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On the relevance of double tax treaties

Author

Listed:
  • Kunka Petkova

    (WU Vienna University of Economics and Business)

  • Andrzej Stasio

    (WU Vienna University of Economics and Business)

  • Martin Zagler

    (UPO University of Eastern Piedmont
    WU Vienna University of Economics and Business)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of double tax treaties (DTTs) on foreign direct investment (FDI) after controlling for their relevance in the presence of treaty shopping. DTTs cannot be considered a bilateral issue, but must be viewed as a network. We define tax distance as the cost of channelling corporate income from one country to another and, by considering treaty shopping through intermediate jurisdictions, we calculate the shortest (i.e. the cheapest) distance between any two countries. We show that relevant tax treaties—which reduce the direct tax distance both over domestic law and the entire existing treaty network—will increase FDI by about 18%.

Suggested Citation

  • Kunka Petkova & Andrzej Stasio & Martin Zagler, 2020. "On the relevance of double tax treaties," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(3), pages 575-605, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:itaxpf:v:27:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s10797-019-09570-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10797-019-09570-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Zagler, Martin, 2023. "Foreign direct investment, legal uncertainty and corporate income taxation," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 19-28.
    2. Beer,Sebastian & Loeprick,Jan, 2018. "The Cost and Benefits of Tax Treaties with Investment Hubs : Findings from Sub-Saharan Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8623, The World Bank.
    3. Kunka Petkova, 2021. "Withholding tax rates on dividends: symmetries versus asymmetries or single- versus multi-rated double tax treaties," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(4), pages 890-940, August.
    4. Manon Francois & Vincent Vicard, 2023. "Tax Avoidance and the Complexity of Multinational Enterprises," Working Papers 2023-04, CEPII research center.
    5. Park, Sung Jae & Lee, Kyu-Min & Yang, Jae-Suk, 2023. "Calculating the country risk embedded in treaty-shopping networks," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    6. Petr Janský & Jan Láznička & Miroslav Palanský, 2021. "Tax treaties worldwide: Estimating elasticities and revenue foregone," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 359-401, May.
    7. Harouna Kinda & Abrams M.E. Tagem, 2023. "Double taxation treaties and resource revenue mobilization in developing countries: A neural network approach," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-125, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Tembo Nakamoto & Odile Rouhban & Yuichi Ikeda, 2019. "Location-Sector Analysis of International Profit Shifting on a Multilayer Ownership-Tax Network," Papers 1904.09165, arXiv.org.
    9. Lee, Siwook & Kim, Daeyong, 2022. "The impact of tax treaties on foreign direct investment: The evidence reconsidered," KDI Journal of Economic Policy, Korea Development Institute (KDI), vol. 44(3), pages 27-48.
    10. Leonzio Rizzo & Alejandro Esteller - Moré & Riccardo Secomandi, 2020. "The role of tax system complexity on foreign direct investment allocation," Working Papers 2020029, University of Ferrara, Department of Economics.
    11. Laudage, Sabine, 2020. "Corporate tax revenue and foreign direct investment: Potential trade-offs and how to address them," IDOS Discussion Papers 17/2020, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    12. Tibor Hanappi & Ana Cinta González Cabral, 2022. "The impact of the international tax reforms under Pillar One and Pillar Two on MNE’s investment costs," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(6), pages 1495-1526, December.
    13. Ma, Guangcheng & Cao, Jianhua & Famanta, Mahamane, 2023. "Does the coordinated development of two-way FDI increase the green energy efficiency of Chinese cities? Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 59-77.
    14. Kudła, Janusz & Kopczewska, Katarzyna & Stachowiak-Kudła, Monika, 2023. "Trade, investment and size inequalities between countries and the asymmetry in double taxation agreements," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    15. Sunghoon Hong, 2022. "Tax treaties and foreign equity holding companies of multinational corporations," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 483-520, February.
    16. Sebastian Beer & Jan Loeprick, 2021. "Too high a price? Tax treaties with investment hubs in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(1), pages 113-153, February.
    17. Kunka Petkova & Andrzej Leszek Stasio & Martin Zagler, 2020. "Bilateral Tax Competition and Regional Spillovers in Tax Treaty Formation," JRC Working Papers on Taxation & Structural Reforms 2020-07, Joint Research Centre.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Double tax treaties; FDI; Treaty shopping; Tax treaty network;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • F53 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Agreements and Observance; International Organizations
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H73 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Interjurisdictional Differentials and Their Effects
    • H87 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - International Fiscal Issues; International Public Goods
    • K34 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Tax Law

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