THE IMPACT OF TAX COMPETITION AND HARMONISATION IN THE EU IN RELATION TO FISCAL OPTIMISATION

Fiscal competition and harmonisation are topical issues and the controversy generated by preferences for one or the other is due to the effects they generate in the economies of the EU member states. The practice of tax competition to a smaller or larger extent by some of the Member States is often identified with tax optimisation practices. Thus, in the economies of developed or emerging countries, the effects are both on the labour market, in the collection of indirect taxes (VAT or excise duties), but also in the transfer of profits versus transfer prices. The European fora are working hard for the uniformity of European legislation, but also to determine the governments of the Member St…