Regional Heterogeneity and Individual Characteristics in the Development of a European Tax Policy: Historical Insights from Luxembourg

Luxembourg is currently one of the most politically stable, consensus-oriented, innovative, and prosperous countries in the world, characterised by an advanced social market economy, and a level of material wellbeing above the EU average. Its strong fiscal position is well illustrated by a long-standing AAA credit rating, a significant accumulation of government financial assets, and a distinct fiscal approach. In this light, this paper aims to investigate the specific features of the tax system in Luxembourg from a multidisciplinary perspective by analysing historical sources and exploring the development of these particularities over time, their impact on the socioeconomic context, and their repercussions for the European integration process, especially in the design and completion of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). It will look at the development of Luxembourg’s domestic fiscal and social policies, driven by national interests and by membership of European and international organisations (which imposes requirements in terms of harmonisation and taxation), and also by constant contact with the multilateral international environment and involvement in the governance of new transnational networks. This research is based on a broad spectrum of multilingual and multimedia archival sources, relevant data, and clarifications of terminology as needed.