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VAT Efficiency—A Discussion on the VAT System in the European Union

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  • Anna Kowal

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, University of Rzeszów, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland)

  • Grzegorz Przekota

    (Faculty of Economic Sciences, Koszalin University of Technology, 75-453 Koszalin, Poland)

Abstract

The effectiveness of the tax system can be analysed in various ways. According to the authors one of manifestations of such effectiveness is resistance to tax evasion. This phenomenon is influenced by multiple factors, with few being the level of VAT rates and the number of rates in force in the country concerned. The aim of the considerations is therefore to analyse how the standard VAT rate as well as the number of rates affect the effectiveness of this tax. The research was based on a literature query in the field of value added tax in the European Union. In addition, the problem of tax evasion was indicated and the aggregated data on the size of the tax gap in the Member States were presented. Then, there are the results of the research for 27 European Union countries for 2011–2019. The efficiency of VAT collection was modelled using square function, determining the significance of the parameters of this function, as well as the value of abscissa, which made it possible to group the countries based on how they maintained the efficiency of VAT collection over the analysed period of time. The final part of the study concentrates on the relationship between the efficiency of tax collection and the amount of both the basic rate and the number of rates. The conclusions of the research are as follows: a tax system with a small number of reduced rates, and preferably with one relatively low standard rate, is the system least susceptible to tax fraud. The research also shows a positive correlation between the value of the basic VAT rate along with the number of preferential rates and the scale of the tax gap, i.e., in countries with a higher standard VAT rate and a greater number of preferential rates, the tax gap is greater. The study will enable further investigation into the strategy of determining the optimal VAT rate and the process of its unification. Proposed changes may contribute to increasing the efficiency of VAT administration in EU countries, reducing the shadow economy, tax fraud and positively influencing economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Kowal & Grzegorz Przekota, 2021. "VAT Efficiency—A Discussion on the VAT System in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4768-:d:542385
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Lapinskas, Arunas & Makhova, Larisa & Haikin, Mark & Troyanskaya, Marija & Mutalimov, Verdi, 2023. "Longevity of EU membership and VAT practices: Dependencies, Contradictions And Implications," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 630-643.
    3. Renyan Mu & Nigatu Mengesha Fentaw & Lu Zhang, 2022. "The Impacts of Value-Added Tax Audit on Tax Revenue Performance: The Mediating Role of Electronics Tax System, Evidence from the Amhara Region, Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-22, May.
    4. Miroslav Gombár & Antonín Korauš & Alena Vagaská & Štefan Tóth, 2022. "Analytical View on the Sustainable Development of Tax and Customs Administration in the Context of Selected Groups of the Population of the Slovak Republic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-22, February.

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