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International Profit Shifting within European Multinationals

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Author Info
Huizinga, Harry
Laeven, Luc

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Abstract

The conduct of business activities in two or more countries creates opportunities for international profit shifting, while international tax rate differences create incentives. Using detailed information on both multinational firm structure and the international tax system, this paper examines the extent of intra-European profit shifting by European multinationals. Firm-level estimates of profit shifting can be aggregated to arrive at macro measures of international profit shifting. On average, we find a macro semi-elasticity of reported profits with respect to the top statutory tax rate of 1.43 in Europe, while shifting costs are estimated to be 1.6 percent of the tax base. International profit shifting leads to a substantial redistribution of national corporate tax revenues. Many European nations appear to gain revenues from intra-European profit shifting by multinationals largely at the expense of Germany.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 6048.

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Date of creation: Jan 2007
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:6048

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Related research
Keywords: corporate taxation; international profit shifting;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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  1. Heinemann, Friedrich & Janeba, Eckhard, 2007. "The Globalization of Tax Policy: What German Politicians Believe," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-057, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  2. Dischinger, Matthias, 2008. "Profit Shifting by Multinationals and the Ownership Share: Evidence from European Micro Data," Discussion Papers in Economics 2029, University of Munich, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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    Other versions:
    • Callan, Tim ed. & Barrett, Alan & Goggin, Jean & Gorecki, Paul K. & Keane, Claire & Kearney, Ide & Matthews, Alan & Walsh, John R., 2009. "Budget Perspectives 2010," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS12. [Downloadable!]
    • Lane, Philip & McCoy, Selina & Smith, Stephen & Smyth, Emer & Van Soest, Arthur & Walsh, John R., 2003. "Budget Perspectives 2004," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BMI172 edited by Callan, Tim & Doris, Aedin & McCoy, Daniel.
    • Callan, Tim & Barrell, Ray & Barrett, Alan & Casserly, Noel & Convery, Frank & Goggin, Jean & Kearney, Ide & Kirby, Simon & Lunn, Pete & O'Brien, Martin & Ryan, Lisa, 2008. "Budget Perspectives 2009," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS4. [Downloadable!]
    • Garrett, Shane & Mathieu, Catherine & Nolan, Anne & Nolan, Brian & Sterdyniak, Henri, 2004. "Budget Perspectives 2005," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BMI176 edited by Callan, Tim & Doris, Aedin & McCoy, Daniel.
    • Barrett, Alan & Coleman, Kieran & Delaney, Liam & Fahey, Tony & Gannon, Brenda & Kearney, Ide & McCarthy, Yvonne & Nolan, Brian & Walsh, John R., 2006. "Budget Perspectives 2007," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BMI192 edited by Callan, Tim.
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  9. Marcin Piatkowski & Mariusz Jarmuzek, 2008. "Zero Corporate Income Tax in Moldova: Tax Competition and Its Implications for Eastern Europe," IMF Working Papers 08/203, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  10. Johannes Becker & Clemens Fuest, 2007. "Steuerpolitische Perspektiven der Unternehmensteuerreform 2008," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 76(2), pages 39-48. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. John Creedy & Norman Gemmell, 2008. "Corporation Tax Asymmetries:Effective Tax Rates and Profit Shifting," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 1028, The University of Melbourne. [Downloadable!]
  12. Leon Bettendorf & Joeri Gorter & Albert van der Horst, 2006. "Who benefits from tax competition in the European Union?," CPB Documents 125, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis. [Downloadable!]
  13. Pedro Gomes & Francois Pouget, 2008. "Corporate tax competition and the decline of public investment," Working Paper Series 928, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
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  14. Damiaan Persyn & John Hutchinson, 2009. "Globalisation, concentration and footloose firms: in search of the main cause of the declining labour share," LICOS Discussion Papers 22909, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, K.U.Leuven. [Downloadable!]
  15. Ugo Albertazzi & Leonardo Gambacorta, 2006. "Bank Profitability and Taxation," Computing in Economics and Finance 2006 364, Society for Computational Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  16. Alfons Weichenrieder, 2007. "Profit Shifting in the EU: Evidence from Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
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  17. Michael Broer, 2008. "Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten der Stadtstaaten bei gegebener Steuersatzautonomie für die Körperschaftsteuer: eine empirische Analyse," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 768, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
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