Taxation change in Sub-saharan African gold mines

in Avom, Désiré; Ongo Nkoa, Bruno Emmanuel (Eds.) Pertinence des politiques publiques de développement en Afrique subsaharienne (2021)

In this paper, we analyze empirically the effects of tax changes on firms' profits in extractive industries. We estimate the effect of the profit tax and royalty on the extracting firms' declared profit ... [more ▼]

In this paper, we analyze empirically the effects of tax changes on firms' profits in extractive industries. We estimate the effect of the profit tax and royalty on the extracting firms' declared profit in African countries during the period spanning from 2007 to 2018. We use the Mining Intelligence database to constitute a panel of annual individual data from a database of 363 gold mines located in 21 Sub-Saharan African countries. We obtain an inverse relationship between the tax rate change of the two tax instruments and the profit of the firms. Our results illustrate the crucial role of cost overstatement. From a tax policy point of view, we underline the shortcomings of asymmetry of information for declared profit and consequently for government revenues. [less ▲]

Contribution fiscale des entreprises au Mali : étude sur données individuelles

in Mondes en Développement (2021), 195(3), 75-94

This paper analyzes the tax burden borne by a large number of Malian companies (3,474) representing the totality of the formal sector of this country. By exploiting individual firm data collected from ... [more ▼]

This paper analyzes the tax burden borne by a large number of Malian companies (3,474) representing the totality of the formal sector of this country. By exploiting individual firm data collected from financial statements and balance sheets, we highlight the determinants of effective tax rates, such as firms’ size, industry, location, and other corporate attributes. We show that larger firms do benefit from lower effective tax rates, and this result is robust to various proxies of size and is even reinforced for profit-making firms. [less ▲]

Profit taxation and royalties: evidence from gold mines in Sub-Saharan Africa

E-print/Working paper (2019)

In this paper, we analyze theoretically and empirically the effects of tax changes on firms’ profits in extractive industries. In the theoretical part, we assume a country that levies a profit tax and a ... [more ▼]

In this paper, we analyze theoretically and empirically the effects of tax changes on firms’ profits in extractive industries. In the theoretical part, we assume a country that levies a profit tax and a royalty on the profits of extractive firms to maximize its tax revenues. The mining companies may reduce their taxable income by cost manipulation. By analyzing the optimal choice of the government and of the firms, we first establish the optimal tax policy and then we investigate the impact of the optimal fiscal policy on firms’ profits. In the empirical part of the paper, we estimate the effect of the profit tax and royalty on the extracting firms’ profit in African countries during the period spanning from 2007 to 2018. We use the Mining Intelligence database to constitute a panel of annual individual data from a database of 363 gold mines located in 21 Sub-Saharan countries. We obtain an inverse relationship between the tax rate change of the two tax instruments and the profit of the firms. [less ▲]

Formation des salaires en Belgique : interactions sectorielles et performances macroéconomiques

in Regards Economiques (2018), (141), 1-15

L’article examine le rôle des interactions salariales entre secteur privé et secteur public. Les résultats empiriques sur la période 1995-2015 suggèrent clairement qu’il n’y a pas, dans la formation des ... [more ▼]

L’article examine le rôle des interactions salariales entre secteur privé et secteur public. Les résultats empiriques sur la période 1995-2015 suggèrent clairement qu’il n’y a pas, dans la formation des salaires belges, un secteur «leader» qui imposerait systématiquement ses hausses de salaire à l’autre secteur. Les interactions salariales sectorielles privé-public sont très fortes, mais au final chaque secteur conserve une large autonomie. Les salaires du secteur privé sont en particulier nettement plus sensibles aux modifications de l’environnement macro-économique (productivité, inflation, chômage), et caractérisés par une tendance négative qu’on peut attribuer à une plus forte modération salariale. [less ▲]

Analyse de l’impact des interactions sectorielles sur l’évolution des salaires

Conference given outside the academic context (2017)

Tax Mobilization in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Impact of Tax and Business Law Reforms

in Economics Bulletin (2016), 36(3), 1805-1810

This paper contributes to measuring the influence of business (and tax) law reforms on sub-Saharan African countries tax mobilization ability. Relying on a new business law reform indicator, our results ... [more ▼]

