Evaluating Tax Policy for Location Decisions

34 Pages Posted: 9 Apr 2002

See all articles by Michael P. Devereux

Michael P. Devereux

Centre for Business Taxation, Oxford University; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute); Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); University of Oxford - Said Business School; University of Oxford - Said Business School

Rachel Griffith

Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS); University of Manchester; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Date Written: March 2002

Abstract

We consider the impact of taxation when investors face a discrete choice between two or more mutually exclusive projects; in particular we consider the location choice of multinationals. Such choices depend on an effective average tax rate. We propose a precise measure of this rate, which is shown to be equal to a weighted average of an effective marginal tax rate and an adjusted statutory tax rate, where the weights depend on the profitability of the investment. Estimates of the distribution of this measure are presented and compared for domestic and international investment in the USA, France, Germany, and the UK. We analyse the impact of harmonising corporate tax rates in Europe on incentives to locate in France, Germany and the UK.

Keywords: tax policy, investment, location choice, tax coordination

JEL Classification: G31, H25, H32

Suggested Citation

Devereux, Michael P. and Griffith, Rachel, Evaluating Tax Policy for Location Decisions (March 2002). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=306762

Michael P. Devereux (Contact Author)

Centre for Business Taxation, Oxford University ( email )

Said Business School
Park End Street
Oxford, OX1 1HP
United Kingdom
+44 1865 288507 (Phone)

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) ( email )

7 Ridgmount Street
London, WC1E 7AE
United Kingdom

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

University of Oxford - Said Business School ( email )

Park End Street
Oxford, OX1 1HP
Great Britain

University of Oxford - Said Business School ( email )

Park End Street
Oxford, OX1 1HP
Great Britain

Rachel Griffith

Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) ( email )

7 Ridgmount Street
London WC1E 7AE
United Kingdom
+44 20 7291 4800 (Phone)
+44 20 7323 4780 (Fax)

University of Manchester ( email )

Arthur Lewis Building
Oxford Road
Manchester, M13 9PL
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.ifs.org.uk/people/profile?id=37

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

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