The Tax Policy Dominants in the European Union Member States
Authors:   State University of Trade and Economics / Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics, Kaneva Tetiana V. , Kryvonos Dmytro A. ,   State University of Trade and Economics / Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics
Published: July 2023

The article is aimed at systematizing the experience of formation and implementation of tax policy in the European Union Member States, defining the main dominants of this policy. The article analyzes the level of tax burden (the tax-to-GDP ratio) for the EU-27 countries for the period of 1995–2021 and determines that the average value of the indicator in the mentioned sample is 40.48%. The relationship between the tax burden and economic growth rates is examined. Although it is believed that the level of taxation is one of the main reasons for the existence of the shadow economy, the study proves that in countries where the level of tax burden is one of the lowest (Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, and Latvia), the shadow economy is twice as high as in Sweden, where the level of taxation is higher by more than 15% of GDP. In 27 of the EU countries, labor taxes occupy the highest share in the tax structure. The lowest level of labor taxation is present in Bulgaria and Romania – 10.0%, while in nine another EU countries the marginal rate of personal income tax exceeds 50%. Consumption taxes are the second most fiscally important component of tax revenues in the EU countries. There is a tendency to increase the standard VAT rate in the EU countries. In the European Union, a regime of reduced VAT rates is applied, aimed at reducing the tax burden, stimulating consumption and business activity, which is of great social significance. It is determined that in the EU when administering VAT, the issues of using digital products and technologies are of great importance. This allows to increase the fiscal efficiency of the tax by improving the quality of tax control, which is based on the risk-oriented approach. The EU has unified the rules for calculating and paying excise duty in the terms of excisable goods, as well as the procedure and conditions for their storage, movement, control over the production and circulation of excisable products. It is noted that the tax climate, together with the fundamental institutional foundations for economic development, are guidelines for entrepreneurs regarding the possibilities of opening or scaling a business. That is why recently there has been a further reduction in corporate tax rates – by an average of 9 percentage points. Ensuring fairness of taxation and criteria for equality of the tax system are among the important benchmarks of the EU fiscal policy. Property taxes are important in the tax systems of the EU member States. These taxes are the basis for filling local budgets with their own revenues, the relevant revenues are quite stable and predictable. It is concluded that, in general, the tax policy of the EU Member States is constantly adapting to socioeconomic conditions, which is manifested in changes in the parameters of rates, base, provision of targeted benefits, etc. This together is aimed at creating incentives for economic growth and ensuring social justice.