Author(s): Danbobi Note Dido
This paper conducts a literature survey on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and its relation to fiscal policy. Geographical and cultural proximity between originating and host countries, market size of the host countries, as well as other exogenous variables have been pointed out by a significant part of the literature as crucial factors in FDI decisions. Fiscal policy, as an endogenous factor, is an increasingly important tool on the countries competitiveness for attracting FDI, mainly in the Euro-zone. The papers analyzed identify some areas of fiscal policy: most papers focus analysis of fiscal policy only on the tax rate–that is, on the relationship between the income tax rate in force in the country and FDI; other papers analyze the relationship between fiscal harmonization and FDI; some papers study the relationship between the complexity of the fiscal system and FDI; while others attempt to relate other specific areas of fiscal policy–e.g. fiscal regime of thin capitalization–with FDI decisions; various other studies show the relationship between territories with non-existent (or extremely low) fiscal regimes and FDI. It is expected that this characteristics of fiscal policy, will be relevant in the decision-making process, where countries are competing with each other as potential locations for FDI.