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Remittances, Value Added Tax and Tax Revenue in Developing Countries

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  • Christian EBEKE

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of international remittances on both the level and the instability of government tax revenue in receiving countries. It investigates in particular whether the presence of a value added tax (VAT) system increases the benefit of the inflows of remittances in terms of high and less volatile tax revenue ratio. This is supported by the fact that remittances are largely used for consumption purposes and contribute to smoothing private consumption. Using a large sample of developing countries observed over the period 1980-2006, and even after factoring in the endogeneity of remittances and VAT adoption, the results highlight that remittances significantly increase both the level and the stability of government tax revenue ratio in receiving countries that have adopted the VAT.

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  • Christian EBEKE, 2010. "Remittances, Value Added Tax and Tax Revenue in Developing Countries," Working Papers 201030, CERDI.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdi:wpaper:1208
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Hubert Ebeke, 2011. "Do Remittances Lead to a Public Moral Hazard in Developing Countries? An Empirical Investigation," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(8), pages 1009-1025, May.
    2. Alex Reuben Kira, 2016. "The Perceptions of Taxpayers on the Adoption of Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs) in Revenue Collection in Tanzania: The Case of Dodoma," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 6(12), pages 39-55, December.
    3. Thomas H.W. ZIESEMER, 2012. "Worker remittances and government behaviour in the receiving countries," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 3, pages 37-59, December.
    4. Ms. Kimberly Beaton & Ms. Svetlana Cerovic & Misael Galdamez & Metodij Hadzi-Vaskov & Franz Loyola & Zsoka Koczan & Mr. Bogdan Lissovolik & Mr. Jan Kees Martijn & Ms. Yulia Ustyugova & Joyce Wong, 2017. "Migration and Remittances in Latin America and the Caribbean: Engines of Growth and Macroeconomic Stabilizers?," IMF Working Papers 2017/144, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Jean-Louis COMBES & Rasmané OUEDRAOGO, 2016. "How Does Inclusive Growth Boost Tax Revenue Mobilization?," Working Papers 201605, CERDI.
    6. Christian Hubert Ebeke, 2011. "Remittances, Countercyclicality, Openness and Government Size," Recherches économiques de Louvain, De Boeck Université, vol. 77(4), pages 89-114.
    7. Muhammad Zakaria & Wen Jun & Arooj Khan, 2023. "Effects Of Capital Inflows On Fiscal Balance In An Emerging Economy: Evidence From Pakistan," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 68(05), pages 1585-1598, September.
    8. Adandohoin, Kodjo, 2018. "Tax transition in developing countries: Do VAT and excises really work?," MPRA Paper 91522, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Kodjo Adandohoin, 2021. "Tax transition in developing countries: do value added tax and excises really work?," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 379-424, May.
    10. Michael Takudzwa Pasara & Michael Zuze, 2021. "Can Remittances Boost Tax Revenues in Zimbabwe? A Secondary Quarterly Time Series Analysis," Eurasian Journal of Economics and Finance, Eurasian Publications, vol. 9(2), pages 128-144.
    11. Compaoré, Ali, 2022. "Access-for-all to financial services: Non-resources tax revenue-harnessing opportunities in developing countries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 236-245.
    12. Christian Hubert Ebeke, 2012. "Do remittances lead to a public moral hazard in developing countries? An empirical investigation," Post-Print hal-00807100, HAL.
    13. Ali Compaore, 2020. "Access-for-all to Financial Services: Non- resources Tax Revenue-harnessing Opportunities in Developing Countries," Working Papers hal-02901664, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Remittances; VAT; Tax revenue; Tax Revenue Instability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • F20 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - General
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General

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