12/10/2006 1:31:43 pm
Increased Tax Pressure in the OECD. Between 2004 and 2005, the tax pressure increased in 17 of the 24 OECD countries for which there is provisional data. It decreased only in 5 countries. The biggest increases were in Iceland, the US and the UK and the biggest decrease in Hungary. Of course, this happens from low levels and Sweden is still the only one above 50 per cent, at 51,1 per cent. The average tax pressure in the OECD is now 35,9 per cent. Some comfort may be offered by the fact that the increases did not happen because of increased tax rates but because of increased growth. But then, of course the thing to do for a government would be to decrease tax rates instead of over-taxing their citizens.

Read the table with country data here - >