The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial Flows

The role tax expenditures play in fostering or facilitating illicit financial flows has so far not been studied extensively. We provide an explorative overview of the linkages between tax expenditures and illicit financial flows in both source and recipient countries. In a second step, we focus on t...

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Main Authors: Christian von Haldenwang, Lucas Millán-Narotzky, Irma Mosquera Valderrama, Agustín Redonda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement 2024-06-01
Series:Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
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Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/6245
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author Christian von Haldenwang
Lucas Millán-Narotzky
Irma Mosquera Valderrama
Agustín Redonda
author_facet Christian von Haldenwang
Lucas Millán-Narotzky
Irma Mosquera Valderrama
Agustín Redonda
author_sort Christian von Haldenwang
collection DOAJ
description The role tax expenditures play in fostering or facilitating illicit financial flows has so far not been studied extensively. We provide an explorative overview of the linkages between tax expenditures and illicit financial flows in both source and recipient countries. In a second step, we focus on three kinds of mechanisms. In source countries we analyse the role of special economic zones and tax expenditures that target the extractive sector. In recipient countries we study the use of patent boxes and related mechanisms to attract intangible assets. Bilateral tax treaties, meanwhile, can act as facilitators of illicit financial flows because they provide legal devices with which to shift profits away from source countries, and add another layer of complexity to the tax system. To address the use and abuse of tax expenditures in this context, the transparency, tax certainty and simplicity of tax systems should be strengthened by any government trying to protect its tax base.
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publishDate 2024-06-01
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spelling doaj-art-b8ffdade14724beea872b11973e1e0252025-08-20T01:56:06ZengInstitut de Hautes Études Internationales et du DéveloppementRevue Internationale de Politique de Développement1663-93751663-93912024-06-011710.4000/11q99The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial FlowsChristian von HaldenwangLucas Millán-NarotzkyIrma Mosquera ValderramaAgustín RedondaThe role tax expenditures play in fostering or facilitating illicit financial flows has so far not been studied extensively. We provide an explorative overview of the linkages between tax expenditures and illicit financial flows in both source and recipient countries. In a second step, we focus on three kinds of mechanisms. In source countries we analyse the role of special economic zones and tax expenditures that target the extractive sector. In recipient countries we study the use of patent boxes and related mechanisms to attract intangible assets. Bilateral tax treaties, meanwhile, can act as facilitators of illicit financial flows because they provide legal devices with which to shift profits away from source countries, and add another layer of complexity to the tax system. To address the use and abuse of tax expenditures in this context, the transparency, tax certainty and simplicity of tax systems should be strengthened by any government trying to protect its tax base.https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/6245tax and developmentcommoditiesillicit financial flows (IFFs)trade mispricingglobal tax governancespecial economic zones
spellingShingle Christian von Haldenwang
Lucas Millán-Narotzky
Irma Mosquera Valderrama
Agustín Redonda
The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial Flows
Revue Internationale de Politique de Développement
tax and development
commodities
illicit financial flows (IFFs)
trade mispricing
global tax governance
special economic zones
title The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial Flows
title_full The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial Flows
title_fullStr The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial Flows
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial Flows
title_short The Role of Tax Expenditures in Enabling Illicit Financial Flows
title_sort role of tax expenditures in enabling illicit financial flows
topic tax and development
commodities
illicit financial flows (IFFs)
trade mispricing
global tax governance
special economic zones
url https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/6245
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