„Wir sind ärmer geworden und müssen uns darauf einstellen"

An interview with Clemens Fuest is presented.

The commercialized Australian public university: An accountingized transition

This paper explores the impact of neoliberalism on Australia's public higher education system. It examines flaws in the university system revealed by the COVID‐19 pandemic and identifies how the conditions created by neoliberal policies have limited universities' capacity to respond to a crisis. The paper reviews the previous literature on universities, neoliberalism policies, and new public management practices. It uses data from the literature, newspapers, and contemporary documents to shape an overview of the Australian public sector university system up to 2021 and its transformation by stealth. The impact of this transformation has been a heavy reliance on international onshore student fees to fund operations, infrastructure, and research activities. COVID‐19‐related public health measures have caused a significant downturn in the number of international students studying in Australia, in turn, creating a financial crisis that has seen many tens of thousands of university staff losing their jobs and courses being cut. The transformation has also seen accountingization of both individual academic and university performance to become the norm. The quantified performance metrics associated with accountingization have become universities' new language, and their goal displaced ends. Revenue generation and expenditure has been privileged over making a contribution to the nation and society. We call for a radical rethinking of the public sector university mission for the ultimate benefit of the Australian community.

Is the Inheritance and Gift Tax a Reasonable Alternative for the Net Wealth Tax?: A Legal and Economic Analysis Across OECD Countries

Net wealth taxes are one of the most controversial topics in taxation. Strained government finances due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the increasing inequality in the distribution of wealth are fuelling this debate. While some countries (especially France: The net wealth tax – referred to as the ISF (impôt sur la fortune) – was abolished in 2017) have abolished net wealth taxes, their (re)introduction is being considered in others (for example, Austria, Germany, and the United States). Unfortunately, legal and economic arguments are rarely brought together in the public discussion, and the academic tax community has remained relatively quiet. Given the politically delicate nature of net wealth taxes, an interdisciplinary discussion seems necessary. This policy note focuses on the policy discussion on net wealth taxes from both economic and legal perspectives. It begins by identifying the characteristics of a net wealth tax compared to related taxes, such as property taxes and inheritance and gift taxes (Chapter I.). This is followed by an overview of the status quo of net wealth taxes and wealth-related taxes in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries (Chapter II.). Building on this, the article deals with the main arguments proposed in the literature in favour of and against the (re)introduction of net wealth taxes (Chapter III.). Since a net wealth tax has far-reaching effects on economic decision-making and on taxpayer compliance, a purely legal analysis is necessarily incomplete and requires an economic counterpart. Likewise, economically motivated tax reform proposals require an analysis of their legitimacy. A comprehensive discussion therefore requires a simultaneous legal and economic analysis. Since net wealth taxes are predominantly justified with distributional reasons, this note also discusses whether an inheritance and gift tax represents a reasonable alternative to a net wealth tax (Chapter IV.). After all, an inheritance and gift tax could also counteract the inequality of wealth. The objective of this article is to provide an interdisciplinary basis for the tax policy debate on wealth-related taxes.

Unilateral Digital Services Tax In Africa;Legislative Challenges And Opportunities

As the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project attains a significant milestone with 130 Members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/G20 Inclusive Framework agreeing on international tax rules that address digitalization of the economy (Pillar 2), and the UN globally approving its tax treaty on Article 12(B) on automated digital services, a handful of African countries have joined their international counterparts in deviating from the global approach by developing and imposing unilateral digital services tax (DST) policy and legislation. This article examines the rationale of short-term measures of a unilateral DST, particularly in the African context post the COVID-19 pandemic and critically examines legislative measures imposed by a number of African countries. The article then contrasts general and specific challenges (applicable to African countries) in imposing a unilateral DST with opportunities that digital taxation presents for the continent, particularly in developing policy and legislation, and in implementation by tax administrations.

Exchange of Information and Bank Deposits in International Financial Centres *

Este trabajo evalúa el impacto del intercambio de información sobre los depósitos bancarios de propiedad extranjera en los centros financieros internacionales (CFI). Los depósitos de los CFI se redujeron en todo el mundo en un 24%, es decir, 410.000 millones de dólares, entre 2008 y 2019. El inicio del intercambio automático de información se asocia, por término medio, a una reducción del 22% de los depósitos bancarios de los CFI en manos de jurisdicciones que no son CFI. La creciente expansión multilateral del intercambio de información a petición parece disminuir las ganancias marginales de los nuevos tratados bilaterales. Las jurisdicciones de la CFI especializadas en actividades bancarias han sido las más afectadas por el aumento de la transparencia impositiva. Por tanto, un enfoque multilateral global es fundamental para aumentar con éxito la transparencia fiscal internacional.Alternate :This paper assesses the impact of exchange of information on foreign-owned bank deposits in international financial centres (IFCs). IFC deposits declined globally by 24% or USD 410 billion during 2008 to 2019. The commencement of automatic exchange of information is associated on average with a 22% reduction in IFC bank deposits held by non-IFC jurisdictions. Increasing multilateral expansion of exchange of information on request seems to diminish marginal gains of new bilateral treaties. IFC jurisdictions specialising in banking activities have been mostly affected by increasing tax transparency. A comprehensive multilateral approach is thus fundamental for successfully increasing international tax transparency.