Social media is being exploited by advertisers, politicians and headhunters. Government tax offices are also weighing in.

Have you ever followed a tax official on Twitter, or “liked” your tax office’s Facebook page? From the US to New Zealand, tax authorities are raising their social media profiles by providing advice on filling out tax forms, sharing information on budget changes, promoting e-tax forms and, of course, with reminders of payment deadlines. 

When the OECD joined the G20 crackdown on tax havens during the economic crisis in 2009, its longstanding work helped to curb this harmful tax practice and implement a global standard of bank transparency. Now the organisation is focusing on another time-honoured malpractice: that of slipping taxable income through fiscal loopholes. Some call this creative accounting, the OECD calls it aggressive tax planning, and because it is hurting government revenue, it is hurting entire economies as well.

Building tax administration capacity is needed to help spur development in Africa. A new survey shows that action is being taken, but more work is needed.

Like the OECD, VAT has also been around for about 50 years. Is it time to reform some of the older, more unwieldy versions and go for a trimmer, broad-base, standard-rate VAT system instead?

The recent financial crisis has left a hole in the public finances of many countries. Yet, with the right preparation, governments may have been better placed to fund that gap. This holds lessons for future crisis resolution strategies.

Child poverty warning; Economy; Soundbites; Slower development aid?; Japan rebuilds; Tax burden on the rise; Estonia joins the OECD; Shinier steel outlook; Cities under-served by carbon markets; Brazil and India sign OECD chemical accord; Corruption: governments warned; Plus ça change...

Defying fiscal deficits

One area where governments have been looking to raise revenues is green taxes. And with good reason. Taxes can provide a clear incentive to reduce environmental damage. But while the number of environmentally-related taxes has actually been increasing in recent years, revenues from these taxes have been on a slight downward trend in relation to GDP. The decline in revenue partly reflects the drop in demand for fuel in response to recent high oil prices and other factors, which in turn has led to a reduction in total revenues from taxes on energy products.

When the G20 decided to get tough on tax evasion, several decades of OECD work suddenly became even more relevant than before. The growing determination to tackle evasion is helping to restore trust in tax systems and close off avenues for illegal activities.

Slower activity ahead?; Economy; Soundbites; Roundup; Corruption work praised; iLibrary launched; Israel joins the OECD; Secretary-General reappointed; Plus ça change...

What has changed in the decade since former OECD experts Flip de Kam and Chiara Bronchi wrote one of this magazine’s most downloaded articles, “The income taxes people really pay”. There have been a few changes, though the need to look behind headline tax rates remains as true as ever.

Health spending rises; Round up; Soundbites; Benvenuto!; Economy; Food speculation question; Chinese flexibility welcomed; Slovenia joins the OECD; Plus ça change...

The tax system can be a powerful policy instrument for spurring innovation. Here is how.

Could country-by-country tax reporting help boost revenue for development? The answer is not that simple.

The deep scars of the crisis can be relieved through appropriate policy action, particularly in competition, jobs, taxes and financial services. This would bolster long-term growth too.

Now for sustaining growth–; –as China sets the pace; Greening Greece; Soundbites; Economy; Aid shortfall; Chile's new president; Tax watch; Plus ça change...

Spring is finally in the air for most OECD countries, as the signs of recovery start to multiply. The recession has been long and hard, so this is reassuring news. But while the worst of the crisis may be behind us, the recovery remains fragile, and there are still many policy challenges to address.

Reforming tax systems can boost development by giving countries more autonomy. This can lead to broader reforms too.