Uniform domestic tax rates, trade distortions and economic integration

Abstract

This paper examines the argument that uniform indirect tax rates are necessary to remove trade distortions for participating countries in economic integration. In a simple goods mobile, factor immobile international trade model it is shown that uniformity of tax rates is not necessary with either a general origin or destination based tax. Under a restricted origin basis, absence of distortion is only possible if trade is bilaterally balanced, in which case uniform or nonuniform rates across countries serve equally well.