Reforming the Taxation of Multijurisdictional Enterprises in Europe

In 2001, the European Commission proposed replacing the currentsystem of taxation of multinational companies by the taxationof a consolidated base, computed at the level of all the Europeanentities of a multinational enterprise, and then distributedfor taxation purposes among the various jurisdictions in whichthese entities operate, according to pre-established criteria.In this article, we propose a discussion, especially focusingon two related issues, the choice of the formula and the compositionof the consolidating area—either the entire European Union(EU) or some Member States within an Enhanced Cooperation Agreement—,as well as on their impact on the size and distribution of taxrevenue and economic activity, and on the intensity of tax competition.Our tentative policy conclusion is that the reform deservessupport provided that (i) the formula puts emphasis on criteriathat the firm may not too easily manipulate, (ii) the activitiesof the multijurisdictional enterprise are enough mobile, (iii)the consolidation is made compulsory within the consolidatingarea and (iv) the consolidating area protects its capacity toactually levy tax by adopting a crediting system vis-à-visthe rest of the world. (JEL code: H32, H73, H87)     

省联社管理及其对农信社效率提升的影响:理论与实证研究

合理地衡量和评价省联社对农信社效率的影响,是推动省联社改革的基础,也是当前理论和实践中面临的难题。本文在对省联社的管理服务职能详细调查的基础上,提出了通过比对省联社管理导向和农信社效率提升方向之间的差异,间接分析省联社管理对农信社效率的影响,并以2010-2017年A省75家农信社为研究对象进行了实证分析。研究结果表明,当前省联社管理的总体导向是:有效引导农信社在扩大业务规模的同时,控制总成本收入比和降低不良贷款水平,但对农信社的利润水平、风险覆盖水平、支农支小情况缺乏实质性约束;在推动农信社改制为农商行的过程中缺乏对其提高经营效率的帮助,在管理中未充分考虑各家农信社及其所处市场环境的差异等。文章建议,当前省联社改革的路径是“减少管理+增强服务”,其中减少管理的关键是解决退出职责谁接管的问题,而增强服务的关键是对省联社进行更有效的激励约束。     

苏联时期对外战略演变规律研究

苏联时期的对外战略始终在推动世界革命的国际主义和关注国家利益的国家主义之间摇摆。苏联国力增强,资本主义世界陷入危机时,苏联就会倾向于国际主义,积极推动世界革命的发展。而当苏联遭遇不利形势,资本主义蒸蒸日上时,苏联的对外战略就会倾向于国家主义,关注国家利益。苏联对外战略的这种具有规律性的演变对苏联自身发展、国际共产主义运动以及20世纪国际关系发展均产生不可忽视的重要影响。     

欧洲2020战略旗舰计划：创新型联盟（上）

“创新型联盟”是欧洲2020战略七大旗舰计划之首,由欧委会2010年10月公布,欧盟理事会2011年2月批准,是欧盟未来10年的科研与创新战略文件。该战略以10年内把欧盟建设成为“创新型联盟”为目标,要求欧盟把创新作为首要和压倒一切的政策目标,提出了加强研发投入、提高资金使用效益、实现教育现代化、4年内建成统一的欧洲研究区、简化科研计划管理、促进成果产业化、实现欧盟单一专利、启动“欧洲创新伙伴”行动、推动社会创新、加强国际合作等十项工作重点,并提出部署相关配套措施,开展欧盟层面的科研与创新绩效监测工作,确保“创新型联盟”各项目标的实现。本文是“创新型联盟”旗舰计划的译稿,供国内相关部门参考。     

欧美债务危机对我国电子商务业的影响及策略探析

尽管欧美债务危机的肆虐使得我国电子商务业面临业务扩展受限,行业盈利率下降,融资困难等问题。但同时也为国内电子商务业提供了市场机会增加,转型意识得以提升,获得定向宽松政策扶持,海外投资和效益凸显等机遇。因此,国内电子商务业应积极通过转变发展方式,审慎选择融资渠道,提高非系统风险防范力度等措施实现自身又好又快发展。     

Gold dinar for the Islamic countries?

The Malaysian state of Kelantan has made a historical launch of Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham on 12th August 2010. For the first time in almost 100 years since the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, a Muslim government introduces Shariah currency. In the eyes of many Muslim scholars, the present interest-based fiat monetary system is flawed as it is incompatible with the objectives of the Islamic law or the Shariah. There have been calls for the resurgence of Islamic Gold Dinar (together with the silver dirham) as it is deemed to be the most appropriate medium of exchange to be used in the Islamic economies. Using data from 1970 to 2007, this paper assesses the empirical desirability of the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) countries to an alternative monetary system (Islamic Gold Dinar) that can potentially enhance the exchange rate stability and credibility. The Structural Vector Autoregression (VAR) method is employed to assess the nature of macroeconomic disturbances among the OIC countries. Specifically, the symmetry in macroeconomic disturbances of the OIC economies is examined as satisfying one of the preconditions for forming an Optimum Currency Area (OCA). In addition, this paper also investigates the output and price responses of OIC countries of the underlying structural shocks used to shed light on the suitability of these countries to form a monetary union. The preliminary findings of this study suggest the lack of broad linkages within the entire OIC, although there exists scope among some smaller clusters for potential monetary integration based on the symmetry of their business cycles.     

Union–firm bargaining: Order of play and efficiency

This paper shows that a modified alternating offers Rubinstein model can provide a Pareto superior outcome in the context of the right-to-manage union–firm bargaining. Two examples of bargaining protocols that yield a superior outcome are provided. In the first example, the parties engage in a game in which the order of play is determined as part of the bargaining. We show that the game has a unique subgame perfect equilibrium in which the firm always moves first in the wage bargaining game. The equilibrium wage is, therefore, unique. In the second example, we examine a two-part-tariff alternating offers bargaining protocol, where the parties bargain over the wage and transfer payments. We show that this bargaining protocol has a Pareto efficient, unique subgame perfect equilibrium. Thus, although the parties do not bargain over the level of employment, the outcome under this protocol is, nevertheless, socially optimal.     

中国与中亚5国农产品贸易的互补性分析

中亚5国与中国毗邻,双方在农业领域的合作前景十分广阔,随着上海合作组织区域经济合作的不断深入,中国与中亚5国农产品贸易增长迅速。本文运用修正的显示性比较优势指数、贸易强度指数和产业内贸易指数对中国与中亚5国农产品贸易互补性进行了实证分析。研究表明:中国与中亚5国在农产品生产要素和农产品贸易方面均存在互补性,且贸易互补性与生产要素的互补性相吻合。然而,双边贸易规模还较小,双方潜在的互补性未能充分转化为现实的互利性,因此,中国要加强与中亚5国的农产品贸易合作。