Lebanese Economic Association

Research paper: Impact of increasing VAT on poverty in Lebanon

Thursday, 04 February 2010 14:28

THE POVERTY AND EQUITY IMPLICATIONS OF A RISE IN THE VALUE ADDED TAX: A MICROECONOMIC SIMULATION FOR LEBANON by Dr. Nisreen Salti and Dr. Jad Chaaban

Abstract:

This paper examines the impact of a rise in the Value Added Tax (VAT) on poverty and inequality in Lebanon. To this end, the paper develops an empirical model based on consumer demand theory and uses only household survey data on expenditures and spatial price indexes. The simulation results using own and cross price demand elasticities estimated with an Almost Ideal Demand System show that the projected VAT rate increases will have a non-negligible impact on poverty and inequality in Lebanon, despite current VAT exemptions.

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Download Arabic Summary ملخص الدراسة باللغة العربية

New Piece on Too-Big-To-Fail Banks

Wednesday, 15 April 2009 11:12

As the financial crisis keeps unfolding, concerns are being raised regarding financial regulation in general, and the treatment of large and inter-connected financial institutions that are deemed too-big-to-fail (TBTF) in particular.

Dr. Rima Turk Ariss, Assistant professor of Finance at the Lebanese American University (LAU) Business School discussed the topic of TBTF banks in an article published in Annahar daily newspaper Tuesday 14 April 2009.

Download TBTF article in English

Download TBTF article in Arabic

VAT Seminar

Tuesday, 07 April 2009 00:00

The “Capacity Building for Poverty Reduction” Project (joint project between the Ministry of Social Affairs and United Nations Development Programme), the Lebanese Economic Association and the Basil Fuleihan Institute of Finance have the pleasure to invite you to participate to a discussion session on a paper entitled “A Micro-economic Analysis of the Poverty and Equity Implications of a Rise in VAT in Lebanon”, prepared by Dr. Nisreen Salti and Dr. Jad Chaaban.

The session will take place on Tuesday April 7, 2009 at 9:00 AM at the Basil Fuleihan Institute of Finance, 512, Corniche El Nahr – Beirut.

Kindly confirm your participation before 6 April 2009 on phone number 01-388122 or by email to Mrs. Lydia Aghnatios: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Summary of VAT paper (Arabic version).

Power Point Presentation

A Micro-economic Analysis of the Poverty and Equity Implications of a Rise in VAT in Lebanon (Paper)