Heterogeneity of taxation in EA Member countries and some implications for EA fiscal governance

Notwithstanding the repeated efforts of the European Authorities to harmonize and coordinate countries’ taxation, and in spite of the effects of international tax competition, in 2009 EA taxation was still far from being homogeneous among Member Countries. Given this situation, the purpose of the paper is threefold. First of all, it is designed to provide a detailed overview of the existing differences, in terms of taxation, among EA Members. Secondly, it aims at examining whether these disparities could interfere with EA fiscal governance, the rules of which largely consist in single figures applicable to all the concerned countries. Finally, the analysis wants to ascertain whether the present EU Commission’s suggestions for fiscal consolidation and for tax reforms may differently affect specific countries, given the aforementioned differences in their tax systems. The conclusions include the traditional belief that greater harmonization and coordination of Europe’s tax systems could well improve fiscal governance within the EA.