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Domestic Revenue Mobilization at a Crossroads: Tax Policy Meets Data Analytics

April 7, 2025
Washington, DC and Online
Tax Policy Data

A live stream of the event will be available on this page on April 7. Register to receive an email afterward with a recording and event materials.

In many developing countries, tax policy is often driven more by pragmatism rather than the pursuit of optimal outcomes. Barriers such as informality, low tax capacity, political roadblocks, and limited data analytics often result in inefficient and inequitable tax structures that persist over time. Instead of pursuing holistic reforms, governments frequently rely on ad hoc adjustments that prioritize short-term economic and social goals without fully understanding their broader impacts. However, advances in data availability and analytical tools are gradually expanding the scope for more informed domestic revenue mobilization, offering new ways to navigate these long-standing constraints.

In this Policy Research Talk, World Bank economist Dario Tortarolo will argue that tax policy is at a crossroads. New data-driven approaches are reshaping how governments design and evaluate tax systems in real time, enabling policymakers to move beyond educated guesses toward informed, evidence-based decisions. Drawing on recent research on both national and subnational taxes—including value added taxes (VAT), personal income taxes, wealth taxes, business income taxes, and property taxes—the presentation will challenge conventional wisdom and demonstrate how countries can harness data analytics to better assess the efficiency and distributional consequences of tax policy.    

EVENT DETAILS

  • DATE: April 7, 2025
  • TIME: 12:30 - 2:00PM ET
  • LOCATION: MC Building (MC 4-800)
  • CONTACT: Michelle Chester
  • mchester@worldbank.org
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