燃油税政策的国际比较与启示

世界各国征收的燃油税大多是以消费税和增值税为主的多个税种的组合。尽管各国燃油税有差异,但也有许多共性,如燃油课税的主要目的都是作为道路交通建设资金的来源;燃油税多是采取从量定额征收,税费占燃油价格的比例都较高;车用燃料消费所占比例越高的油品,征收环节越靠近生产环节;对非道路用燃料进行税收减免等。本文认为,开征燃油税首要目的是筹集道路养护资金,其次才是促进节能与环保,应综合考虑各种因素来设置税率,并辅之以相应的税收优惠措施。     

税收增速减缓与地方税收竞争——基于省际面板数据的考察

本文通过理论分析明确了地方政府税收竞争对税收增长的影响机制。以此为基础,利用我国省际面板数据所做的实证研究显示,地方政府的税收竞争强度每提高0.01,全部税收、中央税收征收额和地方税收征收额分别下降0.64、0.71、0.60个百分点。为了进一步缓解地方政府经济增长激励与维护税法严肃性之间的矛盾,中央政府应逐步提高财产税收入所占的比重,将地方政府的税收竞争主要限制在财产税范围内。     

An assessment of the potential VAT revenue collection for the United Arab Emirates

This study analyses the effect of a 5% VAT in the UAE for the period 2018–2022. The methodology includes collection efficiency, standard tax rate and the final consumption expenditure (FCE). Various scenarios are analysed, including a constant 5% VAT for 2018–2022; increasing it by 2.39% yearly; increasing it to reach the maximum 2014 country tax rate of 27%; or increasing it to reach an average tax rate of 19.1%. The collection efficiency values of 0.4–0.7 result in a 2018–22 tax revenue to GDP range of between 1.75 and 7.84%.     

我国地方税系的重构——基于税收分布视角

地方税系重构需要在考虑地方税收均衡程度的基础上进行,所以,理清税收在各地的分布状况及其差异系数非常关键.分析表明,地方税收的差异系数决定于进入地方税系的税种类别及其在地方税收中的比重.进一步,在中央与地方税收格局不变的限定下,通过模拟计算出地方税系重构八种情景下的地方税收差异系数.同时,基于模拟结果与各种因素的权衡,认为我国地方税系重构不能仅简单依赖增值税分享比例向地方政府的倾斜来实现,而是需要将车辆购置税与部分消费税划归地方政府,之后再以增值税分享比例的调整来稳定地方税收规模.     

Revenue and welfare effects of financial sector VAT exemption

This paper provides an analysis of revenue and welfare effects associated with a VAT exemption of financial services, which is common among OECD countries. We follow a general equilibrium approach that considers effects of repealing the VAT exemption not only on consumer demand and intermediate-input demand for financial services, but takes account also of the VAT distortion of labor supply. We derive formal expressions for revenue and welfare effects, which can be quantified with a minimum of information about behavioral effects. Using VAT statistics as well as national accounts, we provide quantitative estimates of the effects of repealing the VAT exemption in Germany. Our baseline estimate indicates that tax revenues would increase by some €1.7 billion or 1.3 % of VAT revenues (excluding import turnover tax). Provided these revenue gains are used to finance a reduction in the VAT rate or in other distortive labor taxes our results indicate a modest welfare gain of about €1 billion, or 0.04 % of GDP.     

Value-added tax options for India

The pressures of aggregate revenue, the requirement of a reduced role for customs duties for the liberalization of the economy, and the complexity and strains of the current system together point clearly toward the desirability of tax reform in India. Since domestic indirect taxes provide the major source of revenue, they deserve special attention. This paper argues that India would benefit from moving toward a system of value-added taxation (VAT) and focuses on the way in which a VAT (or VATs) can be best introduced into India given the country's federal structure. Three different options are distinguished: a central VAT, dual VAT, and states' VAT. We argue that the first is politically infeasible, that the second represents the best way forward in the short term, and that the third deserves consideration as a long-run option. Special attention is paid to the problems that would arise under either a states' or a dual VAT with regard to taxing interstate trade.     

