How Countries Should Share Tax Information

2019 ◽  
pp. 303-322
Author(s):  
Arthur J. Cockfield
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Transaction Costs ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Academic Support ◽  
Tax Planning ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Optimal Outcomes ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows ◽  
International Tax

This chapter looks at exchange of information (EOI) policies, proposing several ways to make EOI policies fairer and more efficient, so as to maximize their potential to reduce illicit financial flows and curb abusive tax practices that undermine human rights. While there appears increasing policy and academic support for EOI initiatives that promote global financial transparency, the current international tax regime, with its high transaction costs for taxpayers and tax authorities, does not seem particularly amenable to producing optimal outcomes. The chapter then emphasizes how, to promote enforceability, the ideal EOI system delivers high-quality tax information while providing needed legal protections for taxpayer privacy. The exchange and usage of high-quality tax information would reduce transaction costs for tax authorities as they could more readily identify taxpayers engaged in offshore tax evasion and aggressive international tax planning.

Tax-related illicit financial flows and human rights

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 750-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Multidimensional Complex ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the tax-related illicit financial flows from a human rights perspective. It argues that curbing illicit financial flows, and specifically tax abuse, is essential not only for realizing human rights but also for achieving the sustainable development goals. It provides definitions of tax evasion and avoidance, as well as estimations of illicit financial flows. It studies the tax abuse implications for human rights and sustainable development, as well as the obligations in the field of human rights and tax abuse. It also critically assesses the recent international initiatives aim at curbing illicit financial flows. It concludes with a set of recommendations on how to curb illicit financial flows. Design/methodology/approach This paper combines economic, legal and policy perspectives to study the multidimensional, complex and global problem of illicit financial flows. It not only proposes an explanation of the volume, roots and economic, social and human rights implications of illicit financial flows but it also proposes reforms that states and other stakeholders need to implement in order to curb this phenomenon. Findings Combating tax abuse and illicit financial flows more broadly, is essential to make better progress in realizing international human rights obligations. The inclusion of a specific target to reduce illicit financial flows under the sustainable development goals makes clear that curbing such flows is also essential for creating an enabling environment for sustainable development. While we should applaud that reducing illicit financial flows is mentioned in one of the targets of the sustainable development goals, the target remains broad and vague. Specific measures to operationalize this target are needed to ensure that progress is achieved and that such progress can be tracked and measured. The author presents recommendations for discussion. To promote accountability, the recommendations are addressed to specific stakeholders. Originality/value This paper tries to contribute to improve our knowledge and understanding of illicit financial flows and tax abuse more specifically at global level and their implications for human rights, to make the need for change more compelling, as well as to stimulate the debate around reforms that need to be implemented to curb illicit financial flows.

Curbing Illicit Financial Flows

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodon Liang
Keyword(s):  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
International System ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Incentive Structure ◽  
Global Finance ◽  
Tax Havens ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows

Illicit financial flows (IFFs) drain state finances and economic vitality, with disproportionate impact on developing economies. IFFs—including money laundering, tax evasion, and tax avoidance—pose a transnational problem addressed so far through international regimes of coordination and cooperation. But meaningful reductions in IFFs require addressing the root of the problem: information asymmetries. Developed nations and tax havens know where money is hidden and profits are made, while developing nations do not. Since the international system of global finance creates the incentive structure and permissive environment for illicit flows, it is at this level that states must focus their policy-making attention. New information-sharing mechanisms, such as automatic exchange of tax information and public country-by-country tax reporting, can level the playing field and enable lower-income states to effectively address the IFF problem.

scholarly journals Illicit financial flows and foreign direct investment in developing countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-447
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Innocents Edoun ◽  
Alexandre Essome Dipita ◽  
Dikgang Motsepe
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Transfer Pricing ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows

