Digitalization and Tax Compliance Spillovers: Evidence from a VAT E-Invoicing Reform in Peru

Download or read book Digitalization and Tax Compliance Spillovers: Evidence from a VAT E-Invoicing Reform in Peru written by Mr. Matthieu Bellon and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2022-03-18 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our study uses administrative data on firm-to-firm transactions and quasi- experimental variation in the rollout of electronic invoicing reforms in Peru to study the diffusion of e-invoicing through firm networks and its effect on tax compliance. We find that voluntary e-invoicing adoption is higher amongst firms with partners who are mandated to adopt e-invoicing, implying positive technology adoption spillovers. Spillovers are stronger from downstream partners and from export-oriented firms. Firms are less likely to continue transacting with a partner who has been mandated into e-invoicing, with the effect only partially reversed if both firms adopt e-invoicing, suggesting that network segmentation may occur. Smaller firms who transact with partners mandated into e-invoicing report 11 percent more sales and pay 17 more VAT in the year that their partner is mandated to adopt e-invoicing, suggesting positive spillovers in tax compliance behavior for this subset of firms.