State Aid and Tax Law

State Aid and Tax Law

Author: Alexander Rust

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2012-12-01

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 9041146253

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This book provides clear guidance on what constitutes State Aid in the area of tax law. It clearly explains the situations in which beneficial tax provisions for the taxpayer – e.g., lower tax rates for certain industries or for certain economic zones, advantageous depreciation rules, or exemptions – can be declared void by the European Commission. The difficult controlling concept of ‘selectivity’ of an aid is dealt with extensively. Drawing on familiarity with the practice of the Commission, as well as the jurisprudence of the General Court and of the Court of Justice, thirteen knowledgeable contributors present valuable arguments in case the Commission requires the repayment of advantages received. Among the topics and issues covered are the following: how unregulated tax incentive competition between States leads to a ‘win’ by one State and a ‘loss’ by another; the legal uncertainty attached to the Commission’s decision following notification of a proposed tax incentive; the role of the Commission’s Code of Conduct; calculating the amount of recovery of illegal State Aid; application of State Aid rules in the area of indirect taxation (e.g., VAT and excise duties); investment fund regimes; subnational regional aid; ‘patent box’ regimes; foreign source income; and taxpayers’ exclusion from infringement proceedings and subsequent appeals. Complete with case studies and analyses of the latest case law on selectivity, this invaluable resource will be welcomed by practitioners who, although they may be well-versed in tax law, are sure to benefit greatly from the authors’ expert guidance on State Aid provisions and the rules on harmful tax competition.


Book Synopsis State Aid and Tax Law by : Alexander Rust

Download or read book State Aid and Tax Law written by Alexander Rust and published by Kluwer Law International B.V.. This book was released on 2012-12-01 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides clear guidance on what constitutes State Aid in the area of tax law. It clearly explains the situations in which beneficial tax provisions for the taxpayer – e.g., lower tax rates for certain industries or for certain economic zones, advantageous depreciation rules, or exemptions – can be declared void by the European Commission. The difficult controlling concept of ‘selectivity’ of an aid is dealt with extensively. Drawing on familiarity with the practice of the Commission, as well as the jurisprudence of the General Court and of the Court of Justice, thirteen knowledgeable contributors present valuable arguments in case the Commission requires the repayment of advantages received. Among the topics and issues covered are the following: how unregulated tax incentive competition between States leads to a ‘win’ by one State and a ‘loss’ by another; the legal uncertainty attached to the Commission’s decision following notification of a proposed tax incentive; the role of the Commission’s Code of Conduct; calculating the amount of recovery of illegal State Aid; application of State Aid rules in the area of indirect taxation (e.g., VAT and excise duties); investment fund regimes; subnational regional aid; ‘patent box’ regimes; foreign source income; and taxpayers’ exclusion from infringement proceedings and subsequent appeals. Complete with case studies and analyses of the latest case law on selectivity, this invaluable resource will be welcomed by practitioners who, although they may be well-versed in tax law, are sure to benefit greatly from the authors’ expert guidance on State Aid provisions and the rules on harmful tax competition.


State Aid Law and Business Taxation

State Aid Law and Business Taxation

Author: Isabelle Richelle

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-10-18

Total Pages: 283

ISBN-13: 3662530554

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This book is a compilation of contributions exploring the impact of the European Treaty provisions regarding state aid on Member States’ legislation and administrative practice in the area of business taxation. Starting from a detailed analysis of the European Courts’ jurisprudence on Art.107 TFEU the authors lay out fundamental issues – e.g. on legal concepts like “advantage”, “selectivity” and “discrimination” – and explore current problems – in particular policy and practice regarding “harmful” tax competition within the European Union. This includes the Member States’ Code of Conduct on business taxation, the limits to anti-avoidance legislation and the options for legislation on patent boxes. The European Commission’s recent findings on preferential “rulings” are discussed as well as the general relationship between international tax law, transfer pricing standards and the European prohibition on selective fiscal aids.


