Working Papers
1995
February 1, 1995
Fiscal Policy Coordination in the Waemu After the Devaluation
Description: This paper examines the economic implications of fiscal policy coordination in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) in the light of the January 1994 devaluation of the CFA franc. Diverging tax, tariff, and budgetary politics are identified and it is argued that the resulting fiscal externalities have prevented the zone from reaping the full benefits of a monetary union. The paper shows that the devaluation makes it more desirable than ever to have a closer policy coordination to prevent such detrimental fiscal externalities. Recent efforts in this field are reviewed and evaluated. Finally, the paper offers some recommendations with respect to the optimal design of tax and tariff rate structures, and the choice of budgetary convergence criteria.
February 1, 1995
Regional Integration in Eastern and Southern Africa: The Cross-Border Initiative and its Fiscal Implications
Description: The IMF Working Papers series is designed to make IMF staff research available to a wide audience. Almost 300 Working Papers are released each year, covering a wide range of theoretical and analytical topics, including balance of payments, monetary and fiscal issues, global liquidity, and national and international economic developments.
February 1, 1995
The Reform of Tax Administration
Description: Tax administration plays a crucial role In determining a country’s real (or effective) tax system. Unfortunately, tax administrations in many countries do not function optimally and distort the intention of tax laws. In order for taxation to have its intended effect on the allocation of resources, the distribution of income, and macroeconomic stability and growth, the tax administration must function effectively and efficiently. This paper addresses tax administration reform by describing briefly the causes for inefficient tax administration, identifying the essential elements of successful reform, and presenting measures to improve the tax administration. The common thread of a reform strategy is to focus administrative resources on problems in the tax collection system through promotion of voluntary taxpayer compliance and adoption of a logical sequence of procedures for efficiently identifying and handling instances of noncompliance.
February 1, 1995
The Role of Foreign Currency Debt in Public Debt Management
Description: This paper analyzes the choice between public debt denominated in domestic currency and foreign currency in the context of public debt management theories. It discusses the experience of Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and Sweden and relates it to the theoretical arguments in favor or against the Issuance of foreign currency debt.
February 1, 1995
Trade Liberalization and Unemployment
Description: This paper examines the effect of trade reform on wages and unemployment in a two-sector, three-good economy in which labor is imperfectly mobile across sectors. Wages in the export sector are set so as to minimize turnover costs. The analysis shows that a reduction in tariffs, coupled with an adjustment in lump-sum taxes to equilibrate the government budget, lowers wages in all production sectors in the short and the medium run but has an ambiguous effect on unemployment. Although employment and production of exportables expand in the medium run, the unemployment rate may rise or fall depending on whether the elasticity of wages in the export sector with respect to wages in the nontraded goods sector is lower or greater than unity. Potentially adverse effects may be mitigated in the long run, however, as a result of induced shifts in the structure of production activities.
February 1, 1995
Public Policies and Private Savings and Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Empirical Investigation
Description: This paper assesses empirically the role of public policies in stimulating private savings and investment in sub-Saharan African countries, based on data for the period 1986-92. The main findings of the analysis are as follows: (i) policies effective in stimulating private savings and investment include those that keep the rate of inflation low, reduce macroeconomic uncertainty, promote financial deepening, and lower the external debt burden; (ii) measures that promote structural reforms and reduce the budget deficit (without lowering government investment) help to raise private investment; and (iii) declines in government savings are only partially offset by increases in private savings.
Notes: Based on data for the period 1986-92.
February 1, 1995
A Review of PPP-Adjusted GDP Estimation and its Potential Use for the Fund's Operational Purposes
Description: International comparison of economic aggregates, expressed in domestic currencies, requires their conversion into a common numeraire currency such as the U.S. dollar or the SDR. Since market (or official) exchange rates are subject to fluctuations which may result in comparisons that do not reflect cross-country differences in real economic activity, it is often recommended that purchasing power parity (PPP) rates be used for conversion instead of exchange rates. It is generally agreed that PPP rates are conceptually appropriate conversion factors. However, their practical implementation raises questions regarding the quality of the PPP indices which are currently available. This paper reviews the data and methodology underlying the construction of PPP indices, with particular emphasis on the PPP-based estimates of GDP used in the Fund’s World Economic Outlook and the World Bank’s World Development Report, and examines some of the issues associated with the use of such PPP-based estimates of GDP for the Fund’s operational purposes (such as quota calculations or determination of SAF or ESAF eligibility).
February 1, 1995
Excess Wages Tax
Description: Excess wages tax (EWT) is a tax-based incomes policy instrument introduced in many centrally-planned economies and still used in some FSU and Eastern European countries in transition. The main macroeconomic goal of EWT is to curb inflationary pressures by penalizing through taxation the “excessive” wage awards granted by enterprises in the course of wage and price liberalization. In this paper, effects of EWT on the behavior of a profit-maximizing enterprise under monopsony, its incidence on wages and profits, and its impact on inflation are analyzed. The effect of EWT on an enterprise that maximizes workers’ income is also examined with some observations on EWT’s impact on managerial behavior. Finally, recent experience with EWT is assessed and compared to that suggested by the model.
February 1, 1995
Working Paper Summaries (WP/94/77 - WP/94/147)
Description: Authors of Working Papers are normally staff members of the Fund or consultants, although on occasion outside authors may collaborate with a staff member in writing a paper. The views expressed in the Working Papers or their summaries are, however, those of the authors and should not necessarily be interpreted as representing the views of the Fund. Copies of individual Working Papers and information on subscriptions to the annual series of Working Papers may be obtained from IMF Publication Services, International Monetary Fund, 700 19th Street, Washington, D.C. 20431. Telephone: (202) 623-7430 Telefax: (202) 623-7201 This compilation of summaries of Working Papers released during July-December 1994 is being issued as a part of the Working Paper series. It is designed to provide the reader with an overview of the research work performed by the staff during the period.
Notes: Compilation of summaries of Working Papers released during July - December 1994.
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