Elke Asen was a Policy Analyst with the Tax Foundation’s Center for Global Tax Policy, focusing on international tax issues and tax policy in Europe. Prior to joining the Tax Foundation, Elke interned with the EU Delegation in Washington, D.C., the German Development Agency, and a social startup in Munich, Germany. She holds a BS in Economics from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Elke was born and raised in a small town of 500 people outside of Salzburg, Austria, and loves to travel. Road tripping and backpacking are her favorites.
Net wealth taxes are recurrent taxes on an individual’s wealth, net of debt. The concept of a net wealth tax is similar to a real property tax. But instead of only taxing real estate, it covers all wealth an individual owns. As today’s map shows, only three European countries covered levy a net wealth tax, namely Norway, Spain, and Switzerland. France and Italy levy wealth taxes on selected assets but not on an individual’s net wealth per se.
3 min read
Corporate tax rates have been declining in every region around the world over the past four decades as countries have recognized their negative impact on business investment. Our new report explores the latest corporate tax trends and compares corporate tax rates by country.
22 min read
Corporate income taxes are commonly levied as a flat rate on business profits. However, some countries provide reduced corporate income tax rates for small businesses
2 min read
Patent box regimes (also referred to as intellectual property, or IP, regimes) provide lower effective tax rates on income derived from IP.
4 min read
International tax rules define how income earned abroad and by foreign entities are taxed domestically, making them an important element of a country’s tax code.
3 min read
How do consumption tax codes compare among European OECD countries? Explore our new map to see how consumption tax systems in Europe compare.
2 min read
How do individual income tax codes compare among European OECD countries? Explore our new map to see how individual income tax systems in Europe compare.
3 min read
Our new guide identifies key areas for improvement in UK tax policy and provides recommendations that would support long-term growth without putting a dent in government revenues.
24 min read
A tax code that is competitive and neutral promotes sustainable economic growth and investment while raising sufficient revenue for government priorities.
3 min read
Our International Index compares OECD countries on over 40 variables that measure how well each country’s tax system promotes sustainable economic growth and investment.
13 min read
17 European countries have implemented a carbon tax, ranging from less than €1 per metric ton of carbon emissions in Ukraine and Poland to over €100 in Sweden.
3 min read
Making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s individual provisions permanent combined with a carbon tax can be a revenue-neutral trade and increase the long-run size of the economy by 1 percent, making it a sustainable pro-growth option.
23 min read
Implemented in 1991, Sweden’s carbon tax was one of the first in the world. Since then, Sweden’s carbon emissions have been declining, while there has been steady economic growth. Today, Sweden levies the highest carbon tax rate in the world and its carbon tax revenues have been decreasing slightly over the last decade.
21 min read
In recent months, several countries have introduced accelerated depreciation as a measure to incentivize private investment, including Australia, Austria, Germany, and New Zealand. There are various ways of how this policy has been implemented in the respective countries, largely depending on the existing standard depreciation schedules.
5 min read
While not a short-term measure to alleviate the economic losses resulting from the current crisis, experience from other countries has shown that a tax allowance for corporate equity can be a sensible long-term policy that can strengthen Austria’s investment environment and improve financial stability.
6 min read
Digital services taxes effectively ring-fence the digital economy by limiting the tax to certain revenue streams of digital businesses, discriminating in favor of more traditional sectors of the economy.
18 min read
