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Tax Reforms and Labour-market Performance: An Evaluation for Spain using REMS

Author

Listed:
  • Jose Emilio Boscá

    (University of Valencia)

  • Rafael Domenech

    (University of Valencia)

  • Javier Ferri

    (University of Valencia)

Abstract

This paper uses REMS, a Rational Expectations Model of the Spanish economy designed by Boscá et al (2007), to analyse the effects of lowering the overall tax wedge to the level prevailing in the US. Our results partially confirm previous findings in the literature: a reduction in the overall tax wedge of 19.5 points, in order to reach the US levels, has a positive effect in the long run, increasing total hours by about 7 per cent and GDP by about 8 percentage points. In terms of GDP per adult, these results account for 1/4 of the gap with respect to the US, but imply a reduction of only one percentage point in the labour productivity gap. The rise in total hours per adult is explained by a similar increase in both hours per employee and the employment rate of about 3.5 percentage points, allowing hours per adult to converge to levels only slightly lower than those in the US.

Suggested Citation

  • Jose Emilio Boscá & Rafael Domenech & Javier Ferri, 2008. "Tax Reforms and Labour-market Performance: An Evaluation for Spain using REMS," Working Papers 0804, International Economics Institute, University of Valencia.
    • Handle: RePEc:iei:wpaper:0804
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    Cited by:

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    3. Angel de la Fuente & Doménech, Rafael., 2009. "Series enlazadas de algunos agregados económicos regionales, 1955-2007. Versión 1.1," Economic Reports 03-09, FEDEA.
    4. Tim Schwarzmüller & Nikolai Stähler, 2013. "Reforming the labor market and improving competitiveness: an analysis for Spain using FiMod," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 4(4), pages 437-471, November.
    5. Stähler, Nikolai, 2019. "Who benefits from using property taxes to finance a labor tax wedge reduction?," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    6. Javier Alonso & Rafael Domenech Vilariño & David Tuesta, 2011. "Sistemas Publicos de Pensiones y la crisis fiscal en la zona euro. Ensenanzas para America Latina," Working Papers 1123, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    7. Enders Almira & Stähler Nikolai & Groll Dominik, 2020. "Parity funding of health care contributions in Germany: A DSGE perspective," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 21(2), pages 217-233, June.
    8. Javier Andrés Domingo & José Emilio Boscá & Rafael Domenech Vilariño & Javier Ferri, 2009. "Job Creation in Spain: Productivity Growth, Labour Market Reforms or both?," Working Papers 0903, International Economics Institute, University of Valencia.
    9. Maria-Grazia Attinasi & Doris Prammer & Nikolai Stähler & Martino Tasso & Stefan van Parys, 2019. "Budget-Neutral Labor Tax Wedge Reductions: A Sumulation-Based Analysis for the Euro Area," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 15(4), pages 1-54, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    general equilibrium; tax wedge; tax reforms; fiscal policy; labour market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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