preference for certain country characteristics, we find they are less important to tax evaders who value privacy and want to remain undetected by their home tax authorities. We find very limited evidence that OECD Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAS) reduce tax evasion, controlling for other determinants of overall OECD FPI. Without the US in the OECD sample, tax havens play a lesser role and OECD policies appear to make a marginal impact.

Suggested Citation

  • David M. Kemme & Bhavik Parikh & Tanja Steigner, 2017. "Tax Havens, Tax Evasion and Tax Information Exchange Agreements in the OECD," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 23(3), pages 519-542, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:eufman:v:23:y:2017:i:3:p:519-542
    DOI: 10.1111/eufm.12118
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lejour, Arjan, 2021. "The Role of Conduit Countries and Tax Havens in Corporate Tax Avoidance," Other publications TiSEM e0530ca3-b3b3-4aca-826b-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Kirsten Martinus & Thomas Sigler & Iacopo Iacopini & Ben Derudder, 2019. "The role of tax havens and offshore financial centers in Asia-Pacific networks: evidence from firm-subsidiary connections," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(5), pages 389-411, November.
    4. Lompo, Miaba Louise & Ouoba, Marie Madeleine, 2022. "How they hide money? An investigation on tax evasion of large corporations and wealthy taxpayers," MPRA Paper 113410, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Lejour, Arjan, 2021. "The Role of Conduit Countries and Tax Havens in Corporate Tax Avoidance," Discussion Paper 2021-014, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    6. Leo Ahrens & Lukas Hakelberg & Thomas Rixen, 2022. "A victim of regulatory arbitrage? Automatic exchange of information and the use of golden visas and corporate shells," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(3), pages 653-672, July.
    7. Aiastan Anatolievich Matykov & Maksim Evseevich Krivelevich, 2020. "Ways of Enhancing Performance under a Special Economic Regime: Special Administrative Regions," Spatial Economics=Prostranstvennaya Ekonomika, Economic Research Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (Khabarovsk, Russia), issue 2, pages 185-202.
    8. Kemme, David M. & Parikh, Bhavik & Steigner, Tanja, 2020. "Tax Morale and International Tax Evasion," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(3).
    9. Lompo, Miaba Louise & Ouoba, Marie Madeleine, 2022. "How they hide money? An investigation on tax evasion of large corporations and wealthy taxpayers," MPRA Paper 114235, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Driffield, Nigel & Jones, Chris & Kim, Jae-Yeon & Temouri, Yama, 2021. "FDI motives and the use of tax havens: Evidence from South Korea," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 644-662.
    11. David M. Kemme & Bhavik Parikh & Tanja Steigner, 2021. "Inequality, autocracy, and sovereign funds as determinants of foreign portfolio equity flows," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 44(2), pages 249-278, June.
    12. Ali Ahmed & Chris Jones & Yama Temouri, . "The relationship between MNE tax haven use and FDI into developing economies characterized by capital flight," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    13. Pierce O’Reilly & Kevin Parra Ramírez & Michael A. Stemmer, 2021. "Exchange of Information and Bank Deposits in International Financial Centres," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 239(4), pages 27-69, November.

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