Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija

The article deals with the VAT gap, its split by causes and determinants, the problem of dependencies. The article also reveals the main ways of calculating the VAT gap - their advantages and disadvantages, summarizes the research done by theoreticians and evaluates the research results. After the theoretical analysis and presentation of the research methodology, the aim is to find out the variables that influence the VAT gap in Lithuania. Using the regression analysis model, the factors determining the VAT gap and their significance, as well as their impact on the decrease / increase of the VAT gap in Lithuania, were identified.

The article analyses and summarizes the various author’s approach to value-added tax (hereinafter - VAT), its role in the tax system and the impact of VAT revenue on the state budget. The article considers the features of VAT, its positive and negative characteristics, discusses the aspects of implementation of tax function, and identifies the revenue collection determinants examined in literature. The impact of VAT revenues on the European Union (hereinafter - EU) Member States (hereinafter - MS) budgets, and the dynamics of the standard VAT rate and income from VAT collection efficiency is analysed. Having selected four EU Member States (Bulgaria, Italy, Ireland and Lithuania), the method of pair correlation is used to evaluate the economic and VAT describing factors affecting the revenue from VAT collection in these countries. The most correlating factors in each of the selected countries were used to create multiple regression models. After discussing the situation of VAT in the EU, the article analyses the dynamics of the revenue from VAT part in the state budget income. It examines the changes of revenue from VAT, the causes that determined a (non) enforcement of the plan of the revenue from VAT, the efficiency of the collection of revenue from VAT and its reasons analysing the case of Lithuania. In order to identify the factors that determined the revenue from the collection of VAT in Lithuania in the period 2005-2015, three multiple regression models were se up, analysed and summarized.

Recently, the countries try to attract more foreign investments, improve the standard of living in the country and improve not only macroeconomic but also the indicators of the personal life satisfaction. More and more attention is paid to the tax system reorganization and evaluation. However, the different evaluation methods of the tax system can give different results and for this reason, there is not so simple to choose the right method or complex. The research was done with purpose to find out, which method of the evaluation of the tax system would be the most acceptable. On the basis of the results of the empirical study, there were identified the complex tax system evaluation criteria. According to them, the country, taking into account its specific characteristics, can compose the suitable complex tax system evaluation model. It can help to evaluate the country’s tax system in the most objectively way.