I provide initial evidence that international taxation impacts the magnitude of R&D investments in the UK. Relying on a simple theoretical model, I show that the observed response is consistent with the mispricing of intra-group transactions. My structural estimates suggest that transfer prices for internally provided innovation increase by around three percent in response to a one percentage point increase in foreign taxation. This response is more pronounced than previous estimates of aggregate profit shifting indicate, supporting concerns on the susceptibility of intangible assets to facilitate profit relocation. (author's abstract) / Series: WU International Taxation Research Paper Series

Der Automobilsektor ist derzeit einer der wichtigsten Industriezweige in Europa. Ca. 2,2 Millionen Mitarbeiter sind direkt, weitere 9,8 Millionen indirekt darin beschäftigt (sechs Prozent aller Beschäftigten in Europa) und erwirtschaften mit einem Umsatz von ca. € 780 Milliarden im Jahr einen bedeutenden Teil des europäischen Bruttoinlandprodukts (BIP). Auch aus Sicht der Konsumenten ist das Auto für 80 % der Europäischen Haushalte, die ein Auto besitzen, aus dem täglichen Leben nicht mehr weg zu denken. Die europäischen Staaten beziehen ca. € 380 Milliarden ihrer Steuereinnahmen aus der Automobilindustrie. Damit haben sowohl Staaten, Konsumenten als auch die Automobilindustrie ein gewichtiges Interesse am Florieren der Branche. Die Schattenseite der Automobilindustrie sind die CO2-Emissionen, die mit 20 % (der Anteil lag 1970 bei 12 %) aller CO2-Emissionen in Europa einen wesentlichen Teil zum Klimawandel beitragen, Tendenz steigend. So haben im Lauf der vergangenen Jahre mehr und mehr Staaten ihre Besteuerung der Pkw explizit oder implizit nach Umweltstandards ausgerichtet. Damit soll das Autofahren verteuert oder eingeschränkt und / oder die Nutzung von schadstoffarmen Pkw gefördert werden. Neben den Klimaschutz verfolgt die Europäische Union (EU) das Ziel, einen einheitlichen europäischen Binnenmarkt zu schaffen. Durch den Mangel an verbindlichen EU-Richtlinien im Bezug auf Abgaben, haben die Gesetze, Steuern und Abgaben auf einzelstaatlicher und regionaler Ebene ein kaum mehr zu überschauendes Maß angenommen, da Im Rahmen des Subsidiaritätsprinzips die Mitgliedsländer weiterhin ihr Steuersystem überwiegend autonom gestalten, sofern dies im Einklang mit bestimmten europaweiten Vorgaben steht. Dies führt zu einem sehr heterogenen Steuersystem, das gerade im Bereich des Verkehrs bedeutende Markteffekte (z. B. höhere Zulassungszahlen für Diesel betriebene Pkw oder kürzere Haltedauern) nach sich zieht. Europaweit einheitlich sind lediglich Regelungen zu Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen. Es lassen sich nach wie vor viele Beispiele für Marktverzerrungen und die Heterogenität der Steuersysteme in Europa finden: Marktverzerrungen und Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen zeigen sich bei Fahrzeugpreisen, die in Europa stark variieren. Beispielsweise kosten in Dänemark Pkw bis zu 37 % weniger als in Deutschland. Diese Arbeit untersucht und vergleicht die Abgaben auf den Erwerb, den Besitz und die Nutzung von Pkw in den EU-Ländern sowie Norwegen und der Schweiz sowohl systematisch als auch quantitativ. Zur quantitativen Analyse wurde eine Datenbank mit den zur Steuerberechnung notwendigen Informationen erstellt. Darunter sind beispielswiese: Steuersätze und –tarife, Fahrzeugdaten, Kraftstoffpreise, Instandhaltungskosten, Versicherungsbeitrage, Wechselkurse und der durchschnittliche Wertverlust der Fahrzeuge. Darauf und auf bestimmten Annahmen basierend wurden die absoluten Abgaben für repräsentative Fahrzeuge in den verschiedenen Ländern berechnet. Besonderes Augenmerk gilt der CO2-orientierten Besteuerung, die in 17 Ländern (zumindest teilweise) eingeführt wurde. Diese Arbeit betrachtet auch andere, d. h. nicht fiskalische Maßnahmen der Europäischen Union zur CO2-Reduzierung, vergleicht diese mit alternativen Instrumenten, und analysiert die Wirkung unterschiedlicher Besteuerung auf den Pkw-Binnenmarkt, z. B. den Einfluss von Abgaben auf die europäischen Automobilpreise und damit auf Arbitrageeffekte. Es zeigt sich, dass die Besteuerung in Europa sowohl in der Abgabenhöhe als auch konzeptionell in der Vielzahl der Bemessungsgrundlagen und Steuertarife sehr heterogen ist und maßgeblich zu den sehr unterschiedlichen Gesamtkosten der Pkw-Nutzung beiträgt. Die relative Abgabenlast ist in einkommensstarken Ländern Westeuropas nicht hoch genug, um den Kraftstoffverbrauch spürbar zu reduzieren. Aus dem gleichen Grund ist von der CO2-orientierten Novellierung der deutschen Kfz-Steuer kein ausreichender Kaufanreiz zugunsten effizienterer Fahrzeuge zu erwarten. Die in der Vergangenheit von der Europäischen Union eingeführten Instrumente zur Reduzierung von CO2-Emissionen aus dem Straßenverkehr führten nicht zu den erwünschten Emissionsverringerungen. Die jüngste Maßnahme der Europäischen Union, den Automobilherstellern Emissionsgrenzen vorzuschreiben, ist weder effektiv noch effizient. Im letzten Jahrzehnt haben