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Asymmetric Capital Tax Competition with Profit Shifting

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  • Sven Stöwhase

Abstract

This paper analyses capital tax competition between jurisdictions of different size when multinational firms can shift some fraction of their tax base between them. For the case of revenue maximizing governments, we show that introducing profit shifting will not generally increase downward pressure on tax rates. We find that profit shifting decreases the tax-base elasticity of the low tax jurisdiction while increasing the elasticity of the high tax jurisdiction. Therefore, by the direct (impact) effect, tax rates will converge as a result of additional profit shifting opportunities. In general equilibrium, however, tax rates may decrease or increase in both jurisdictions.
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  • Sven Stöwhase, 2005. "Asymmetric Capital Tax Competition with Profit Shifting," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 85(2), pages 175-196, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jeczfn:v:85:y:2005:i:2:p:175-196
    DOI: 10.1007/s00712-005-0131-0
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    Cited by:

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    2. Hsun Chu, 2014. "Tax Enforcement Policy and the Provision of Public Goods with the Presence of Tax Havens," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 61(3), pages 304-321, July.
    3. Sven Stöwhase, 2013. "How Profit Shifting May Increase the Tax Burden of Multinationals: A Simple Model with Discrete Investment Choices," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 15(2), pages 185-207, April.
    4. Tomáš Buus & Jaroslav Brada, 2010. "Can Profit-shifting be Resolved by Penalization?," European Financial and Accounting Journal, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2010(3), pages 56-74.
    5. Matthias Wrede, 2013. "Multinational Financial Structure and Tax Competition," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 149(III), pages 381-404, September.
    6. Choi, Jay Pil & Furusawa, Taiji & Ishikawa, Jota, 2020. "Transfer pricing regulation and tax competition," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    7. Wolfgang Eggert & Jun-Ichi Itaya, 2014. "Tax Rate Harmonization, Renegotiation, and Asymmetric Tax Competition for Profits with Repeated Interaction," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 16(5), pages 796-823, October.
    8. Zineb Abidi & Emmanuelle Taugourdeau, 2024. "Tax competition and harmonization where tastes for public goods differ," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 31(4), pages 953-979, August.
    9. Hayato Kato & Hirofumi Okoshi, 2022. "Economic Integration And Agglomeration Of Multinational Production With Transfer Pricing," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 63(3), pages 1325-1355, August.
    10. Pieretti, Patrice & Pulina, Giuseppe, 2020. "Does eliminating international profit shifting increase tax revenue in high-tax countries?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 717-727.
    11. Miniaci Raffaele & Panteghini Paolo M. & Rivolta Giulia, 2022. "The estimation of reaction functions under tax competition," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 23(2), pages 301-339, May.
    12. Hsun Chu & Ching-Chong Lai & Chu-Chuan Cheng, 2015. "Tax Havens, Growth, and Welfare," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 17(6), pages 802-823, December.
    13. Matthias Wrede, 2009. "Multinational Capital Structure and Tax Competition," MAGKS Papers on Economics 200934, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    14. Hashimzade, Nigar & Huang, Zhanyi & Myles, Gareth D., 2010. "Tax fraud by firms and optimal auditing," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 10-17, March.
    15. Libman, Alexander, 2009. "Russian federalism and post-Soviet integration: Divergence of development paths," MPRA Paper 12944, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Libman, Alexander Mikhailovich, 2009. "Эндогенные Границы И Распределение Власти В Федерациях И Международных Сообществах [ENDOGENOUS BOUNDARIES AND DISTRIBUTION OF POWER In the Federation]," MPRA Paper 16473, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Troeger, Vera, 2012. "De Facto Capital Mobility, Equality, and Tax Policy in Open Economies," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 84, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    18. Sam Bucovetsky, 2009. "An index of capital tax competition," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 16(6), pages 727-752, December.
    19. Johannesen, Niels, 2010. "Imperfect tax competition for profits, asymmetric equilibrium and beneficial tax havens," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 253-264, July.
    20. Marques, Mário & Pinho, Carlos & Montenegro, Tânia Menezes, 2019. "The effect of international income shifting on the link between real investment and corporate taxation," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-1.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tax competition; asymmetric countries; profit shifting; multinational enterprises.; F23; H25; H32.;
    All these keywords.

    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
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm

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