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UNU-WIDER contributes to policy recommendations for the G20

UNU-WIDER Research Fellow Amina Ebrahim has contributed to a policy brief on tax expenditure reporting that was produced as part of the Think20 (T20). The policy brief offers policy recommendations for the G20 taking place in Brazil in November 2024. 

It tackles the issue of tax expenditures which are preferential tax treatments like exemptions, deductions, or credits that governments use to support different policy goals. Tax expenditures significantly reduce government revenue, and countries’ reporting on the matter often lacks transparency. 

The policy recommendations in the policy brief emphasize establishing minimum standards for reporting, improving data availability, including tax expenditures analysis into budget cycles, and sharing tax expenditure information in a timely manner. 

Dr Ebrahim has contributed to this brief by sharing her expertise in making tax data accessible for evaluating tax expenditures, based on the Tax research for development project she leads at UNU-WIDER. Making tax data available to researchers and policymakers alike has been one of UNU-WIDER’s main contributions to development economics, as exemplified by supporting the establishment of two secure data labs in South Africa and Uganda. 

Think20 

The T20 is a G20 engagement group that brings together think tanks and research centres from G20 members and guest countries and organizations. It seeks to inform the discussions taking place at the G20 with evidence-based research through side events, policy briefs, task forces, and a T20 conference on the side lines of the G20. This year’s T20 Conference is being held in Brazil on 11–12 November.