Africa is facing a number of challenges that are negatively affecting socio-economic development at all levels of governments and local governments are expected to play a leading role for Africa’s development. One of these challenges are illicit financial flows that are perceived by many as a crime against Africa’s transformation. The continent is losing billions of dollars every year because of tax evasion, corruption and inappropriate transfer pricing and maladministration. With tax being one of Africa’s main sources of revenue, current and past researches revealed that, illicit financial flows (IFFs) cripple African Governments tax base as a results of capital outflows and lack of good governance. This situation obviously is a challenge for Africa’s development as governments struggle to finance structuring projects and this in turn compels these governments to seek funds from international organisations at very high interest rates. It is also important to reveal that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rapidly grew after the Second World War with the intention to maximize profit on investment in less developed countries and specifically in the African continent. In competing in Africa, most multinationals main objective is to pay less tax, make extensive profits and transfer the proceeds to their country of origin. This subsequently gave rise to illicit financial flows in Africa where the continent is losing billions of dollars. Past studies equally revealed that, Africa’s revenue could increase between 55 and 65%, if appropriate mechanisms of monitoring the flows were in place. This study therefore is based on the premise that, tax evasion, illicit financial flows, corruption and abusive transfers pricing are all factors that affect Africa’s development. Using appropriate method of inquiry, this study wants to demonstrate the presence of FDI’s in Africa as a modus operandi behind tax evasion. It also using the “Appropriability Theory” to explain the rationale for FDI in Africa.

Illicit Financial Flows, Sovereign Debt, and Human Rights

2018 ◽  
pp. 317-336
Author(s):  
Cephas Lumina ◽  
Mulesa Lumina
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
External Debt ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows ◽  
External Borrowing ◽  
The Impact

In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the problem of illicit financial outflows—broadly defined as funds that are illegally earned, transferred and utilized outside the country of origin in contravention of that country’s relevant legal framework. Illicit financial outflows divert resources away from activities that are essential for poverty reduction, sustainable development and the realisation of all human rights. They also contribute to the accumulation of external debt as governments that lack domestic resources as a result of these flows may resort to costly external borrowing. This chapter examines the nature of illicit financial flows, the factors that facilitate them and the measures taken by states, individually and collectively, to tackle them. It also discusses the impact of these flows on the realisation of human rights in the countries of origin and proposes concrete measures by which to curb illicit financial flows.

Addressing illicit financial flows in Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 1074-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Otto Schlenther
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Profit Shifting ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows

Purpose This paper aims to identify the underlying key components of illicit financial flows (IFFs) and highlights the priority areas where government resources should be pooled under a whole of government approach to mitigate the risks posed by IFFs. These areas are tax avoidance and tax evasion (specifically intra-company profit shifting, investment and profit shifting within the extractive sector, fraud and beneficial ownership), anti-corruption measures, governance and accountability measures, anti-money laundering effectiveness and effectiveness in the detection of falsified customs declarations. Design/methodology/approach The concept of IFFs is emerging as an umbrella term for bringing together seemingly disconnected issues. The concept is ill-defined, but there are various identifiable components supporting the term IFF such as capital flight, corruption, money laundering, tax avoidance, tax havens and transfer pricing practices. The author identifies the key areas of concern through a literature review and recommends prioritization of short- to medium-term risk areas and long-term policy imperatives. Findings In the short- to medium-term, an effective “whole-of-government” approach should be based on uniform risk identification and prioritization between mandated government agencies and in the long run, it should be focused on building responsive and effective institutions through a process of good governance and effective taxation. Originality/value A large body of literature deals with “IFFs” and the “whole-of-government approach” as separate concepts. This paper draws on the existing literature and identifies priority areas for addressing IFFs, and, for these to be successful, they are entirely dependent on a whole-of-government approach – both in the short and long run.

scholarly journals Corruption and Illicit Financial Flows in Nepal

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-224
Author(s):  
Tara Prasad Bhusal
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
The World ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Intellectual Interest ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows

In recent years, considerable intellectual interest has arisen over the extent of illicit financial flows which may have development, governance or other consequences for both developed and developing countries. Illicit financial flows involve the cross-border transfer of the proceeds of corruption, trade in contraband goods, criminal activities, and tax evasion. The main objective of this article is to explore the current situation of illicit financial flows from the developing countries with special reference to south Asia and Nepal. The article also explains its causes, impact and measures to stem those flows. Although much effort and resources have been used to stem the illicit financial flows in the world, it is in increasing trend specially in case of developing world.

scholarly journals How Big Are Illicit Financial Flows?

