Fiscal Revenues in South Mediterranean Arab Countries: Vulnerabilities and Growth Potential

April 1, 2002

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Format: Chicago

Karim A. Nashashibi Fiscal Revenues in South Mediterranean Arab Countries: Vulnerabilities and Growth Potential, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2002) accessed November 21, 2024

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

This paper reviews the fiscal revenue performance of Southern Mediterranean Arab countries (SMCs) over the last decade and compares this performance with selected middle income and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. These revenues have been declining over the past few years, and this trend is expected to continue because of a fall in mineral receipts and trade liberalization. Individual income tax yields are substantially lower than in other regions but the introduction of the value-added tax has proven to be highly successful. Higher trade protection than in other regions must be reduced, if SMCs are to be integrated into the global economy. Loss of nontax and customs revenues can be offset by reforms in income tax systems, petroleum product pricing, and by ensuring, through flexible exchange rate policies, that competitiveness is maintained

Subject: Excises, Income and capital gains taxes, Income tax systems, International trade, Revenue administration, Taxes, Trade liberalization

Keywords: Currency appreciation, Custom duty, Exchange rate, Excise, Excises, GDP, GDP ratio, Income and capital gains taxes, Income tax, Income tax reform, Income tax systems, Maghreb, Nontax revenues in SMCs, Petroleum pricing, Privatization proceeds, Public finance, Southern Mediterranean Arab countries, State, Tariff revenue, Tax revenue, Tax yield, Trade liberalization, VAT, VAT yield, WP, Yield, Yield stem

Publication Details

Pages:

17
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2002/067
Stock No:

WPIEA0672002
ISBN:

9781451848915
ISSN:

1018-5941

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