sich die Automobilpreise in Europa zwar etwas angeglichen. Dies liegt weniger an einer Angleichung in der Besteuerung als an der schrittweisen Liberalisierung des europäischen Automobilmarktes und den Novellierungen der Gruppenfreistellungsverordnung. / The automotive industry is currently one of the most important industries in Europe. Approximately 2.2 million people are directly employed in this industry, and an additional 9.8 million jobs indirectly depend on it. This represents 6 percent of all jobs in Europe. A significant amount of Europe’s gross domestic product is generated in this sector which produces a turnover of approximately € 780 billion per year. Governments, consumers and car manufacturers have a significant interest in a flourish automotive industry: 80 % of all European households own a car and rely on it in their day to day life and the European member states are collecting approximately € 380 billion in tax revenue from the automotive industry. One of the problems caused by the automotive sector are the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their impact on the environment. 20 % of all CO2 emissions in Europe are currently caused by cars, being a major contributor to climate change. The contribution has increased from 12% in 1970 and is expected to grow even further in the future. Consequently, several countries recently introduced taxes that consider carbon emissions with the aim to reduce the use of cars, or to incentivise the use of more fuel efficient vehicles. The automotive sector is not only relevant for the European Union’s (EU) climate policy, but for its broader goal to ensure a functioning internal market with free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. However, the degree to which a free internal market can be achieved also depends on the homogeneity of the tax system throughout the EU. To date, taxes and other duties are still very heterogeneous across the EU, due to the lack of binding regulations and directives with respect to taxes – in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity embedded in the Maastricht treaty. These differences affect the automotive sector, for example in terms of demand for diesel cars, or the average number of years that a car is used. More importantly, market distortions can still be observed in the automotive sector: Heterogeneous tax systems lead to vastly different car prices within the EU, e.g. cars are up to 37% cheaper in Denmark than in Germany. This study compares and analyses - both quantitatively and qualitatively - taxes and duties on cars in connection with their purchase and registration, ownership and tenure as well as use. The analysis covers all 27 EU member countries, Switzerland and Norway. For the quantitative analysis, a software based database and simulation tool was developed. This tool contains all relevant data, such as tax rates, tax scales, car characteristics, fuel prices, car maintenance costs or depreciation rates. The simulation tool uses the data to calculate taxes and duties for a number of specific cars models (selected representatively covering all segments) for each of the 29 countries, relying on certain assumptions where necessary. The analysis focuses particularly on taxes introduced to reduce the CO2 emission of cars in the EU, namely CO2 based taxes of motor vehicles, which have been introduced in 17 of the 29 countries. This thesis also considers other, non fiscal measures of the EU that are designed to reduce CO2 emis¬sions of cars. These measures are subsequently analysed and compared to other instruments in order to understand the impact of different taxation models on the European internal car market, for example, with respect to car prices in the EU and hence potential for arbitrage. The thesis demonstrates that material differences in taxation of cars exist, both regarding the total amount of taxes levied in similar circumstances, but also regarding the underlying concepts and bases for assessment. This heterogeneity results in vastly different costs of purchasing, owning and driving a car. In the relatively wealthy countries in Western Europe, costs are not sufficiently high to have a notable impact on the consumption of fuel. This is also why the new German tax on car ownership, although based on the average fuel consumption, is not expected to create a significant incentive for consumers to buy more fuel efficient cars. Similarly, the EU measures to reduce CO2 emissions of car usage failed to deliver the desired outcomes. The most recent instrument of the EU, prescribing emission thresholds for car manufacturers, is neither effective nor efficient. The thesis also shows that during the last ten years car prices in the countries of Europe have converged. However, this is less due to the increasing similarities in taxation, but instead due to the gradual liberalisation of the European car market and the renewal of the block exemption for the motor vehicle sector.

Mich, Univ. of Michigan, Diss.--Ann Arbor, 2004. / Kopie, ersch. im Verl. UMI, Ann Arbor, Mich. - Enth. 3 Beitr.

