Real Property Taxes in Europe, 2025
High property taxes levied not only on land but also on buildings and structures can discourage investment in infrastructure, which businesses would have to pay additional tax on.
3 min read
Expert
Alex Mengden
Economist
Alex Mengden is an Economist at the Tax Foundation, where he focuses on international tax issues and tax policy in Europe. He holds a BA in philosophy and economics from the University of Bayreuth and an MSc in economics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Prior to joining the Tax Foundation, Alex tutored undergraduate classes in public finance at LMU Munich and worked on economic policy research for institutions across Europe and the United States. He currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
Latest Work
The UK Should Lower or Abolish, Not Raise, Its VAT Registration Threshold
The United Kingdom Treasury’s proposal to increase in the value-added tax (VAT) registration threshold would hold back small business growth, reduce the efficiency of the VAT system, and lead to a revenue shortfall.
4 min read
Patent Box Regimes in Europe, 2025
The aim of patent boxes is generally to encourage and attract local research and development (R&D) and to incentivize businesses to locate IP in the country. However, patent boxes can introduce another level of complexity to a tax system, and some recent research questions whether patent boxes are actually effective in driving innovation.
4 min read
Presidential Election in Poland: Tailoring Tax Policy to Poland’s Strategic Needs
Between Russia’s war in Ukraine, President Trump’s uncertain policies towards Europe, and Poland’s attempt to increase domestic defense capabilities, raising revenue has become one of the most critical topics in the campaign.
7 min read
A Distributed Profits Tax in Poland
The Polish government is considering converting its traditional corporate income tax into a tax on distributed profits. We estimate that this reform would result in greater investment, a larger productive capital stock, and higher economic output in the long run.
29 min read
Effects of the Federal Constitutional Court’s Judgment on Germany’s Solidarity Surtax
Surtaxes such as Germany’s solidarity surtax run counter to the principles of simplicity and transparency of the tax system because they impose an additional layer of tax on taxpayers and create a more complex tax structure that often obscures the actual tax burden.
4 min read
2024 European Tax Policy Scorecard
The variety of approaches to taxation among European countries creates a need to evaluate these systems relative to each other. For that purpose, we have developed the European Tax Policy Scorecard—a relative comparison of European countries’ tax systems.
55 min read
Reducing Germany’s Corporate Tax Rate to 25 Percent
Ahead of Germany’s federal election, the country’s economy remains stuck in a prolonged recession, with GDP stagnating for the past two years and failing to surpass its pre-pandemic level.
6 min read
Distributed Profits Taxation Would Be a Good Role Model for the EU’s 28th Regime
In a recent speech at the Davos Economic Forum, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to create a single set of rules for corporate law, insolvency, labor law, and taxation, under which companies could seamlessly operate across the European Single Market.
7 min read
International Tax Competitiveness Index 2024
While there are many factors that affect a country’s economic performance, taxes play an important role. A well-structured tax code is easy for taxpayers to comply with and can promote economic development while raising sufficient revenue for a government’s priorities.
92 min read
Capital Allowances in Europe, 2024
Although sometimes overlooked in discussions about corporate taxation, capital allowances play an important role in a country’s corporate tax base and can impact investment decisions—with far-reaching economic consequences.
4 min read
Real Estate Transaction Tax Rates in German States
The real estate transaction tax is levied on the gross sales value of a property when it changes ownership, without deductions for investment or purchasing costs. This makes the tax particularly harmful to investment in buildings and structures.
3 min read
Patent Box Regimes in Europe, 2024
The aim of patent boxes is generally to encourage and attract local research and development (R&D) and to incentivize businesses to locate IP in the country. However, patent boxes can introduce another level of complexity to a tax system, and some recent research questions whether patent boxes are actually effective in driving innovation.
3 min read
Tax Subsidies for R&D Expenditures in Europe, 2024
Many countries incentivize business investment in research and development (R&D), intending to foster innovation. A common approach is to provide direct government funding for R&D activity. However, a significant number of jurisdictions also offer R&D tax incentives.
3 min read
Understanding Full Expensing in the United Kingdom
Given the positive contribution of full expensing to economic growth and that the UK already incurred the peak-year costs due to the existing policy, it is imperative to maintain it permanently.
5 min read
Carbon Taxes in Europe, 2024
23 European countries have implemented carbon taxes, ranging from less than €1 per metric ton of carbon emissions in Ukraine to more than €100 in Sweden, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.
3 min read
Worldwide Investment at Risk as Capital Allowances Phase Out
Rather than adopt temporary policies that phase out and expire, policymakers should focus their efforts on long-term reforms to support investment.
6 min read
Capital Cost Recovery across the OECD, 2024
To recover from the pandemic and put the global economy on a trajectory for growth, policymakers need to aim for more generous and permanent capital allowances. This will spur real investment and can also contribute to more environmentally friendly production across the globe.
31 min read
A Journey Through Germany’s Tax Laws
Get ready to hit the autobahn and explore the world of German taxes! We’ll navigate the complexities of Germany’s tax structure.
Net Operating Loss Carryforward and Carryback Provisions in Europe, 2024
Carryover provisions help businesses “smooth” their risk and income, making the tax code more neutral across investments and over time.
3 min read