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Reducing tax compliance costs through corporate tax base harmonization in the European Union

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  • Barrios, Salvador
  • d'Andria, Diego
  • Gesualdo, Maria

Abstract

The aim of the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) proposal made by the European Commission is to reduce both tax compliance costs and tax avoidance opportunities of cross-border operations within the European Union. However, to date the scarcity of comparable estimates of tax compliance costs has limited researchers’ ability to assess the probable impact of this proposal. We exploit recently released unique survey data designed to provide comparable information on corporate tax compliance costs in order to assess the impact of the CCCTB, using a general equilibrium modeling approach. Our results suggest that the reduction in tax compliance costs would be associated with greater economic efficiency. Member states with the lowest compliance costs before the reform and those that have large inward foreign investment stock would benefit more than other member states. Cross-border business operations would also benefit more than domestic ones. The impact on non-EU countries, such as the US and Japan, would be limited.

Suggested Citation

  • Barrios, Salvador & d'Andria, Diego & Gesualdo, Maria, 2020. "Reducing tax compliance costs through corporate tax base harmonization in the European Union," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jiaata:v:41:y:2020:i:c:s1061951820300562
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2020.100355
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    CCCTB; Tax compliance costs; Corporate taxation; Computable general equilibrium;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H30 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - General
    • C68 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computable General Equilibrium Models

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