Providing journalists, taxpayers, and policymakers with basic data on taxes and spending is a cornerstone of Tax Foundation Europe’s educational mission.
As a nonpartisan, educational organization, the Tax Foundation has earned a reputation for independence and credibility.
Our policy team regularly provides accessible, data-driven insights from sources such as the European Commission, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and others.
Featured Data
Top Personal Income Tax Rates in Europe, 2024
Denmark (55.9 percent), France (55.4 percent), and Austria (55 percent) have the highest top statutory personal income tax rates among European OECD countries.
3 min readVAT Rates in Europe, 2024
A few European countries have made changes to their VAT rates, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Switzerland, and Turkey.
3 min readCorporate Income Tax Rates in Europe, 2024
Like most regions around the world, European countries have experienced a decline in corporate income tax rates over the past four decades, but the average corporate income tax rate has leveled off in recent years.
2 min readReal Property Taxes in Europe, 2023
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.
2 min readTax Burden on Labor in Europe, 2024
To make the taxation of labor more efficient, policymakers should understand the inputs into the tax wedge, and taxpayers should understand how their tax burden funds government services.
4 min readCarbon 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 readAll European Tax Data
Tax Treaty Network of European Countries
Tax treaties usually provide mechanisms to eliminate double taxation and can provide certainty and stability for taxpayers and encourage foreign investment and trade. A broad network of tax treaties contributes to the competitiveness of an economy.
1 min readThin-Cap Rules in Europe
To discourage a certain form of international debt shifting, many countries have implemented so-called thin-capitalization rules (thin-cap rules), which limit the amount of interest a multinational business can deduct for tax purposes.
4 min readCFC Rules in Europe
To prevent businesses from minimizing their tax liability by taking advantage of cross-country differences in taxation, countries have implemented various anti-tax avoidance measures, one known as Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) rules.
5 min readInventory Valuation in Europe
The method by which a country allows businesses to account for inventories can significantly impact a business’s taxable income. When prices are rising, as is usually the case due to factors like inflation, LIFO is the preferred method because it allows inventory costs to be closer to true costs at the time of sale.
2 min readReal Property Taxes in Europe, 2020
High property taxes levied not only on land but also on buildings and structures can discourage investment because they disincentivise investing in infrastructure, which businesses would have to pay additional tax on. For this reason, it may also influence business location decisions away from places with high property tax.
3 min readDistilled Spirits Taxes in Europe
2 min readCigarette Taxes in Europe, 2020
Ireland and the United Kingdom levy the highest excise duties on cigarettes in the European Union (EU), at €8.00 ($8.95) and €6.83 ($7.64) per 20-cigarette pack, respectively. This compares to an EU average of €3.22 ($3.61). Bulgaria (€1.80 or $2.01) and Slovakia (€2.07 or $2.32) levy the lowest excise duties.
3 min readGas Taxes in Europe, 2020
4 min readBeer Taxes in Europe, 2020
3 min readWine Taxes in Europe
2 min readCapital Gains Tax Rates in Europe, 2020
2 min readComplexity of VATs in Europe
2 min readComplexity of Corporate Taxes in Europe
3 min readComplexity of Labor Taxes in Europe
2 min readTax Relief for Families in Europe
Most countries provide tax relief to families with children—typically through targeted tax breaks that lower income taxes. While all European OECD countries provide tax relief for families, its extent varies substantially across countries.
2 min read