Book Synopsis State Aid Law and Business Taxation by : Isabelle Richelle

Download or read book State Aid Law and Business Taxation written by Isabelle Richelle and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-10-18 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a compilation of contributions exploring the impact of the European Treaty provisions regarding state aid on Member States’ legislation and administrative practice in the area of business taxation. Starting from a detailed analysis of the European Courts’ jurisprudence on Art.107 TFEU the authors lay out fundamental issues – e.g. on legal concepts like “advantage”, “selectivity” and “discrimination” – and explore current problems – in particular policy and practice regarding “harmful” tax competition within the European Union. This includes the Member States’ Code of Conduct on business taxation, the limits to anti-avoidance legislation and the options for legislation on patent boxes. The European Commission’s recent findings on preferential “rulings” are discussed as well as the general relationship between international tax law, transfer pricing standards and the European prohibition on selective fiscal aids.


European State Aid and Tax Rulings

European State Aid and Tax Rulings

Author: Liza Lovdahl Gormsen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2019

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 1788972090

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This book investigates whether the European Commission (EC) has the mandate to legislate on direct taxation in sovereign states and ultimately questions whether the EC’s enforcement action in recent tax ruling cases, in the area of state aid, respects the rule of law.


Book Synopsis European State Aid and Tax Rulings by : Liza Lovdahl Gormsen

Download or read book European State Aid and Tax Rulings written by Liza Lovdahl Gormsen and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book investigates whether the European Commission (EC) has the mandate to legislate on direct taxation in sovereign states and ultimately questions whether the EC’s enforcement action in recent tax ruling cases, in the area of state aid, respects the rule of law.


New Perspectives on Fiscal State Aid

New Perspectives on Fiscal State Aid

Author: Carla De Pietro

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2019-08-14

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 9403514248

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New Perspectives on Fiscal State Aid Legitimacy and Effectiveness of Fiscal State Aid Control Edited by Carla De Pietro Based on a project co-funded by the European Commission, this book focuses on fiscal state aid – an increasingly important topic – with a number of high-profile cases ongoing and with serious implications for sustainable growth and the future of the internal market. The project, conducted by four universities, consisted in seminars, workshops and a final conference aimed at training national tax judges from the four different countries involved (Austria, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands), with discussion and reflection by international academics and other tax professionals who participated as speakers and/or discussants. This book presents an in-depth analysis of the topics the project dealt with, taking a giant step towards defining the connection between effective state aid control, its legitimacy and a desirable functioning of the internal market for the twenty-first century. The core elements of this fundamental analysis include the following: selectivity as applied in the case law of the Court of Justice; whether and to what extent state aid law limits European Union (EU) Member States in designing anti-tax avoidance measures; protection of legitimate expectations; to what extent national judges are required to apply state aid rules ex officio; powers of national judges in connection with the national obligation of guaranteeing an immediate and effective recovery on the basis of an order issued by the European Commission; and connection between legitimacy of state aid law and effectiveness of state aid control. The book includes a thorough investigation of the notion of fiscal state aid, also by focusing on the most recent decisions of the European Commission concerning mismatches. Representing, as it does, an important and concrete contribution to the intense debate about the interpretation of the notion of fiscal state aid, with different normative views about the goals and functions of control, this book will stimulate solutions in terms of legitimacy of fiscal state aid control that also take into consideration the most desirable functioning of the internal market. It will be welcomed not only by academics in taxation and EU law but also by national tax judges, tax authorities and practitioners.


