Blog

A Renewed Urgency to Rationalize Tax Expenditures in Low- and Low-Middle Income Countries

and | 16 April 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Domestic Revenue Mobilization, Tax Expenditures, Tax Reform
In this blog, we argue that the case for streamlining and reforming TEs has become even more urgent. This urgency arises from recent developments including the decisions by the United States and the United Kingdom to significantly reduce their international aid budgets... ... continue reading

Wang’s Café Goes Green: Innovative Finance Solutions for Small Companies

| 27 March 2025
Monetary, Blog | Tags: China, Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion, Green Finance
Financial markets have mobilized a large and growing amount of money for climate action – but most of it goes to large firms. Small companies (micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises or MSMEs in the jargon) struggle to access the finance needed to green their activities. ... continue reading

Clearing the Air: Lessons from the EU ETS for Low Carbon Aviation

and | 6 March 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Carbon Pricing, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Tax Expenditures, Transport
Aviation has long enjoyed a special tax status. Airline fuel for international flights is generally exempt from excise duties. International air travel also benefits widely from VAT exemption or zero-rated VAT. ... continue reading

China’s Monetary Stimulus. Aggregate and Structural Implications

| 13 February 2025
Monetary, Blog | Tags: Central Banks, China, Economic Growth, Financial Stability
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) convened its 2025 work conference in Beijing from 3 to 4 January, signaling a commitment to maintaining a supportive policy stance in the new year following key steps in this direction in 2024. ... continue reading

Collaboration in Action. Improving Tax Expenditure Policy Through Regional Engagement

| 14 January 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Parliaments, Tax Expenditures
The primary objectives of the ATI Tax Expenditures Workshop series were to build capacity, facilitate knowledge transfer, and establish robust regional networks of TE experts. ... continue reading

The Role of Parliamentarians in the Management of Tax Expenditures in ECOWAS Member States

| 22 November 2024
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Africa, ECOWAS, Parliaments, Tax Expenditures
Since 2018, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has introduced reforms to harmonise and improve the management of taxes and duties for the benefit of the Commission and its Member States. ... continue reading

Le Rôle des Parlementaires dans la Gestion des Dépenses Fiscales dans la Zone CEDEAO

| 22 November 2024
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Africa, ECOWAS, Parliaments, Tax Expenditures
La Communauté Économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) a engagé depuis 2018 des réformes pour l’harmonisation et l’amélioration de la gestion des impôts et taxes au profit de la Commission et de ses États Membres. ... continue reading

Kenya’s Tax Expenditure Reports: A Comprehensive Review

| 9 October 2024
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Kenya, Tax Expenditures
In Kenya, the main objectives of tax expenditures are to spur economic growth, increase investment, create employment and lower the cost of living. Other than these objectives being defined too broadly to support meaningful evaluation of tax expenditures, the government does not link the reported ... continue reading

Unlocking a Sustainable Energy Future: Key Insights from the UK

and | 1 October 2024
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Decarbonization, Energy, Fossil Fuel Subsidies, Industrial Policy, Renewables, United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has made considerable strides in transforming its energy system. Since the early 1970s, the nation has reduced its primary energy consumption by one-fifth, even as its real GDP has nearly tripled. While low-carbon energy sources were once almost non-existent, they now account ... continue reading

Invisible Costs: The Transparency Gap in Japan’s Tax Benefits

and | 20 September 2024
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Japan, Tax Expenditures
Tax expenditures include tax credits, exemptions, deductions and other reductions in tax liabilities intended to promote specific policy goals. Japan stands out as one of only two G20 countries, alongside Saudi Arabia, that does not report the cost of such tax benefits in a comprehensive ... continue reading