税收收入中性约束下最优环境税率研究

通过构建完全垄断企业与政府的两阶段博弈模型,对政府如何制定最优环境税率,实现税收收入中性约束下社会福利最大化及企业利润最大化问题进行了分析。研究发现：在一定的条件下,环境税率和其他税率越高,企业产出水平和排污量越低;当政府的税收收入较少时,环境税率与排污的边际损害程度呈现倒 U 型;而当政府税收收入较高时,环境税率随着排污的边际损害程度的提高而增加。据此提出环境税改革的建议：一是采取有差别的环境税率;二是将污染物排放的边际损害控制在一定范围内;三是适时调整环境税税率,并同时辅之以相对应的配套改革措施。     

Altruism, incomplete markets, and tax reform

We compute the welfare effects of different revenue-neutral tax reforms that eliminate capital income taxation in two general equilibrium models calibrated to the U.S. economy. In our dynastic model, the reform with the largest welfare gain is the one that eliminates all income taxation and increases the consumption tax to 35%; 75% of the population alive at the time of the reform benefit from it. Individuals use intervivos transfers and bequests to redistribute the long-run benefits. In a pure life-cycle economy that lacks this redistribution technology, we find that the same reform would benefit only 9% of the population.     

VAT attacks!

Like the theory of the second best that the 2006 congress marks, the value added tax (VAT) is now fifty years old. Judged by the extent and speed of its spread around the world, and the revenue that it raises, the VAT would seem to have been a remarkable success. Over the last few years, however, it has come under a series of attacks. This paper considers three of the most prominent of these. One is the fear (raised mainly in the United States) that the VAT actually does too good a job of raising tax revenue—which raises the empirical question of whether it has indeed proved as effective a source of revenue as its proponents claim and its opponents fear. The second is the view that the VAT does a bad job of taxing the informal sector—and that tariffs might consequently be a better revenue-raising instrument for many developing countries. The third attack is the most literal, by criminals rather than theorists: in the European Union and elsewhere, sophisticated VAT fraud, targeting its refund provisions, has become a serious concern. The paper also argues, more generally, that the many unanswered questions concerning the VAT reflect an unfortunate disconnect between the development of the tax itself and of second best tax analysis. I am grateful to Ben Lockwood and Stephen Smith for allowing me to draw on our joint work, and to Vidar Christiansen, Sijbren Cnossen, Isaias Coelho, Alain Jousten, Victoria Perry, and Emil Sunley for many helpful comments and suggestions. Views and errors remain mine alone, and should not be attributed to the International Monetary Fund.     

The effect of VATs on government balance sheets

The value-added tax, VAT, has become a popular means of raising funds for governments around the world. Countries seeking to reduce variation in tax revenues as well as raise revenue to solve deficits often consider a VAT, and the IMF in particular has become an advocate for the tax for countries seeking tax reform. For all its popularity, its ability to deliver on these promises remains understudied. Countries with a lower cost of raising funds may instead choose to spend more instead of paying down their debts. This paper uses matching techniques to estimate the impact of a VAT on government debts and deficits. The tax is associated with falls in central government debt and deficits as well as expenditures as a share of GDP. There is limited evidence of increases in tax revenue and increases in stability of government spending. The choice of VAT rate is positively correlated with deficit reduction, and the effects of the tax are heterogeneous with respect to the probability of adoption of the treatment and what taxes it is replacing.     

BAD taxation: Disintermediation and illiquidity in a bank account debits tax model

This paper uses a dynamic general equilibrium model to study the economic effects of bank account debits (BAD) taxation. Australia and various Latin American countries have levied or levy BAD taxes. Aspects such as financial disintermediation, market illiquidity, and impacts on dividend and interest rates are considered. Part of the BAD tax revenue may be fictitious, due to increased interest payments on government debt. The Brazilian BAD tax (CPMF) experience is evaluated. The empirical analysis confirms some theoretical predictions. Incidence base over GDP appears to be sensitive to the tax rate, possibly engendering a Laffer curve. The tax may also cause real interest rates to increase. Furthermore, the deadweight losses are relatively large, even if revenues are small. The theoretical and empirical results suggest that the BAD tax is not adequate for revenue collection. JEL Code E62 · H20     

Commercial Policy Reform in Pakistan: Opening up the Economy under Revenue Constraints

We examine the potential for further reform of sales tax and tariffs on final goods and on intermediate inputs in Pakistan. Analysis is conducted at two levels. First, optimal taxes are computed under the assumption that tax revenue is exogenous and pays for a public good, and these are compared with their current levels. Second, we consider two piecemeal reform exercises to examine whether there is further scope for replacing the two tariffs by sales tax in a revenue-neutral way. Both approaches suggest that there is considerable scope for further reducing tariffs on final goods, but not on intermediate inputs. JEL Code: F1, O2, O5     

Global Trends and Issues in Value Added Taxation

Since the late 1960s, the VAT has become one of the mainstays of the tax systems in over one hundred countries. Apparently, its revenue raising and neutrality properties make it an attractive tax in a rapidly integrating, high-tax world. Following an overview of VATs throughout the world, this article examines various VAT structure and policy issues under the following headings: tax coverage features, tax base aspects, hard-to-tax sectors, rate structure issues, and interjurisdictional coordination problems. It is shown that the normative requirements of a good VAT are often met only in the breach.     

