PROFIT SHIFTING TO EUROPEAN TAX HAVENS: THE CASE OF SUBSIDIARIES OF MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES IN SERBIA

Abstract

Due to the presence in a number of countries, multinational companies (MNCs) are in position to register a considerable part of pre-tax profit in countries with a preferential tax regime in order to avoid paying taxes at high rates. In other words, MNCs are able to shift profit from countries with a high tax burden to countries with low tax burden. In this paper, it is examined whether Serbian subsidiaries of MNCs, directly owned by European tax haven entities, more intensively shift profit to tax havens relative to other subsidiaries. A list of tax havens published by Oxfam in 2016 is used. Statistical tests and regression analysis showed that there is no significant difference in profit shifting to tax havens between two mentioned groups of subsidiaries. Therefore, it is possible that MNCs consider Serbia as a country with preferential tax regime due to relatively low statutory and effective corporate income tax rates. However, for the purposes of a detailed analysis, national tax authorities should insist on public disclosure of company tax reports to make tax practices of MNCs more transparent.