Wealth Taxes in Europe
Instead of reforming and hiking the wealth tax, perhaps policymakers should consider whether the tax is serving its intended objectives, and, if not, consider repealing the tax altogether.
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Featured Articles
Diesel and Gas Taxes in Europe
As the EU pursues massive changes in public policy as part of its green transition, expect fuel taxes to be central to any policy discussions.
4 min read
Tax Burden on Labor in Europe
To make the taxation of labor more efficient, policymakers should understand the inputs into the tax wedge, and taxpayers should understand how their tax burden funds government services.
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Reliance on Individual Income Tax Revenue in Europe
Denmark relies the most on revenue from individual income taxes, at 52.4 percent of total tax revenue, followed by Iceland and Ireland at 40.8 percent and 31.5 percent, respectively.
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Reliance on Corporate Income Tax Revenue in Europe
Despite declining corporate income tax rates over the last 30 years in Europe (and other parts of the world), average revenue from corporate income taxes as a share of total tax revenue has not changed significantly compared to 1990.
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Financial Transaction Taxes in Europe
Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom currently levy a type of financial transaction tax
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Actionable VAT Policy Gap in Europe
Value-added taxes (VAT) make up approximately one-fifth of total tax revenues in Europe. However, European countries differ significantly in how efficiently they raise VAT revenues. One way to measure a country’s VAT efficiency is the VAT Gap.
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Tax Subsidies for R&D Expenditures in Europe
Many countries incentivize business investment in research and development (R&D), intending to foster innovation. A common approach is to provide direct government funding for R&D activity. However, a significant number of jurisdictions also offer R&D tax incentives.
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Integrated Tax Rates on Corporate Income in Europe
The integrated tax rate on corporate income reflects both the corporate income tax and the dividends or capital gains tax—the total tax levied on corporate income. For dividends, Ireland’s top integrated tax rate was highest among European OECD countries, followed by France and Denmark
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VAT Rates in Europe, 2021
More than 140 countries worldwide—including all European countries—levy a Value-Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services.
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Sparkling Wine Taxes in Europe
This week, people around the world will celebrate New Year’s Eve, with many opening a bottle of sparkling wine to wish farewell to—a rather consequential—2020 and offer a warm welcome to the—by many of us, long-awaited—new year 2021.
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Wealth Taxes in Europe
Net wealth taxes are recurrent taxes on an individual’s wealth, net of debt. The concept of a net wealth tax is similar to a real property tax. But instead of only taxing real estate, it covers all wealth an individual owns. As today’s map shows, only three European countries covered levy a net wealth tax, namely Norway, Spain, and Switzerland. France and Italy levy wealth taxes on selected assets but not on an individual’s net wealth per se.
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Corporate Tax Rates around the World, 2020
Corporate tax rates have been declining in every region around the world over the past four decades as countries have recognized their negative impact on business investment. Our new report explores the latest corporate tax trends and compares corporate tax rates by country.
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Reduced Corporate Income Tax Rates for Small Businesses in Europe
Corporate income taxes are commonly levied as a flat rate on business profits. However, some countries provide reduced corporate income tax rates for small businesses
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Patent Box Regimes in Europe
Patent box regimes (also referred to as intellectual property, or IP, regimes) provide lower effective tax rates on income derived from IP.
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Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: International Tax Rules
International tax rules define how income earned abroad and by foreign entities are taxed domestically, making them an important element of a country’s tax code.
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Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: Consumption Taxes
How do consumption tax codes compare among European OECD countries? Explore our new map to see how consumption tax systems in Europe compare.
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Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: Individual Taxes
How do individual income tax codes compare among European OECD countries? Explore our new map to see how individual income tax systems in Europe compare.
3 min read
Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: Corporate Taxes
A tax code that is competitive and neutral promotes sustainable economic growth and investment while raising sufficient revenue for government priorities.
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Carbon Taxes in Europe
17 European countries have implemented a carbon tax, ranging from less than €1 per metric ton of carbon emissions in Ukraine and Poland to over €100 in Sweden.
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Recent Changes in Dividend Tax Rates in Europe
Over the last three years, eight European OECD countries have made changes to their dividend tax rates. Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Turkey increased their rates, each between roughly one and three percentage points. France, Greece, and Latvia cut their rates by 10 percentage points.
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Recent Changes in Top Personal Income Tax Rates in Europe
Ten European OECD countries recently changed their top personal income tax rates. Of the ten countries, six cut their top personal income tax rates while the other four raised their top rates.
4 min read