Tax reform to support growth and employment in Finland

"Finland raises a large amount of taxes to finance high-quality public services and redistribute income. Public finances are currently relatively solid and taxes and transfers reduce income inequality significantly. However, a rapidly ageing population pushes up public spending, while globalisa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: André, Christophe, Hwang, Hyunjeong
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Paris 2018
OECD
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19399222124911174049-Tax-reform-to-support-growth-a.htm
Description
Summary:"Finland raises a large amount of taxes to finance high-quality public services and redistribute income. Public finances are currently relatively solid and taxes and transfers reduce income inequality significantly. However, a rapidly ageing population pushes up public spending, while globalisation creates challenges in raising revenue. Hence, ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability requires both containing spending through efficiency gains in the provision of public services and raising revenue in a way that minimises deadweight costs and distortions weighing on growth and employment. Reducing further the tax wedge on labour income would lift employment. More revenue could be raised through a reduction in the range of goods and services subject to reduced VAT rates, higher taxes on consumption that is harmful to the environment or health and higher property taxes. A competitive corporate taxation, combined with international cooperation to avoid base erosion and profit shifting, is needed to foster local production."
Physical Description:26 p.
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