5162 - COMPARATIVE FISCAL SYSTEMS AND REGULATORY AUTHORITIES

The course aims at providing an understanding of two of the main channels through which the State affects the allocation and the distribution of resources in the market economy: the fiscal system and the regulatory authorities.
The first part describes the key features of the fiscal systems in industrialized Countries. The comparative analysis highlights both the economic rationale of the choices made by policy makers in different Countries and the strategies that taxpayers may use to reduce their tax burden. The second part describes the different schemes that have been implemented to regulate firms in non-competitive markets.

• Basic concepts in public sector financing: taxes, contributions and debt
• The structure of taxation systems: direct and indirect taxes
• Individual taxation: how to define income and the taxpayer unit
• Taxation of non-residents
• Corporate taxation
• Taxation of multinational firms
• The integration between personal and corporate taxes
• Indirect taxation: VAT and sales taxes
• Pensions and health care financing: income taxes, payroll taxes and tariffs
• Basic concepts in economics of regulation
• Transportation, energy and telecommunication regulation
• Health, safety and environmental regulation

Written exam.
Student may take the exam in two written parts: a 1^st partial exam and a 2^nd partial exam, which will cover the first half and the second half of the course respectively.

• K. MESSERE, F. DE KAM, C. HEADY, Tax policy and practice in OECD countries, OUP, 2003.
• W.K. VISCUSI, J.M. VERNON, J.E. HARRINGTON, Economics of regulation and antitrust, MIT Press, 3^rd ed.

For further and continuously updated information consult the IEP web site or contact S.I.D. - Servizio Informazione Didattica - Institute of Economics - via Gobbi, 5 - Room 313.