Have VAT rates reached their limit?: an empirical note

Abstract

Value-added taxes (VAT) have increased in a number of developed economies in recent years. The shift towards consumption taxes in general and VAT in particular has made it a politically sensitive tax. While it is generally accepted that an expenditure tax such as VAT is less distortionary and more efficient to collect than an income tax, there is increasing concern that VAT rates have reached or are close to their revenue maximizing limit. Empirical evidence is produced to support this view.