What are the Costs of Tax Avoidance?
It is not straightforward to quantify the cost of tax avoidance. These tax strategies operate within the
legal framework. Clearly, tax loopholes and the existence of tax havens cause an erosion of the tax
base in the non‐haven countries. However, for example, Dharmapala (2008) stresses that tax
planning can increase the efficiency of firms and alleviate the intensity of tax competition. It has
been argued that institutions that allow a differentiated tax policy towards internationally mobile
and immobile tax bases can increase welfare even for high‐tax countries (Hong and Smart, 2010;
Keen, 2001).