Studies on the interaction between transfer pricing of multinationals and trade policies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01659
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07040:Economic policy-related
• Research Institution: Gakushuin University
• Principal Investigator: Mukunoki Hiroshi 学習院大学, 経済学部, 教授 (90365065)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大越 裕史 岡山大学, 社会文化科学学域, 講師 (90880295)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 多国籍企業 / 移転価格 / 貿易政策 / 自由貿易協定 / アンチダンピング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research project, we focused on the issue of transfer pricing, where multinational corporations avoid paying taxes by shifting profits from countries with high corporate taxes to countries with low corporate taxes, and theoretically analyzed its relationship with trade policy. We found that, because the transfer pricing manipulation of multinational corporations is affected by the rules of origin in free trade agreements (FTAs), there is a case where the conclusion of an FTA will increase corporate tax revenues, but will result in losses for consumers and firms within the FTA region. We also showed that, when an importing country invokes anti-dumping measures against transfer pricing manipulation, policies restricting transfer pricing do not necessarily benefit countries with high corporate taxes.

Free Research Field

国際経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題は、多国籍企業の移転価格の操作という、税源浸食及び利益移転(BEPS)として国際的に防止が課題とされる問題について、自由貿易協定の締結やアンチダンピング措置の発動といった、現実に多く観察される貿易政策との関係を理論的に研究した初の研究であり、学術的に新規性があるのみならず、租税政策の担当部門と貿易政策の担当部門の協力が不可欠であることを指摘する、政策含意が大きい研究成果を提供している。