Download or read book Taxation and Tax Policies in the Middle East written by Hossein Askari and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2013-10-22 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taxation and Tax Policies in the Middle East evaluates the general role that tax policies have played in the economic development of the Middle East since 1945 and proposes some recommendations on how fiscal tools could be better used to promote further advancement in this region. This book is divided into six parts. Part I contains the purpose and outline of the study, while Part II discusses the economic aspects of the major categories of taxes used in most developing countries. The fiscal history and categorical breakdown of the tax profiles of 16 Middle Eastern countries are reviewed in Part III. Part IV analyzes the literature on econometric models that explain differences among countries in tax effort. In Part V, the differences in relative tax efforts across 16 countries with considerations in Islamic history, culture, and natural resource endowment are elaborated. The last part summarizes the entire study. This publication is a good reference for economists and specialists concerned with the taxation and tax policies in the Middle East.
Download or read book Taxation Planning for Middle East Operations written by Rose M. Clerin and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-12-01 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If investment in the EEC countries has been the major preoccupation of the international business community in the 1960's, contracting in the Arab states seems to become one of the major trends of the 1970's. The need for multicountry business and tax information was felt simultane ously. Language difficulties, scarcity of legal and other sources, distance and, most of all, the novelty of business expansion in this direction made such information still more necessary than in the European or inter American setting. A few symposiums were held, corporate and tax laws were translated, research studies were initiated, among which the book of Mr and Mrs SIIILLING on Doing Business in Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf States, a rich mine of general business information. I was therefore very pleased when Mrs CLERIN, completing her tax studies at Ecole Superieure des Sciences Fiscales in Brussels, mentioned that she was going to live in the Middle East, had the opportunity to work with a well-known international accounting firm and proposed to focus her final dissertation at the School on the tax planning of operations in Arab countries. She devoted months of research to the study of sources both in Middle East and in industrial ized Western countries, to come up with a true planning study, clear, readable and practical. The description of the tax and corporate structure of the operating territories will be found in the first half of the book.
Download or read book Fair Taxation in the Middle East and North Africa written by Mario Mansour and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2015-09-02 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fairness – and what governments can do about it – is at the forefront of economic and social debate all over the world. In MENA, this has been at the core of recent political transitions but has not been adequately addressed. This SDN explores how tax systems – a critical interface between the state and citizens – can play a role in meeting demands for greater economic fairness in MENA countries. The SDN finds that for countries with well-established non-hydrocarbon tax systems (mostly oil importers) reforms should focus on simplifying tax structures and introducing more progressivity of personal income taxes, broadening tax bases, and better designing and enforcing property taxes. Tax administration should be more efficient and user-friendly while simplifying tax regimes will reduce the scope for arbitrary implementation. MENA countries with less established non-hydrocarbon revenue systems can begin with a “starter pack” that includes introduction of low-rate value-added and corporate income taxes, excises, and property taxes while building up administrative capacity and taxation expertise together with plans for introducing a personal income tax. Across the region, effective communication, transparency, and constructive dialogue between the State and citizens are critical to the success of reforms.
Download or read book Fiscal Reforms in the Middle East written by Ehtisham Ahmad and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This insightful book focuses on the role of fiscal policy in common markets, especially in the context of the supranational constructs in the Gulf Cooperation Council, comprising Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. It draws on the experience of the EU and the importance of VAT, and reflects on the other main common market in Central America. Although oil windfalls have opened a window of opportunity for the Gulf States, at the same time they have created numerous problems. In particular, the uncertainty associated with periods of boom and bust in the oil market has made the formulation and implementation of sound fiscal policies a formidable task. In this study, the distinguished authors present the background to current fiscal reforms and address the critical challenges facing the Gulf States including the choice between consumption and saving (or current needs and future requirements); intra-generational equity issues; the pro-cyclicality of fiscal policy; fiscal sustainability and the prudent management of revenues from finite oil reserves. They examine the case for VAT to substantially replace customs duties, a significant source of non-oil revenue which would be lost as a result of free trade agreements between the GCC and key trading partners. They also demonstrate how an agreed design for VAT would assist in furthering economic integration, and enhance trade and exports. If properly sequenced, VAT would have a negligible impact on both inflation and the poor, and would be progressive in relation to the customs duties replaced. This highly topical book will be of great interest to academics specializing in public sector economics and public finance, and to national and international policymakers involved in fiscal reform.
