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Taxation and Economic Growth

10-Jul-2008

This paper investigates the design of tax structures to promote economic growth, focusing on how taxes affect growth, and recognises that practical tax reform requires a balance between the aims of efficiency, equity, simplicity and revenue raising.

The Dutch tax-benefit system and life-cycle employment: outcomes and reform options

20-Jun-2008

An overlapping-generations model with search unemployment is calibrated for the Netherlands to assess the impact of tax-benefit reforms on labour supply. Several reforms are analysed, in particular the introduction of a flat tax and pension reforms. The model demonstrates the potential of these reforms to raise labour supply.

Economic survey of Canada 2008: Macroeconomic policies for the end of a boom cycle

11-Jun-2008

Canada is a top OECD performer and has done remarkably well in boosting female employment, reducing unemployment, avoiding Dutch disease, and cutting the debt and tax burdens. Recent macroeconomic performance has been strong, and Canada is weathering the global financial crisis and slowdown as well as can be expected.

Economic survey of Canada 2008: Tax reform for efficiency and fairness

11-Jun-2008

Canada has a long history of tax reform and has been actively cutting taxes since the late 1990s against a background of general government surpluses. The resulting gains in business tax competitiveness are expected to raise investment and attract foreign capital. A flatter personal income tax structure, along with better targeting of tax reliefs, has generally improved work incentives and helped to boost female labour force participation

Economic Survey of Finland 2008: Setting tax policies that support the Nordic model

03-Jun-2008

The 2008 Finland Country Survey argues that globalisation, including the increased mobility of jobs, will continue to put pressure on the Finnish tax base.  In order to address this, the Survey recommends that Finland change the mix of taxation, with a reduced burden on labour (especially highly-skilled labour) and an increased burden on immobile factors such as land.

Economic Survey of the Czech Republic 2008: Ensuring fiscal sustainability: assessing recent tax and public spending reforms

25-Apr-2008

A reform package enacted in 2007 introduced notably flat tax in personal incomes and fees for certain medical services. This chapter takes stock of  the package and the many further plans aimed at addressing long term fiscal sustainability. 

Economic survey of Ireland 2008: The housing market cycle has turned

16-Apr-2008

After many years of sustained growth, the housing market has slowed: house prices are falling and there has been a sharp reduction in the number of new homes being built. The exceptional rise in property values in recent years was largely driven by higher income and demographics, but did appear to overshoot the sustainable level. House prices may ease further and could even fall below their long-run value. Residential investment is experiencing a sharp slowdown. This will have some effect on wider economic activity.

Economic survey of Ireland 2008: Adapting government spending to lower revenue growth

16-Apr-2008

Softening economic growth and the slowdown in the housing market mark a turning point for fiscal policy. Strong revenue growth in earlier years financed a sustained expansion of government spending and some cuts in tax rates, while still allowing the government to run a substantial fiscal surplus. This left the public finances in a healthy state with net government debt declining to a very low level. But this benign picture is changing as growth slows and tax receipts increase more slowly. Public spending growth needs to slow.

Public spending efficiency: institutional indicators in primary and secondary education

08-Feb-2007

This paper presents composite indicators of the institutional characteristics of primary and lower secondary educational systems for 26 OECD countries collated from a questionnaire. Economics Department working paper 543 by Frédéric Gonand, Isabelle Joumard and Robert Price.




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How deep is the impact of the recent oil and credit shocks on the productive potential of OECD economies?

Issue No. 83