This annual publication provides internationally comparative data on tax levels and tax structures in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The taxes imposed in each country are presented in a standardised framework based upon the OECD classification of taxes and its Interpretative Guide as contained in Annex A to this Report. The data for the Report has, for the most part, been provided by Delegates to Working Party No.2 (WP2) on Tax Policy Analysis and Tax Statistics of the Committee on Fiscal Affairs. The OECD acknowledges the co-operation of the International Monetary Fund, whose classification of tax revenues in the Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 is in many respects similar to that of the OECD. The most important of the other classifications currently in use is the System of National Accounts (henceforth referred to as SNA) and the European System of Integrated Economic Accounts of EU member states (henceforth referred to as ESA), which is primarily an elaboration of SNA, though differing from it in certain respects. Subject to a few exceptions, SNA/ESA figures can be reconciled with the figures in the present Report, since SNA criteria and definitions have been adopted unless the contrary is specifically indicated.

In 2021, the average OECD tax-to-GDP ratio rose by 0.6 percentage points (p.p.) to 34.1%, as countries recovered from the economic shock induced by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Tax revenues increased by 12.8% in nominal terms on average across the OECD in 2021 according to preliminary data, while GDP rose by 10.5%. Although the OECD’s tax-to-GDP ratio also increased in 2020 (by 0.2 p.p.), this was in the context of widespread declines in tax revenues and GDP in nominal terms.

Chapter 1 provides information on trends in tax revenues in OECD countries, including changes in tax-to-GDP ratios, tax structures, taxes by level of government, non-wastable tax credits and financing of social security-type benefits.

Chapter 2 examines the impact of COVID-19 on tax revenues in OECD countries in 2021, the second year of the pandemic. In 2021, tax policies supported a rebound in economic activity, employment and revenues across the OECD following the widespread declines in gross domestic product (GDP) and tax revenues experienced in 2020. The chapter uses preliminary data on revenues by tax type to analyse the ongoing impact of the pandemic on personal and corporate income taxes, social security contributions, property taxes, VAT and excises, considering changes in nominal terms and as a share of GDP. It compares revenue changes from different tax types in 2020 and 2021.

Chapter 3 provides an overview of tax levels and tax structures in OECD countries.

Chapter 4 provides a summary of tax revenues by category and by level of government for each OECD country.

Chapter 5 provides detailed country information on tax revenues for each OECD country.

Chapter 6 provides information on tax revenues by subsectors of general government for each OECD country.

In the OECD classification, the term “taxes” is confined to compulsory unrequited payments to the general government or to a supranational authority. Taxes are unrequited in the sense that benefits provided by government to taxpayers are not normally in proportion to their payments.