Book Synopsis New Perspectives on Fiscal State Aid by : Carla De Pietro

Download or read book New Perspectives on Fiscal State Aid written by Carla De Pietro and published by Kluwer Law International B.V.. This book was released on 2019-08-14 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New Perspectives on Fiscal State Aid Legitimacy and Effectiveness of Fiscal State Aid Control Edited by Carla De Pietro Based on a project co-funded by the European Commission, this book focuses on fiscal state aid – an increasingly important topic – with a number of high-profile cases ongoing and with serious implications for sustainable growth and the future of the internal market. The project, conducted by four universities, consisted in seminars, workshops and a final conference aimed at training national tax judges from the four different countries involved (Austria, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands), with discussion and reflection by international academics and other tax professionals who participated as speakers and/or discussants. This book presents an in-depth analysis of the topics the project dealt with, taking a giant step towards defining the connection between effective state aid control, its legitimacy and a desirable functioning of the internal market for the twenty-first century. The core elements of this fundamental analysis include the following: selectivity as applied in the case law of the Court of Justice; whether and to what extent state aid law limits European Union (EU) Member States in designing anti-tax avoidance measures; protection of legitimate expectations; to what extent national judges are required to apply state aid rules ex officio; powers of national judges in connection with the national obligation of guaranteeing an immediate and effective recovery on the basis of an order issued by the European Commission; and connection between legitimacy of state aid law and effectiveness of state aid control. The book includes a thorough investigation of the notion of fiscal state aid, also by focusing on the most recent decisions of the European Commission concerning mismatches. Representing, as it does, an important and concrete contribution to the intense debate about the interpretation of the notion of fiscal state aid, with different normative views about the goals and functions of control, this book will stimulate solutions in terms of legitimacy of fiscal state aid control that also take into consideration the most desirable functioning of the internal market. It will be welcomed not only by academics in taxation and EU law but also by national tax judges, tax authorities and practitioners.


The Role of State Aid in the European Fiscal Integration

The Role of State Aid in the European Fiscal Integration

Author: Rossella Miceli

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-01-03

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 3030887359

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This book analyzes the issue of European fiscal State aid in order to provide insights into the related evolution prospects and legal problems. State aid has assumed a central position in the field of taxation, becoming the most important instrument of European legal integration, especially in the area of direct taxes. This is the result of major regulatory and interpretative development, which has altered the initial European and national balances in the face of globalization and the problems of the new economy. In this context, the scope and objectives of State aid have progressively broadened, encompassing a significant level of both positive and negative integration of European national tax systems.


Book Synopsis The Role of State Aid in the European Fiscal Integration by : Rossella Miceli

Download or read book The Role of State Aid in the European Fiscal Integration written by Rossella Miceli and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-01-03 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book analyzes the issue of European fiscal State aid in order to provide insights into the related evolution prospects and legal problems. State aid has assumed a central position in the field of taxation, becoming the most important instrument of European legal integration, especially in the area of direct taxes. This is the result of major regulatory and interpretative development, which has altered the initial European and national balances in the face of globalization and the problems of the new economy. In this context, the scope and objectives of State aid have progressively broadened, encompassing a significant level of both positive and negative integration of European national tax systems.


EU State Aid. The Gibraltar Case

EU State Aid. The Gibraltar Case

Author: Eva-Maria Bauer

Publisher: GRIN Verlag

Published: 2016-11-30

Total Pages: 21

ISBN-13: 3668353441

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Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Law - Tax / Fiscal Law, grade: Sehr gut, Vienna University of Economics and Business (Institut für Österreichisches und Internationales Steuerrecht), course: Tax Law Seminar, language: English, abstract: Since the beginning of the economic and financial crisis harmful tax competition increased and therefore also public concern in regard to aggressive tax planning augmented. Many countries try to attract foreign capital by setting low corporate income taxes. For example in Ireland and in Cyprus there is a tax of 12.5 %. A lot of multinational companies use these tax systems to reduce their overall tax burden and so they choose a low-tax-country for incorporation. To mention the BEPS Action Plan, many actions aim at reducing aggressive tax practises and therefore reducing shifting profits in low-tax-countries. As there will be no way in near future to harmonize tax bases and tax rates within the European Union, the European Commission tries to restrict distorting tax competition by using EU State Aid rules. Therefore it does not focus on tax rates or policies as such, but on tax rulings for specific firms. The Commission stated that: “Under State aid rules, national authorities cannot take selective measures that allow certain companies to pay less in taxes than they should if the tax rules of the country were applied in a fair and non-discriminatory way.”