This paper contributes to measuring the influence of business (and tax) law reforms on sub-Saharan African countries tax mobilization ability. Relying on a new business law reform indicator, our results validate the significant impact of corporate law modernization on governmental revenue, and unearth a complementary effect between business and tax law reforms. [less ▲]

Vers la fin du secret bancaire dans les centres financiers offshore : Une question d’éthique et de concurrence fiscale

in Revue d'Economie Financière (2015), (119), 287-302

This paper is a survey of the literature that studies the end of bank secrecy in offshore financial centers. Research in this area can be read under two perspectives. On the one hand, the existence of the ... [more ▼]

This paper is a survey of the literature that studies the end of bank secrecy in offshore financial centers. Research in this area can be read under two perspectives. On the one hand, the existence of the bank secrecy raises ethical issues like the respect of confidentiality, the equality of all before the taxation, tax evasion and the support for corrupted regimes. On the other hand, bank secrecy and its removal affect international tax competition among nation states and thus the incentives of exchange of information. A critical analysis of the existing contributions along these two strands enables us to understand better indirect and complex effects of the recent reforms on international competition for capital. [less ▲]

Réformes fiscales et du droit des affaires en Afrique subsaharienne. Quel impact sur la mobilisation des ressources fiscales ?

Scientific Conference (2014, November)

Formation des salaires et indexation automatique - Analyse comparative de quatre pays européens

Report (2014)

Automatic indexation mechanisms are often criticized for being a key source of inflexibility of actual real wages and thus responsible for a lack of adjustment to in the labour market and for a ... [more ▼]

Automatic indexation mechanisms are often criticized for being a key source of inflexibility of actual real wages and thus responsible for a lack of adjustment to in the labour market and for a deterioration of cost-competiveness. The aim of this study is to empirically assess whether this point of view is well founded. Statistical The Statistical and econometric research relates to four countries: two with institutionalized indexation of wages to consumer prices (Luxembourg and Belgium) and two without institutionalized indexation (Germany and France). this comparative econometric study, applied to four countries with or without indexation mechanisms, shows that the presence of institutionalized indexation does not significantly alter the process through which hourly wages are set, by observingas revealed by the long-term relationships or dynamic reactions to an exogenous shock. In other words, whilst differences in wage flexibility exist, their causes may be found elsewhere and not necessarily in automatic indexation mechanisms. Beyond the perimeter of this study, factors for the adjustment or inflexibility of wages might rather be sought in other directions, such as wages upon recruitment, inter-sector flexibility, the variable portion of remuneration, or changes in the composition of the labour force by sector, for example. [less ▲]

 Quelles politiques face à la fuite de personnel médical d’Afrique subsaharienne ?

in Bourgain, Arnaud; Brot, Jean; Gérardin, Hubert (Eds.)  L’intégration de l’Afrique dans l’économie mondiale (2014)

Cette contribution passe en revue les principales stratégies expérimentées ou envisagées pour limiter la fuite et la pénurie de personnel médical. Premièrement, les politiques d’aide financières ... [more ▼]

Cette contribution passe en revue les principales stratégies expérimentées ou envisagées pour limiter la fuite et la pénurie de personnel médical. Premièrement, les politiques d’aide financières pourraient être prioritairement orientées vers le secteur médical. Cette aide concerne l’ensemble du secteur ou vise les conditions de travail du personnel médical. Deuxièmement, des politiques se caractérisent davantage par leur caractère structurel ou règlementaire. Certains pays hôtes se sont engagés envers des codes de « bonne conduite ». Ces accords bilatéraux ou multilatéraux ne sont pas juridiquement contraignants et ne remettent pas en cause les principes de l’OMC, mais établissent des principes déontologiques limitant les politiques de recrutement ciblées de personnel médical en provenance de pays touchés par une telle fuite. Troisièmement, la stratégie consiste à substituer à des personnels qualifiés des personnels de qualification initiale plus faible. Cette stratégie peut rendre les travailleurs hautement ou faiblement qualifiés plus polyvalents et ainsi contribuer à réduire l'écart de compétence entre les différentes catégories de personnel. [less ▲]