Our edited publications

A short presentation of IREF ‘Yearbook on Taxation in Europe’ Series

Among the many ways to understand the climate of opinion and the culture of a country, looking at its fiscal system is one of the most rewarding. Sure, fiscal systems almost always rhyme with complexity; each system bearing the weight of its history. But the attempts to change the system, to give it a new direction, are highly instructive.

After publishing the real figures of the tax exile as part of the IREF research, this book tells the story of these exiles who are leaving not only for tax reasons, but also because they had enough with this France. A country where more than half of the population is living thanks to public money!

This book is written as a testimony from daily facts encounters by a tax lawyer, whose main activity is to support those who wish to leave France. Among them: industrial, retirees, entrepreneurs, young people, old people… This is an important part of the French wealth that goes … For the first time, a tax lawyer talks openly!

Among the many ways to understand the climate of opinion and the culture of a country, looking at its fiscal system is one of the most rewarding. Of course, tax systems almost always rhyme with complexity, each system bearing the weight of its history. But the attempts to change the system and give it a new direction are highly instructive.

To observe changes, debates and new directions in tax systems is precisely what the IREF Yearbook is all about. In that sense the Yearbook is not in direct competition with other annual reports on taxation that typically focus on numbers rather than on the philosophy behind them.

The times when Germany was the symbol of fiscal probity seem far away. The German Taxpayers’ Association (BdSt) publishes each year its “Black Book” providing an overview of government waste which makes Darth Vader look like a choirboy in comparison.

Energy policies are the object of fierce debates due to their important and multidimensional effects. It is in fact one of the major realms of action of the European Union. One of the main goals of current EU policy is known as the three 20s: a 20 per cent hike in energy efficiency, a 20 per cent cut in CO2 emissions and a 20 per cent share of renewables by 2020. This IREF publication contains four studies dealing with the various facets of EU energy policy.

Advocates of redistribution often reckon that soaking the rich would eliminate poverty. Consider the following: the 10 largest fortunes in France amount to 14 per cent of GDP, or 272 billion euros. If we imagine a one-off redistribution of this wealth to the 8.2 officially poor, the sum awarded to each would be some 33,000 euros. Not bad, but certainly not enough to retire on.

What is in danger today – the climate or our liberty? The Czech President Vaclav Klaus makes the case that policies being proposed to address global warming are not justified by current science and are, in fact, a dangerous threat to freedom and prosperity around the world. IREF is editing the French version of the book in cooperation with Contribuables Associes.

The famous book on the flat tax written by Hall & Rabushka is finally available for the French readers. IREF edited the French version of the book in cooperation with Contribuables Associés.

The author of this book, Gérard Bramoullé, is deputy mayor in charge of finance for the city of Aix-en-Provence. He is explaining why the local taxes are explosing in France…

This is the first volume of a forthcoming trilogy on social security systems. The authors Jacques Garello and Georges Lane are challenging the current French social security model and are…