Univ., Diss.--Mannheim, 2003. / Literaturverz. S. 179 - 202.

The OECD's public discussion draft 'BEPS Action 6: Preventing the Granting of Treaty Benefits in Inappropriate Circumstances' proposed a series of rules for the OECD model. The draft for Article X, "Entitlement to Benefits," the first five paragraphs of which are described therein as "specific antiabuse rule aimed at treaty shopping", are meant to establish a limitation on benefits provision. Article X(6) contains a general antiabuse rule. The analysis carried out here shows that upon closer examination, the proposed antiabuse rule turns out to have no legal relevance. Yet the mere existence of this rule will cause uncertainty, and individual tax administrations and courts will not be deterred from using it as a basis for the denial of treaty benefits. Similar and equally justified criticism would also be directed against any other tax rule that makes combating tax avoidance subject to a combination of objective and subjective requirements. When it is not certain whether an arrangement chosen by a taxpayer is covered by a treaty provision, practitioners will not ask for the object and purpose of the treaty provision but will apply a vague antiabuse provision instead, and the facts will be assessed based on the practitioner's legal instinct and not from the law. Alternatively, tax administrations and courts will be tempted to restrict themselves to the alleged clear wording and to ignore the object and purpose of the legal provisions. If, however, the OECD cannot be prevented from introducing a general antiabuse rule similar to Article X(6) into the model, it will not only impair the quality of the OECD model but will also contribute to its loss of significance because not all states will be able to accept such a rule in their treaties. (author's abstract) / Series: WU International Taxation Research Paper Series

Das Informationsblatt des Sächsische Staatsministeriums der Finanzen gibt einen allgemeinen Überblick über Grundzüge der Besteuerung von Renten aus der gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung.

Der Moment der Unternehmensnachfolge ist für den Fortbestand eines Unternehmens eine kritische Situation. Der Gesetzgeber reagiert hierauf u.a. mit erheblichen Vergünstigungen bei der Erbschaftsteuer. Als Instrumente wählt der Gesetzgeber v.a. eine günstige Bewertung, Bewertungsabschläge, besondere Freibeträge und die Möglichkeit zur Stundung. Die Untersuchung stellt die Frage nach der verfassungsrechtlichen Rechtfertigung der Vergünstigungen und versucht eine Perspektive für dieses immer wieder kontrovers diskutierte Problem zu entwickeln.

The current international tax system diverges greatly from a theoretically "optimal" tax system. One reason for this discrepancy may be that politicians strive for other objectives rather than making tax rules that comply with the theoretical concepts of optimal taxation. In this article, I overview the approaches used in the economic and legal literature to explain the motivations of the people making international tax policy and contrast them with observations from the "real world". This article illustrates that the making of international tax policy is affected by many different factors: domestic pressure groups and the structure of the international tax system, along with selfinterested politicians and bureaucrats. Considering the complexity of the conditions under which international tax policy is made, it is not astonishing that international tax law deviates from the principles characterizing ideal taxation. (author's abstract) / Series: WU International Taxation Research Paper Series

Tax systems of both Germany and other European countries are often subject to tax reforms. On the one hand, tax systems should be economically efficient, i.e., they should not involve welfare losses or lead to distortions of decisions. On the other hand, tax reforms could only be implemented if budget consequences are acceptable for the fiscal authority, i.e., potential revenue losses have to be either moderate or compensable by countermeasures. Revenue consequences of possible tax reforms are therefore of crucial importance for the fiscal authority. In addition to aggregate revenue impacts, redistribution effects on the level of single companies are relevant for the acceptance and the enforcement of tax reforms. Redistribution effects are particularly relevant if certain companies or industries should be supported or not additionally strained. Against this background, in the first three papers of my cumulative dissertation I analyze revenue and redistribution effects of two reform scenarios that are currently under political discussion. Revenue impacts of reforming inter-period loss-offset provisions in Germany are analyzed in the first paper using a prototypical dynamic microsimulation model. This prototypical model is developed further into the microsimulation model ASSERT (paper 2), which is applied in paper 3 to estimate revenue consequences of a reform regarding the German group taxation regulations. Because tax reforms in general and especially the analyzed reform scenarios do not only affect tax revenue of the states involved but also the (investment) behavior of the companies concerned, it is important to consider so-called second-round effects when quantifying revenue consequences of tax reforms. In the fourth paper I empirically identify companies' behavioral responses and analyze the impact of tax depreciation on the level of investment. I use cross-section and panel data analyses and differentiate between companies that have and companies that do not have a tax loss carry-forward. In addition to the effects of tax depreciation on investment in the whole sample I estimate size-specific investment impacts by dividing the sample into large, medium-sized and small corporations. The estimated behavioral responses (and also other responses to tax reforms) should in the future be implemented in the microsimulation model ASSERT.

Univ., FB Wirtschaftswiss., Diss.--Hamburg, 2002.