Download or read book Personal Income Taxes in the Middle East and North Africa Prospects and Possibilities written by Mario Mansour and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2023-02-17 with total page 39 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Personal income taxes (PITs) play little or no role in the Middle East and North Africa, often yielding less than 2 percent of GDP in revenue—with the exception of few North African countries. This paper examines how PITs have evolved in recent decades, and what they might look like in the next 20 years. Top marginal tax rates on labor and business income of individuals have declined substantially, a trend that mirrors reductions in advanced and developing economies. Taxation of passive capital income has changed very little, and the revenue intake from this source remains low throughout the region (less than 1 percent of GDP on average and concentrated in oil-importing non-fragile states). Social security contributions (SSC) have increased in importance in nearly all MENA countries, and some countries have introduced additional payroll taxes. The combination of reduced marginal tax rates, light taxation of income from capital and business activities, and increase of SSC, have resulted in income tax systems that create disincentives to work and incentives for informality, and contribute little to government revenue and income redistribution. Given differences in economic and political structures, demographics, and starting points, the path to PIT/SSC reforms will vary across the region. Countries with relatively mature PIT/SSC systems, where revenue performance has improved in the past two decades, will increasingly need to balance the revenue and equity objectives against effciency objectives (in particular labor market incentives and infromality). Countries with no PITs will have to weigh whether a consumption tax/SSC system that mimic a flat tax on labor income is sufficient to diversify revenue away from oil and whether to adopt PITs to address rising income and wealth inequality. Finally, fragile states, who face more political volatility and weaker fiscal institutions, will have to focus on simplicity of tax design and collection to be able to raise revenue from PITs.
Download or read book Tax Policy in MENA Countries written by Mario Mansour and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2015-05-05 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper reviews trends in taxation and revenue in MENA countries over 1990-2012, with a focus on non-resource taxes. On average, non-resource revenues declined slightly, while resource revenues soared. Country experiences vary: rates of main taxes and their revenues tend to be higher in the Magreb than in the Mashreq, except for the value-added tax, where lower rates are associated with equal or higher revenue; most oil producers raise little tax revenues—generally less than 5 percent of GDP—and most have reduced them since the late 1990s. But there are similarities: unlike common experience around the world, income taxes (not indirect taxes) have partially compensated for lost revenue from trade liberalization; revenues from indirect taxes have remained stable; personal income taxes have played an unimportant role as a revenue tool; and fees and stamp duties are significant revenue sources. Looking forward, tax reform challenges will also vary across countries: the Maghreb needs to focus on efficiency-enhancing reforms, especially in capital income and consumption taxes; the Mashreq have some room to increase revenue; and, there are ample opportunities to improve equity and reduce complexity of tax systems in all countries. Finally, the recent decline in oil prices and revenues is a reminder that even resource-rich GCC countries need to lay the basis of a tax system for the future.
Download or read book Effect of Corruption on Tax Revenues in the Middle East written by Patrick A. Imam and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2007-11 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study estimates the impact of corruption on the revenue-generating capacity of different tax categories in the Middle East. We find that the low revenue collection as a share of GDP there compared to other middle-income regions is due in part to corruption, and certain taxes are more affected than others. Taxes that require frequent interaction between the tax authority and individuals, such as taxes on international trade, seem to be more affected by corruption than most other types of taxation. This suggests that if governments need to raise more tax revenues in a way that minimizes distortions and maximizes social welfare, they should implement reforms that either reduce corruption or raise revenues from tax categories that are less susceptible to corruption. Possible reforms of the revenue system and administration are examined.
