Key reforms to date

Economies that rank highly on the ease of paying taxes tend to have lower and less complex taxes with simple administrative processes for paying taxes and filing tax returns.

Thirty six economies made it easier to pay taxes. The most popular reform feature implemented in 2007/08 was the reduction of the profit tax rate, which happened in no fewer, than 21 economies. The second most popular reform was the introduction of electronic filing, which was carried out in 12 economies. This reduced the frequency of payments and the time spent paying taxes and filing returns. Tax reform is not just about the introduction of tax rates; administrative aspects are almost equally important. Eight economies reduced the number of payments made by businesses by eliminating smaller taxes such as stamp duties. The top 10 reformers for paying taxes this year reduced the number of payments made by half.