Book Synopsis EU State Aid. The Gibraltar Case by : Eva-Maria Bauer

Download or read book EU State Aid. The Gibraltar Case written by Eva-Maria Bauer and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2016-11-30 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Law - Tax / Fiscal Law, grade: Sehr gut, Vienna University of Economics and Business (Institut für Österreichisches und Internationales Steuerrecht), course: Tax Law Seminar, language: English, abstract: Since the beginning of the economic and financial crisis harmful tax competition increased and therefore also public concern in regard to aggressive tax planning augmented. Many countries try to attract foreign capital by setting low corporate income taxes. For example in Ireland and in Cyprus there is a tax of 12.5 %. A lot of multinational companies use these tax systems to reduce their overall tax burden and so they choose a low-tax-country for incorporation. To mention the BEPS Action Plan, many actions aim at reducing aggressive tax practises and therefore reducing shifting profits in low-tax-countries. As there will be no way in near future to harmonize tax bases and tax rates within the European Union, the European Commission tries to restrict distorting tax competition by using EU State Aid rules. Therefore it does not focus on tax rates or policies as such, but on tax rulings for specific firms. The Commission stated that: “Under State aid rules, national authorities cannot take selective measures that allow certain companies to pay less in taxes than they should if the tax rules of the country were applied in a fair and non-discriminatory way.”


Selectivity in State Aid Law and the Methods for the Allocation of the Corporate Tax Base

Selectivity in State Aid Law and the Methods for the Allocation of the Corporate Tax Base

Author: Jérôme Monsenego

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2018-06-05

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 9041194142

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High profile cases before the European Commission and the EU courts have intensified scrutiny of the link between State aid law and the taxation of multinational enterprises. Certain decisions have raised questions about fiscal sovereignty and the interpretation of the rules on State aid – in particular the notion of selectivity, which have not been addressed in detail by existing research. The combination of the evolution of the notion of selectivity in State aid law, on the one hand, and the need to adapt the rules for the taxation of the profits of multinational enterprises to the modern economy, on the other hand, makes it necessary to assess whether existing as well as alternative rules for the allocation of the corporate tax base might entail a selective treatment. This book responds to the need of research in the area of State aid law applied to the taxation of the income of multinational enterprises, focusing on the crucial concept of selectivity. The analysis proceeds with a detailed investigation of the theoretical issues that arise when applying the selectivity test in State aid law to three methods for the allocation of the corporate tax base between the members of multinational enterprises: – the arm’s length principle; – transfer pricing safe harbours; and – systems of formula apportionment. This research project is conducted at a theoretical level, without considering national provisions or particular tax treaties. The author suggests an analytical framework on the application of the selectivity test to the three allocation methods. It is concluded that these methods are likely to have certain selective features, with varying possibilities to be justified by the inner logic of a corporate income tax system. It is also demonstrated that selectivity occurs for different reasons, due to the different rationales of the three allocation methods. This book is intended at contributing to the academic literature on the impact of State aid law on the principles for the taxation of the income of multinational enterprises. The outcome of this research project is also relevant for lawmakers who need to reconcile the imperatives of State aid law with the design of rules that match their tax policies, as well as for judges or lawyers who apply the rules on State aid to tax provisions.


Book Synopsis Selectivity in State Aid Law and the Methods for the Allocation of the Corporate Tax Base by : Jérôme Monsenego

Download or read book Selectivity in State Aid Law and the Methods for the Allocation of the Corporate Tax Base written by Jérôme Monsenego and published by Kluwer Law International B.V.. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: High profile cases before the European Commission and the EU courts have intensified scrutiny of the link between State aid law and the taxation of multinational enterprises. Certain decisions have raised questions about fiscal sovereignty and the interpretation of the rules on State aid – in particular the notion of selectivity, which have not been addressed in detail by existing research. The combination of the evolution of the notion of selectivity in State aid law, on the one hand, and the need to adapt the rules for the taxation of the profits of multinational enterprises to the modern economy, on the other hand, makes it necessary to assess whether existing as well as alternative rules for the allocation of the corporate tax base might entail a selective treatment. This book responds to the need of research in the area of State aid law applied to the taxation of the income of multinational enterprises, focusing on the crucial concept of selectivity. The analysis proceeds with a detailed investigation of the theoretical issues that arise when applying the selectivity test in State aid law to three methods for the allocation of the corporate tax base between the members of multinational enterprises: – the arm’s length principle; – transfer pricing safe harbours; and – systems of formula apportionment. This research project is conducted at a theoretical level, without considering national provisions or particular tax treaties. The author suggests an analytical framework on the application of the selectivity test to the three allocation methods. It is concluded that these methods are likely to have certain selective features, with varying possibilities to be justified by the inner logic of a corporate income tax system. It is also demonstrated that selectivity occurs for different reasons, due to the different rationales of the three allocation methods. This book is intended at contributing to the academic literature on the impact of State aid law on the principles for the taxation of the income of multinational enterprises. The outcome of this research project is also relevant for lawmakers who need to reconcile the imperatives of State aid law with the design of rules that match their tax policies, as well as for judges or lawyers who apply the rules on State aid to tax provisions.


