Ponomareva K.A. European legal determinants of the national tax law

Abstract: The research considers the following issues: theories, concepts of European tax law on direct and indirect taxation; norms of the national financial law and the European law governing direct and indirect taxation in the EU Member States; the practice of EU Court of Justice in disputes relating to the matters of taxation, tax harmonization and tax sovereignty. The work points to several important things which represent the starting point for European integration in the field of tax law, in particular: tax harmonization in direct and indirect taxes, prohibition of discrimination and restrictions of the conference, as well as the leading role of fundamental freedoms for European integration. The EU Court decisions which became paradigmatic in the European tax law are given as examples of judicial practice. The methodological basis consists of general scientific methods (dialectical materialistic, systemic, induction, deduction, analysis, synthesis), and legal research methods. At the heart of the study is a comparative legal method allowing to identify legal issues that exist in the European legislation as well as to find the best ways to solve them. The research also employs specific methods: legalistic, historical and legal. On the basis of the latest EU legislation and court practice in the EU, a comprehensive comparative legal study of tax harmonization in the field of direct and indirect taxes within the EU was carried out. The positive and negative integration is a tool used by the European Union to eliminate tax frontiers within the common market. Today’s achievements in harmonization of indirect taxes are obvious. The unification in the field of direct taxes has so far succeeded in a lesser degree, but thanks to such important directives as prohibition of discrimination of fundamental freedoms, the Court of Justice has created a number of important precedents that have become sources of the European tax law. The fact of the sovereignty of Member States significantly influences interpreting and enforcement matters in the field of direct taxes. It would be optimal to find a position within the Union in the middle between unlimited policy to reduce taxes and complete association of tax rates. It could start the harmonization of the tax base for taxation of enterprises.  

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