Download or read book Taxes and investment in the Middle East written by International bureau of fiscal documentation ( Amsterdam) and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 550 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Tax Law Client Strategies in the Middle East and Africa written by Shira Shine-Fried and published by Aspatore Books. This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an insider's perspective on key strategies for representing and advising tax clients in the Middle East and Africa. Featuring partners from law firms across the region, including attorneys from Tunisia, Israel, Mozambique, Egypt, and Tanzania, guide the reader through local and judicial legal systems as they discuss the history of tax law in the Middle East and Africa, how these tax laws are enforced, and recent changes to tax law in this region. The authors reveal regional characteristics that are useful for both local and international attorneys. Additionally, the authors discuss common tax concerns for clients in the Middle East and Africa, with an emphasis on income tax.
Download or read book Revenue Mobilization for a Resilient and Inclusive Recovery in the Middle East and Central Asia written by Ms. Genevieve Verdier and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2022-07-06 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Domestic revenue mobilization has been a longstanding challenge for countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. Insufficient revenue has often constrained priority social and infrastructure spending, reducing countries’ ability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, improve growth prospects, and address climate related challenges. Moreover, revenue shortfalls have often been compensated by large and sustained debt accumulation, raising vulnerabilities in some countries, and limiting fiscal space to address future shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have compounded challenges to sustainable public finances, underscoring the need for revenue mobilization efforts. The recent global crises have also exacerbated existing societal inequalities and highlighted the importance of raising revenues in an efficient and equitable manner. This paper examines the scope for additional tax revenue mobilization and discusses policies to gradually raise tax revenue while supporting resilient growth and inclusion in the Middle East and Central Asia. The paper’s main findings are that excluding hydrocarbon revenues, the region’s average tax intake lags those of other regions; the region’s fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) face particular challenges in mobilizing tax revenue; In general, there is considerable scope to raise additional tax revenue; countries have made efforts to raise tax collection, but challenges remain; tax policy design, notably low tax rates and pervasive tax exemptions, is an important factor driving tax revenue shortfalls; weak tax compliance, reflecting both structural features and challenges in revenue administration, also plays a role; and personal income tax systems in the region vary in their progressivity—the extent to which the average tax rate increases with income—and in their ability to redistribute income. These findings provide insights for policy action to raise revenue while supporting resilient growth and inclusion. The paper’s analysis points to these priorities for the region to improve both efficiency and equity of tax systems: improving tax policy design to broaden the tax base and increase progressivity and redistributive capacity; strengthening revenue administration to improve compliance; and implementing structural reforms to incentivize tax compliance, formalization, and economic diversification.
Download or read book Managing Multinationals in the Middle East written by Wagdy Moustafa Abdallah and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Corporate Income Taxes under Pressure written by Ruud A. de Mooij and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2021-02-26 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book describes the difficulties of the current international corporate income tax system. It starts by describing its origins and how changes, such as the development of multinational enterprises and digitalization have created fundamental problems, not foreseen at its inception. These include tax competition—as governments try to attract tax bases through low tax rates or incentives, and profit shifting, as companies avoid tax by reporting profits in jurisdictions with lower tax rates. The book then discusses solutions, including both evolutionary changes to the current system and fundamental reform options. It covers both reform efforts already under way, for example under the Inclusive Framework at the OECD, and potential radical reform ideas developed by academics.
Download or read book Taxation Planning for Middle East Operations written by Rose M. Clerin and published by . This book was released on 2014-09-01 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Technical Assistanceon Tax Policy written by International Monetary Fund and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 1993-08-01 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper reviews recent experience of technical assistance on tax policy provided by the Fiscal Affairs Department to a selected but diversified group of countries that differ both in their geographical locations and in the nature of their economies. The review finds in the technical assistance advice both common themes applicable to all countries and special elements designed to address issues unique to a specific country, or a subset of countries. It also attempts to assess, to the extent possible, the policy impacts of such advice.
Download or read book Fair Taxation in the Middle East and North Africa written by and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Introduction to Business Law in the Middle East written by Brian Russell and published by . This book was released on 1976 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Tax Systems of Africa Asia and the Middle East written by C. J. Platt and published by Gower Publishing Company, Limited. This book was released on 1982 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of taxes on income and capital gains.
