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Taxing Natural Resource Projects

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  • Craig Emerson

Abstract

A wide range of fiscal measures for natural resource based projects are analyzed in this paper. Maximizing government revenue involves taxing heavily any rents generated in the project while retaining the incentive to invest. Recovery efficiency must also be preserved. Based upon the principles of resource economics and project appraisai a series of tests are derived and applied to alternative tax schemes in order to assess their efficiency in maximizing the present value of government revenues. The tests indicate that of the ten schemes examined, the most likely to achieve revenue maximization is a progressive resource rent tax incorporating a safeguard tapering provision and superimposed upon normal corporate income tax. Many commonly applied taxes are demonstrated to have serious distortionary effects on the investment decision and to fail to capture a large proportion of rents generated. Cet article analyse une gamme variée de mesures fiscales applicables aux projets concernant les ressources naturelles. L'optimisation des recettes de l'Etat implique une lourde imposition des revenus provenant du projet tout en continuant à encourager les investissements. L'efficacité de la relance doit aussi être maintenue. Sur la base des principes de l'économie des ressources et de l'évaluation des projets, une série de tests a été conçue et appliquée à des systèmes fiscaux alternatifs afin de permettre l'évaluation de leur efficacité en ce qui concerne l'optimisation de la valeur actuelle des recettes de l'Etat. Les tests indiquent que sur les dix systèmes examinés, le plus susceptible d'optimiser les recettes semble être un impôt progressif sur les revenus provenant des ressources qui incorpore une clause de garantie dégressive et qui vient s'ajouter à l'impôt sur le revenu des sociétés habituel. L'article démontre que de nombreux impôts habituellement appliqués présentent de sérieux effets de distortion ayant un impact sur la décision d'investir et qu'une grande proportion des revenus de ces projets échappe à l'imposition. En este artículo se analiza una gama amplia de medidas fiscales sobre proyectos relacionados con recursos naturales. Maximizar los ingresos fiscales requiere imponer fuertes impuestos sobre las rentas generadas por el proyecto manteniendo al mismo tiempo el incentivo para la inversión. Debe mantenerse también la eficiencia en la recuperación de los recursos en cuestión. Basado en principios de la economía de recursos y de evaluación de proyectos se derivan una serie de pruebas sobre esquemas alternativos de aplicación de impuestos con el objeto de evaluar la eficiencia de dichos esquemas en la maximización del valor presente del ingreso del gobierno por concepto de impuestos. Las pruebas indican que de los diez esquemas examinados, el que con mayor probabilidad va a maximizar el ingreso del gobierno es el impuesto progresivo sobre la renta del recurso con un provisión de salvaguarda la reducción de dicho impuesto, más un impuesto simultáneo sobre el ingreso de la empresa. Muchos de los esquemas de imposición comúnmente aplicados tienen serios efectos distortionadores sobre las decisiones de inversión y consecuentamente impiden la colección de una gran parte de las rentas generadas.

Suggested Citation

  • Craig Emerson, 1980. "Taxing Natural Resource Projects," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 4(2), pages 123-145, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:natres:v:4:y:1980:i:2:p:123-145
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1477-8947.1980.tb00971.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter L. Swan, 1976. "Income Taxes, Profit Taxes and Neutrality of Optimizing Decisions," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 52(2), pages 166-181, June.
    2. Cochrane, Stuart & Francis, John, 1977. "Offshore petroleum resources : A review of UK policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 51-62, March.
    3. Hughes, Helen, 1975. "Economic rents, the distribution of gains from mineral exploitation, and mineral development policy," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(11-12), pages 811-825.
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    Cited by:

    1. Craig Emerson & Ross Garnaut, 1984. "Mineral Leasing Policy: Competitive Bidding and the Resource Rent Tax Given Various Responses to Risk," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 60(2), pages 133-142, June.

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