Tax certainty aims at the stabilization of expectations of both, taxpayers and governments. Improving tax payer service, easing cooperation channels and clarifying legal framework are strategies already in place to increase tax certainty, even though to different extent depending on the countries level of development.
Tax certainty: Proposals for the short term and the long term
Discussion Paper in Economics
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW)
Tax certainty aims at the stabilization of expectations of both, taxpayers and governments. Improving tax payer service, easing cooperation channels and clarifying legal framework are strategies already in place to increase tax certainty, even though to different extent depending on the countries level of development.
For the short run, concrete measures can be recommended through which international cooperation can contribute to strengthening tax certainty. These measures concern the establishment of enhanced engagement programs, the development of model legislation as a tool for the implementation of international rules and standards, the alignment of bilateral treaties and domestic legislation to international good practices, using the country-by-country-report as an indicator for the adequacy of tax payments and setting up investment incentives. In the long run, a radical change in the international tax scheme is suggested since, amongst others, the current rules do not match with the emerging digital economy. A unitary taxation system might be therefore the appropriate response even if the implementation on an international level is complex.
Santiago Díaz de Sarralde / Christian von Haldenwang / Tobias Hentze / Nara Monkam: Tax certainty – Proposals for the short term and the long term
Discussion Paper in Economics
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW)

Die Rechnung, bitte!: „Neue Steuern, neue Schulden oder gibt es einen dritten Weg?”
Bundeswehr, Wohnungsbau, Infrastruktur, Klimaziele – auf den Staat kommen gigantische Kosten zu. Was es jetzt bräuchte? Keine neuen Steuern, aber Ehrlichkeit, schreibt IW-Direktor Michael Hüther in einem Gastbeitrag für Focus online.
IW
Tax expenditures in OECD countries: Findings from the Global Tax Expenditures Database
The Global Tax Expenditures Database (https://GTED.net/) collects national reports on tax expenditures for 101 countries for the period from 1990 to the present. Based on these data, the development of tax expenditures in the 38 OECD countries between 1999 and ...
IW