Using Tax Incentives To Compete For Foreign Investment

Annotation This volume consists of two essays: the first one examines this issue in the context of Indonesia, the second provides a review of earlier literature.

Each national report addresses, among other things, the following issues: - the sources of law and general principle of the law of evidence - the means of evidence - the role of the judge and the parties in the evidence procedure - the evaluation of evidence - the production of evidence - the registration of produced evidence - the possibilities to admit new evidence or to renew evidence in appeal proceedings.

Tax incentives neither make up for serious deficiencies in a country's investment environment nor generate the desired externalities. But when other factors, such as infrastructure, transport costs, and political and economic stability are more or less equal, the taxes in one location may have a significant effect on investors' choices. This effect varies, however, depending on the tax instrument used, the characteristics of the multinational company, and the relationship between the tax systems of the home and recipient countries.

Examines the complex coordination of tax incentives for foreign investors and international taxation. The analysis locates the factors which tend to frustrate such incentives through increased taxation in the investor's home country. The various tax planning techniques for avoiding the loss of incentive benefits are also dealt with.

The Global Investment Competitiveness report presents new insights and evidence on drivers of foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries, and FDI’s role in development. The report’s survey of 750 executives of multinational corporations finds that a business-friendly legal and regulatory environment is a key driver of investment decisions in developing countries, along with political stability, security, and macroeconomic conditions. The report’s topic-specific chapters explore the potential of FDI to create new growth opportunities for local firms, assess the power of tax holidays and other fiscal incentives to attract FDI, analyze characteristics of FDI originating in developing countries, and examine the experience of foreign investors in countries affected by conflict and fragility. Three key features of this Global Investment Competitiveness report distinguish it from other publications on FDI. First, its insights are based on a combination of first-hand perspectives of investors, extensive analysis of available data and evidence, and international good practices in investment policy design and implementation. Secondly, rather than exploring broad FDI trends, the report provides detailed and unique analysis of FDI depending on its motivation, sector, geographic origin and destination, and phase of investment. Thirdly, the report offers practical and actionable recommendations to policymakers in developing countries wishing to reform their business climates for increased investment competitiveness. As such, the report is meant to complement other knowledge products of the World Bank Group focused even more explicitly on country-level data, detailed reform diagnostics, and presentation of best practices. We are confident this report will bring value and fresh perspectives to a variety of audiences. To governments and policymakers, including investment promotion professionals, the report offers direct insights into the role of government policies and actions in investors’ decision-making. To foreign investors and site location consultants, the report provides information on FDI trends and drivers across sectors and geographies. For academic audiences, the new datasets on investment incentives and FDI motivations enables opportunities for additional research and analysis. Lastly, for development assistance providers and other stakeholders, the report highlights key approaches for maximizing FDI’s benefits for development.

This report considers various corporate tax measures to encourage FDI and a range of issues relevant to assessing their use.

Governments often use direct subsidies or tax credits to encourage investment and promote economic growth and other development objectives. Properly designed and implemented, these incentives can advance a wide range of policy objectives (increasing employment, promoting sustainability, and reducing inequality). Yet since design and implementation are complicated, incentives have been associated with rent-seeking and wasteful public spending. This collection illustrates the different types and uses of these initiatives worldwide and examines the institutional steps that extend their value. By combining economic analysis with development impacts, regulatory issues, and policy options, these essays show not only how to increase the mobility of capital so that cities, states, nations, and regions can better attract, direct, and retain investments but also how to craft policy and compromise to ensure incentives endure.

This report is based on a detailed analysis of the impact that CEE corporate income tax regimes have on the profitability of foreign investment. It has two purposes. The first is to describe the analysis and compare the corporate income tax regimes in the five CEE countries with the regimes in other countries that might compete for the same capital. The second purpose is to discuss the benefits and costs of the various options that the five CEE countries may consider for development of their corporate income tax policies. Particular attention is paid to the effects of tax holidays, which are temporary tax relief that all five countries offer to foreign investors. Some other tax incentives are examined including the impact that inflation would have on them.