Comparing Tax Policy Responses for the Digitalising Economy: Fold or All-In

Abstract

This paper elaborates on the tax policy responses in the area of direct taxation that are currently on the table at both the OECD and EU levels. The digital economy cannot be seen in isolation from the rest of the economy; it is the overall economy that is becoming increasingly digitalised. As any ring-fencing of the digital parts of the economy would seem infeasible, the fact that all the tax reform initiatives contemplated seem to be pursuing that exact objective is rather anomalous. Such a move would seem to bring little to the table other than market distortions, inequities, arbitrary taxation, tax cascading, legal uncertainties, and red tape. When it comes to fixing the broken international tax framework, there seems to be no such thing as a readily available ‘quick fix’. So the real question on the table would seem to be whether we should instead consider breaking away from status quos in company taxation and proceeding to explore genuine and fundamental corporate tax reform.