Across the world, many of the tax policies unveiled for 2014 indicate an increasing tax burden across virtually every type of tax. The EY 2014 global tax policy guide summarizes countries’ tax policy outlook for 2014. Use the map or the menu to see the relevant country guide at: http://www.ey.com/2014taxpolicyoutlook

1. The outlook for global
tax policy in 2014
61 jurisdictions surveyed
Headline rate of taxation changes
How many countries have announced changes to
headline rates of taxation for 2014?
3
reported
increase
10
48
reported
decrease
countries reported
no change
Globally, Finland had the
largest decrease (24.5% to
20%, an -18.4% decrease),
while Israel had the largest
increase (25% to 26.5%, a
6.0% increase) in the CIT rate.
France
India
Israel
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Finland
Guatemala
Japan
Norway
Portugal
Slovak Republic
United Kingdom
Vietnam
Corporate income tax
(CIT) rate
Israel
India
-2.0%
Norway
Japan
Vietnam
5.3%
4.8%
6.0%
France
-3.4% -3.6%
-4.3%
Dominican
Republic
UK
-6.2%
Slovak
Republic
-8.0% -8.7%
Portugal
-9.7%
-18.4%
Guatemala
-12.0%
Denmark
2
Guatemala
Norway
Mexico
Sweden
2
reported
decrease
countries reported
no change
Globally, Guatemala had
the largest decrease (31%
to 28%, a -9.7% decrease),
while Mexico had the largest
increase (30% to 35%, a 16.7%
increase) in the PIT rate.
Mexico
reported
increase
57
Top marginal personal
income tax (PIT) rate
Finland
3.5% 16.7%
-3.6% Sweden
Norway
-9.7%
Japan
Guatemala
3
56
Globally, only Puerto Rico
has so far announced a VAT
decrease for 2014 (7% to
6.5%, an -7.1% decrease), while
Japan’s increase from 5% to
8% represents a 60% increase.
Overall direction
of tax burden
What is the overall
direction of the tax
burden in 2014?
CIT burden
reported
higher
16
reported
no change
11
4
reported
mixed
reported
lower
2.0% 13.3% 60.0%
Luxembourg
-7.1%
VAT/GST/
sales tax burden
13
reported
higher
30
France
Puerto Rico
PIT burden
16
reported
mixed
Mixed
Puerto Rico
countries reported
no change
4
Higher
1
reported
decrease
France
Japan
Luxembourg
Standard VAT/GST/
sales tax rate*
reported
increase
34
reported
no change
7
reported
lower
reported
higher
3
reported
mixed
42
reported
no change
3
reported
lower
No change
Lower
How are countries
manipulating their
corporate income
tax base in 2014?
24
15
12
Changes to (or focuses on) tax
enforcement, including disclosure,
substance requirements, GAAR
Changes to R&D incentives
Changes to interest/business
expense deductibility (including
payments to low tax jurisdictions)
12
12
11
Changes to other business
incentives (i.e., non R&D)
Changes to withholding taxes
Significant transfer pricing
changes
10
9
6
Decreasing the statutory
CIT rate
Changes to the tax treatment
of losses
Changes to CFC rules/
thin capitalization
To learn more about EY’s 2014 outlook for global tax policy, please visit ey.com/2014taxpolicyoutlook
All are based upon a sample of 61 jurisdictions. *Hong Kong does not levy VAT/GST.
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