VOX  CEPR Policy Portal

Many countries exempt foreign-sourced income from taxation at home, with income taxed only in the source country. In 2009, the UK moved from a system of tax credit to a system of tax exemption of foreign-earned income of firms. This column looks at the effects of this reform on firm behaviour. Immediately following the reform, firms were induced to pay significantly more dividends to the UK and decreased their investments. But neither effect persisted in the long run.