我国间接税与收入分配公平关系的实证分析

税收理论认为间接税具有累退性,有利于征管效率但不利于社会公平。采用1994～2009年时间序列数据,计算出库兹涅茨比率以衡量居民收入分配差距,通过对增值税、消费税、营业税、资源税、城建税、全部间接税对库兹涅茨比率影响的实证研究表明,目前我国以增值税为代表的间接税占税收总收入的比重过高,不利于发挥税收调节收入分配差距的作用,需要在今后逐步加以调整;同时间接税中的消费税有一定的缩小我国居民收入分配差距的作用,可以适当加以规范,以发挥其促进社会公平的作用。     

跳开增值税专用发票行为的法律分析

跳开增值税专用发票尽管在形式上构成虚开行为,在内容上与真实交易不符,但该行为实质上是对增值税进项抵扣链条中由于税率"陷落"而产生的缺陷的修复,与税收中性原则相符,不会造成国家增值税收入实质性的损失,因而不具备税收执法与刑事司法上的可罚性。将跳开排除在虚开行为之外,需要对国家的增值税收入中各部分的正当性以及增值税专用发票管理制度的作用与目的进行重新思考,以确定国家享有的税收债权的范围,保障纳税人的限额纳税权,并且要在刑事司法领域对虚开增值税专用发票罪的犯罪构成和量刑依据进行统一。     

增值税转型对财政收入影响的实证研究——以吉林省为例

本文以吉林省为例,实证分析了增值税转型对财政收入的影响。结论表明:局部转型不会给中央财政收入带来较大冲击,短期内地方财政收入存在减少的因素、但影响并不大,对个别以单一产业结构为主的市县财政收入有一定的影响。Granger因果检验表明,增值税对财政收入变化产生的影响效应需要滞后4年才能显现出来;协整分析表明,增值税与财政收入之间存在着长期稳定的均衡关系,增值税转型政策在短期内会对财政收入产生一定的影响,但这种影响效应较小。     

Value-added taxation and consumption

One of the main rationales for taxing consumption rather than income is that it is believed that consumption taxes discourage consumption, encourage savings, and thus generate higher economic growth. However, empirical evidence on the actual effectiveness of consumption taxes in stimulating savings is very limited. In this paper, we estimate the impact of a broad-based consumption tax, the value-added tax (VAT), on the aggregate consumption of fifteen European Union countries over the period 1961–2005. Our empirical results indicate, across a variety of estimation methods and specifications, that a one percentage point increase in the VAT rate leads to roughly a one percent reduction in the level of aggregate consumption in the short run and to a somewhat larger reduction in the long run.     

The Value Added Tax on Electronic Commerce in the European Union

This paper concludes that any failure to apply value-added tax (VAT) to electronic commerce crossing borders between EU Member States and other countries should not affect the VAT liability of registered traders, even if the reverse charge rule (taxation in the hands of recipients) is not applied. The only type of e-commerce that is problematic involves sales of digital content to consumers and unregistered traders. However, such sales constitute a minuscule fraction of purchases by households and unregistered traders (given the extremely low level of small-business exemptions). Thus, while many believe that the question of how to tax e-commerce under the VAT is urgent, how it is resolved may not be very important.     

A proposal to apply the Kiwi-VAT to insurance services in the European Union

In the spirit of the European Commission’s call for a simpler, more robust and efficient VAT system, this article proposes to integrate exempt insurance services into the European VAT, and to abolish the discriminatory, excise-type insurance premium taxes levied by the various Member States. The current VAT exemption (no taxation of insurance services and no credit for the VAT on inputs) is administratively complex and economically distortionary. Instead, the value added of property and casualty insurance companies can be taxed on a transactions basis by applying the VAT to insurance premiums (creditable by VAT-liable businesses) and allowing a presumptive tax credit for the VAT imputable to payouts (plus a credit for the actual VAT on purchases). The presumptive tax credit should be taxed at the level of business recipients, but individuals would receive the VAT along with indemnity payments without having to file a return. Exceptionally, the tax-credit VAT would not be applied to life and health insurance premiums, but insurers would be taxed on an accounts basis on the sum of wages and business cash flow.