The Increase of the Value Added Tax in EU

The financial crisis and economic crisis has resulted in the adoption of a large number of taxmeasures. Member States tended to increase consumption taxes more in those countries where the tax burden on consumption was below-average. One area were the onset of the economic and financial crisis has clearly had an impact was consumption taxation. Stagnant since 2002, VAT standard rates have often changed from 2009 onwards, in the vast majority of cases upwards. The speed and extent of the growth is impressive, two percentage points on average in the past three years. That increases took place in more countries and for significant amounts, highlights up to 1.5% of GDP. The overall level of taxation in the EU seems likely to increase in the medium term. Budgetary consolidation is needed to bring government deficits down to sustainable levels, and this consolidation is likely to be carried out not only through cuts in public expenditure but also by increasing taxation. Accordingly, the latest point towards an increase of the share of general government revenue on GDP.