Tax Law Ramifications of EU State Aid Law

Tax Law Ramifications of EU State Aid Law

Author: Harun Halilovic

Publisher:

Published: 2018-03-13

Total Pages: 73

ISBN-13: 9781980539070

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This book explores the tax law implications of the use of EU state aid rules by The Commission of the EU against certain multinational companies and their alleged advanced transfer pricing agreements with Member States of the EU. Is the use of state aid rules justified or is it overstepping the jurisdiction of the Commission? Is the EU Commission just using the only tool available until new rules are introduced? The push for multinational companies to pay their fair share of the tax burden has brought the issue to the public attention, but are the governments ready to tackle the issue?


Book Synopsis Tax Law Ramifications of EU State Aid Law by : Harun Halilovic

Download or read book Tax Law Ramifications of EU State Aid Law written by Harun Halilovic and published by . This book was released on 2018-03-13 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the tax law implications of the use of EU state aid rules by The Commission of the EU against certain multinational companies and their alleged advanced transfer pricing agreements with Member States of the EU. Is the use of state aid rules justified or is it overstepping the jurisdiction of the Commission? Is the EU Commission just using the only tool available until new rules are introduced? The push for multinational companies to pay their fair share of the tax burden has brought the issue to the public attention, but are the governments ready to tackle the issue?


EU State Aid Control

EU State Aid Control

Author: Philipp Werner

Publisher: Kluwer Law International

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9789041151476

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Introduction - The Law and Economics of EU State Aid Control /Vincent Verouden and Philipp Werner --Advantage /Giuseppe Conte and James Kavanagh --State Measure /Rein Wesseling and Marieke Bredenoord-Spoek --Selectivity /Michael Honoré --Distortion of Competition and Effect on Trade /Jacques Derenne and Vincent Verouden --Compatibility of Aid - General Introduction /Leigh Hancher and Phedon Nicolaides --General Block Exemption Regulation /Koert van Buiren and Alexander Rose --Ex Post Evaluation of Aid /Xavier Boutin and Inkalotta Nuotio-Osazee --Research, Development and Innovation Aid /Pascal Belmin and Hans Zenger --Regional Aid /Hans W. Friederiszick and Massimo Merola --Risk Finance Aid /Isabel Taylor and Albert Bravo-Biosca --Rescue and Restructuring Aid /Ulrich Soltész and Bruce Lyons --Services of General Economic Interest /Philipp Werner and Vincent Verouden --Infrastructure Aid /Penelope Papandropoulos and Elisabetta Righini --State Aid in the Broadband Sector /Hein Hobbelen and Oliver Stehmann --State Aid in the Postal Services Sector /Alessandra Fratini and Khaled Diaw --Transport Aid /Udo Woll and Andrew Meaney --Energy and Environmental Aid /Kai Struckmann and Geza Sapi --Aid to Broadcasting, Culture and Sport /Christine Gerlach and Dimitrios Pikios --Aid in the Banking Sector /Stan Maes and Stephen Mavroghenis --State Aid and Privatisation /Andreas von Bonin and Elisabeth Häringer.


