European taxes have long been debated for their potential role as barriers to increased investment and welfare. The discussion has often circulated around the size of the tax bases and the magnitude of the tax rate. In this book we argue that in the taxation context the European Union (EU) is at a cross-road facing strong forces pushing it into two polar positions. One of these is the scenario with all welfare provided by the national regime and financed by taxes collected entirely by national authorities. The other extreme is the situation where all welfare is - fered at an EU level financed entirely by taxes collected at that level. The two forces pressing the tax situation into one of these two poles are spelt tax compe- tion and welfare arbitrage. The research question addressed in this book covers the existence of a potential steady state in between these to poles. Our basic - pothesis is that their might be such a steady state due to the immobility of some tax bases and where the taxation of these bases have no externalities affecting - vestment. We argue that the very complex tax structures of Europe and the tax - certainty facing investors in Europe need to be addressed in a comprehensive way.

Gives an estimation of future development of national tax policy in the EC Offers an economic and legal perspective

Autorentext
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Eva Eberhartinger, LLM ist Professorin für betriebswirtschaftliche Steuerlehre und Vizerektorin für Finanzen an der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien. Sie befasst sich in ihrer Arbeit mit Fragen der Rechnungslegung und der Besteuerung und widmet sich hierbei besonders Internationalen Fragestellungen.

Klappentext

The book is dedicated to the question of how much room for national tax policy Member States of the European Union will find necessary and possible to maintain in the future. It focuses on the possibilities Member States have and the constraints they face, such as the need to enhance competitiveness and attractiveness to inward foreign direct investment, to finance social programmes and the limitations imposed by European and International Law. The research question is looked at from economic as well as from legal points of view. This comprehensive approach and the answers given will be of interest to scholars and policy makers alike and may guide the path for future tax developments in Europe.

Inhalt
The Role of National Tax Policies in the European Union.- Corporate Income Tax Competition and the Scope for National Tax Policy in the Enlarged Europe.- Free Factor Mobility and Fiscal Competition: Can the National Welfare State Survive in a United Europe?.- Fiscal Competition and Activist Social Policy.- An Optional Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base in the European Union.- The Influence of the European State Aid Rules on National Tax Policy.- The European Court of Justice and Direct Taxation: A Recent Change of Direction?.- Tax Treaty Policy.- National Tax Policy, the Directives and Hybrid Finance.- The Room for National Tax Policy in the Future Europe.