The last decade has seen important changes taking place in the tax regimes of many European countries. A comprehensive picture of what is happening in European fiscal systems has not been easy to find--until now. 

This comprehensive volume provides an impressive analysis of tax systems and tax reforms in various European countries including France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. With a preface from Vito Tanzi and an impressive range of contributions, the book identifies and analyzes the main common forces that drive fiscal reforms such as globalization, European reunification and fiscal federalism. 

This impressive book will be of great interest not only to academics interested in international finance and fiscal studies but also to those professionals involved in the financial sectors across the world.

List of figures ix List of tables x List of contributors xiii Foreword: common pressures to reform European tax systems xv VITO TANZI Preface xxiv Acknowledgment xxix PART I Main topics in European tax systems and tax reforms 1 (94) 1 A comparative view of selected European countries 3 (27) LUCA GANDULLIA 2 Rationale and open issues of more radical reforms 30 (25) LUIGI BERNAIPDI 3 Public finance and political economics in tax design and reforms 55 (21) PAOLA PROFETA 4 Reducing fiscal pressure under the Stability Pact 76 (19) FEDELE DE NOVELLIS AND SALVATORE PARLATO PART II National case studies of European tax systems and tax reforms 95 (205) LUCA GANDULLIA CO-EDITOR 5 France 97 (1) SIMONA SCABROSETTI 6 Germany 126 (1) GIORGIA CHIARA MAFFINI 7 Ireland 159 (1) ALESSANDRO SOMMACAL 8 Italy 179 (1) LUIGI BERNARDI 9 Spain 213 (1) DAVIDE TONDANI 10 The Netherlands 241 (29) GRAZIANO ABRATE 11 The United Kingdom 270 (30) GIUSEPPE MIGALI Index 300