Book Synopsis EU State Aid Control by : Philipp Werner

Download or read book EU State Aid Control written by Philipp Werner and published by Kluwer Law International. This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction - The Law and Economics of EU State Aid Control /Vincent Verouden and Philipp Werner --Advantage /Giuseppe Conte and James Kavanagh --State Measure /Rein Wesseling and Marieke Bredenoord-Spoek --Selectivity /Michael Honoré --Distortion of Competition and Effect on Trade /Jacques Derenne and Vincent Verouden --Compatibility of Aid - General Introduction /Leigh Hancher and Phedon Nicolaides --General Block Exemption Regulation /Koert van Buiren and Alexander Rose --Ex Post Evaluation of Aid /Xavier Boutin and Inkalotta Nuotio-Osazee --Research, Development and Innovation Aid /Pascal Belmin and Hans Zenger --Regional Aid /Hans W. Friederiszick and Massimo Merola --Risk Finance Aid /Isabel Taylor and Albert Bravo-Biosca --Rescue and Restructuring Aid /Ulrich Soltész and Bruce Lyons --Services of General Economic Interest /Philipp Werner and Vincent Verouden --Infrastructure Aid /Penelope Papandropoulos and Elisabetta Righini --State Aid in the Broadband Sector /Hein Hobbelen and Oliver Stehmann --State Aid in the Postal Services Sector /Alessandra Fratini and Khaled Diaw --Transport Aid /Udo Woll and Andrew Meaney --Energy and Environmental Aid /Kai Struckmann and Geza Sapi --Aid to Broadcasting, Culture and Sport /Christine Gerlach and Dimitrios Pikios --Aid in the Banking Sector /Stan Maes and Stephen Mavroghenis --State Aid and Privatisation /Andreas von Bonin and Elisabeth Häringer.


Fiscal State Aid Law and Harmful Tax Competition in the Euro

Fiscal State Aid Law and Harmful Tax Competition in the Euro

Author: Kyriazis

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2023-09-21

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 019887829X

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The intersection between fiscal state aid and taxation has become more topical than ever. Mounting financial crises have left EU Member States scrambling to increase their tax revenue, balance their budgets, and attract capital. Taking advantage of these trends, multinational enterprises have lobbied for favourable tax arrangements, raising questions about the breadth of control the Commission can and should practise. To address egregious instances of favourable taxation, the Commission has tried to simultaneously use soft law and deploy Treaty rules on state aid. Fiscal State Aid Law and Harmful Tax Competition in the EU examines the use of state aid rules against national tax measures. Kyriazis's book presents a targeted investigation of these measures in two parts. The first part addresses Commission decisions and ECJ judgments of the early 2000s, which the author calls the "first wave". The second part consists of all the recent Commission decisions and investigations into tax schemes and individual tax rulings, most notably the Apple, Fiat, Starbucks, and Amazon investigations, which Kyriazis labels the "second wave". The characteristics and common threads of each wave are set out, their similarities and differences dissected, and their nexus to the EU's fight against harmful tax competition explored. Containing a thorough analysis of the legal concept of fiscal state aid under Article 107(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, this book will be of interest to scholars of European and International Tax law and practitioners working in the field of European competition law.


Book Synopsis Fiscal State Aid Law and Harmful Tax Competition in the Euro by : Kyriazis

Download or read book Fiscal State Aid Law and Harmful Tax Competition in the Euro written by Kyriazis and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2023-09-21 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The intersection between fiscal state aid and taxation has become more topical than ever. Mounting financial crises have left EU Member States scrambling to increase their tax revenue, balance their budgets, and attract capital. Taking advantage of these trends, multinational enterprises have lobbied for favourable tax arrangements, raising questions about the breadth of control the Commission can and should practise. To address egregious instances of favourable taxation, the Commission has tried to simultaneously use soft law and deploy Treaty rules on state aid. Fiscal State Aid Law and Harmful Tax Competition in the EU examines the use of state aid rules against national tax measures. Kyriazis's book presents a targeted investigation of these measures in two parts. The first part addresses Commission decisions and ECJ judgments of the early 2000s, which the author calls the "first wave". The second part consists of all the recent Commission decisions and investigations into tax schemes and individual tax rulings, most notably the Apple, Fiat, Starbucks, and Amazon investigations, which Kyriazis labels the "second wave". The characteristics and common threads of each wave are set out, their similarities and differences dissected, and their nexus to the EU's fight against harmful tax competition explored. Containing a thorough analysis of the legal concept of fiscal state aid under Article 107(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, this book will be of interest to scholars of European and International Tax law and practitioners working in the field of European competition law.