2021 ◽  
pp. 75-88
Author(s):  
Joras Ferwerda ◽  
Brigitte Unger
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Tax Regulation

In recent years several leaks have given us insight into how the wealthy and criminals hide their money. The boom of leaks has resulted in a ‘hot phase’ in tax regulation. As a result, the number of studies that want to measure illicit financial flows has also increased. This chapter tries to provide an overview of this booming new field. What do all these studies teach us about the seriousness and size of tax avoidance, tax evasion, and money laundering? What is precisely measured, and how? This chapter concludes that the term ‘Illicit Financial Flows’ has become a bit of a floating identifier, a name that is vague enough to be used for many different concepts but at the cost of losing its meaning. We argue that decomposing the problem of illicit financial flows and what each study aims to measure, might give more useful insights.

scholarly journals Low-Tax Jurisdictions in International Tax Planning

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-162
Author(s):  
Natalia Andrianova
Keyword(s):  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Tax Planning ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
National Legislation ◽  
Global Trend ◽  
International Tax ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Financial Transactions

Until recently low-tax jurisdictions have played an important role in the formulation of tax planning schemes by multinational enterprises. However with the onset of global trends towards deoffshorization, existing methods of tax optimization have seen significant changes. As there is currently no one single approach when creating the definition of, or defining a “low-tax jurisdiction”, in this article the definition and the main features of lowtax jurisdictions are proposed and the main stages in the formation and development of low-tax jurisdictions are detailed. On the basis of research carried out on the national legislation of low-tax jurisdictions, the main company types which meet the special legal formulae that can be incorporated into low-tax jurisdictions have been analyzed. In order to highlight similar characteristics and to simplify the analysis of the national legislation of low-tax jurisdictions so that general recommendations covering the nature of measures which can be used to counter illegal tax avoidance, tax evasion, money laundering and other illegal financial machinations, different classifications of low-tax jurisdictions have been analyzed. The unfair and perhaps even illegal use of low-tax jurisdictions often leads to violations of core tax principles which may have an impact on the overall size of budget revenues available to high-tax countries. Therefore, deoffshorization measures are being proposed at the international level. Currently the main global trend has been to increase the transparency of tax information and of financial transactions which are carried out by international exchanges. This is supported by the strengthening and expansion of cooperation between tax authorities which serves to counter the abuse of provisions in international tax treaties on the avoidance of double taxation.

Who are our owners? Exploring the ownership links of businesses to identify illicit financial flows

2021 ◽  
pp. 147737082098036
Author(s):  
Alberto Aziani ◽  
Joras Ferwerda ◽  
Michele Riccardi
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Tax Havens ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Holding Companies ◽  
Business Ownership ◽  
Cultural Proximity ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows ◽  
High Level

This article investigates the patterns of business ownership in Europe, using a unique dataset on the nationality of 28.7 million shareholders of companies registered in 41 European countries. By means of an exploratory multivariate analysis, it tests whether ownership links between different countries are driven exclusively by social and macroeconomic variables – such as trade or geographical or cultural proximity – or are also related to measures of financial secrecy, corruption and lack of compliance with anti-money laundering regulations. The results indicate that factors other than licit economic incentives explain the international ownership structure of European companies. European firms have an abnormal number (that is, above the predicted value) of owners from tax havens and countries with poor financial transparency, which may suggest the use of holding companies for money laundering and tax evasion and to conceal illicit financial flows. However, ceteris paribus, the number of owners is abnormal in countries where rule of law and the control of corruption are more effective, suggesting that a high level of corruption may be a cost in money laundering activities. The findings contribute to the current international debate on illicit financial flows – as framed by United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.4 – and can be used by public agencies and private actors to detect anomalies in business ownership and prevent potential financial crime schemes at corporate level.

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