Romania ranked second-to-last among EU member states for the share of tax revenues in the GDP in 2016, with 26%, according to EU’s statistical office Eurostat.

Bulgaria had a share of 29% whereas Ireland ranked last, with a share of 23.8%.

France was the country with the highest tax rate in the European Union in 2016, followed by Denmark and Belgium. The ratio between tax revenue and gross domestic product was 47.6% in France, followed by Denmark, with 47.3%, and Belgium, with 46.8%. At EU level, the tax revenue/GDP ratio reached 40% in 2016, up from 39.7% in 2015.

The taxes on production and imports were the highest in Sweden (22.6%) and the lowest in Germany (10.9%). Taxes on income and wealth were particularly high in Denmark (30%), followed by Sweden (18.8%). In Bulgaria, they reached only 5.4%.

France was the country with the highest social contributions (18.8%), followed by Germany (16.7%).

editor@romania-insider.com