The G20 as the Global Agenda-Setter and Political Consensus Builder in Global Tax Governance

Abstract

In 2012, the Group of 20 (G20) mandated the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to fundamentally reform international tax standards through the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project. While much research has already focused on the content of the ensuing changes, the G20’s role in the international tax regime has garnered little attention. This paper investigates the G20’s role as a global policy maker in the international tax regime. Drawing from the theories of neofunctionalism and neoinstitutionalism, we seek to determine through an institutional approach how the G20 functions. Our analysis-framework comprises seven components reflecting the role, competences, interests, and activities of the G20 in the area of global tax governance, and particularly in the context of the BEPS project. We will also highlight the relationship between the G20 and the OECD to this background. We conclude that the G20’s functioning can be best described as the global agenda-setter and political consensus builder on international tax matters.

Keywords: BEPS, G20, global tax governance, international organizations, OECD

JEL Classification: D78, E61, F02, F53, K34