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Is Belgium "Making Work Pay" ?

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  • Kristian Orsini

Abstract

In the period 2001-2004 two major reforms followed in Belgium: a personal income tax reform which included a new tax credit on low earnings (2001) and a reform of social security contributions for low wage employees (2004). Using a discrete hours labor supply model, this paper assesses the impact of these reforms on aggregate labor supply of couples. Results suggest that the reforms had a positive (but moderate) effect on both participation and hours worked. Targeted reductions in social security contributions, nevertheless, proved to be more effective in stimulating aggregate labour supply, whereas the tax credit had a stronger effect on participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristian Orsini, 2007. "Is Belgium "Making Work Pay" ?," Brussels Economic Review, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 50(2), pages 193-220.
    • Handle: RePEc:bxr:bxrceb:2013/80269
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Olivier Bargain & Marco Caliendo & Peter Haan & Kristian Orsini, 2010. "“Making work pay” in a rationed labor market," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 23(1), pages 323-351, January.
    2. Olivier Bargain & Karina Doorley, 2009. "In-work transfers in good times and bad - simulations for Ireland," Working Papers 200930, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    3. André Decoster & Pieter Vanleenhove, 2012. "In-Work Tax Credits in Belgium :An Analysis of the Jobkorting Using a Discrete Labour Supply Model," Brussels Economic Review, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 55(2), pages 121-150.
    4. Olivier Bargain & Mathias Dolls & Dirk Neumann & Andreas Peichl & Sebastian Siegloch, 2011. "Tax-Benefit Systems in Europe and the US: Between Equity and Efficiency," CESifo Working Paper Series 3534, CESifo.
    5. Peter Haan & Viktor Steiner, 2007. "Mehr Beschäftigung durch Subventionierung der Sozialbeiträge? Eine empirische Evaluation aktueller Reformvorschläge," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 8(4), pages 378-388, November.
    6. Olivier Bargain & Mathias Dolls & Dirk Neumann & Andreas Peichl & Sebastian Siegloch, 2014. "Comparing inequality aversion across countries when labor supply responses differ," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 21(5), pages 845-873, October.
    7. Peter Haan & Victoria Prowse & Arne Uhlendorff, 2008. "Employment effects of welfare reforms: Evidence from a dynamic structural life-cycle model," PSE Working Papers halshs-00586748, HAL.
    8. Mojsoska-Blazevski, Nikica & Petreski, Marjan & Petreska, Despina, 2013. "Increasing labour market activity of poor and female: Let’s make work pay in Macedonia," MPRA Paper 57228, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Laun, Lisa, 2019. "In-work benefits across Europe," Working Paper Series 2019:16, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    10. Christine Mayrhuber & Silvia Rocha-Akis & Christine Zulehner, 2014. "Verteilungseffekte einer Änderung der Abgabenbelastung geringer Erwerbseinkommen in Österreich. Ergebnisse einer Mikrosimulation," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 87(11), pages 767-781, November.
    11. Viktor Steiner, 2007. "Beschäftigungsförderung und Einkommenssicherung im Niedriglohnbereich: Wege und Irrwege," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 747, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    12. John Dagsvik & Zhiyang Jia & Kristian Orsini & Guy Camp, 2011. "Subsidies on low-skilled workers’ social security contributions: the case of Belgium," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 779-806, May.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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