Retroactivity of statutes in tax law

As a rule, in comparative tax law statutes do not have a retroactive effect. This principle may be either postulated in constitutions or derived by constitutional courts from the principle of legal certainty. The issue of retroactivity cannot be raised in the case of imposition of a property tax, si...

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Main Authors: Popović Dejan, Ilić-Popov Gordana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law, Belgrade, Serbia 2015-01-01
Series:Anali Pravnog Fakulteta u Beogradu
Subjects:
Online Access:http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0003-2565/2015/0003-25651501005P.pdf
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author Popović Dejan
Ilić-Popov Gordana
author_facet Popović Dejan
Ilić-Popov Gordana
author_sort Popović Dejan
collection DOAJ
description As a rule, in comparative tax law statutes do not have a retroactive effect. This principle may be either postulated in constitutions or derived by constitutional courts from the principle of legal certainty. The issue of retroactivity cannot be raised in the case of imposition of a property tax, since its taxable object per definitionem is property representing the result of the accumulation of unspent income realised in previous periods. Indeed, retroactivity is allowed in many legal systems subject to some strict conditions. The authors distinguish between retroactivity and retrospectivity, the latter being in principle permissible and denoting cases where a statute is applicable without grandfathering to the future consequences of a taxable event that occurred before its enacting. Analyzing the impact of Radbruch's values contained in the idea of law (legal certainty, purposiveness and equality) on the principles of intertemporal law, the authors conclude that the prohibition of retroactivity implies the primacy of the principle of legal certainty, while retrospectivity puts in the foreground the principles of purposiveness and equality. The European Court of Human Rights considers that retroactive application of a tax statute does not represent per se a violation of the right to peaceful enjoyment of property. However, the Court developed conditions that, being unfulfilled, qualify the application as disproportionate. Since Serbia and Montenegro ratified the European Convention on Human Rights, ECtHR's positions are relevant for Serbia's legislator.
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spelling doaj.art-86a2436105c7487baac66107beed18902022-12-21T19:45:23ZengUniversity of Belgrade, Faculty of Law, Belgrade, SerbiaAnali Pravnog Fakulteta u Beogradu0003-25652406-26932015-01-0163152210.5937/AnaliPFB1501005P0003-25651501005PRetroactivity of statutes in tax lawPopović Dejan0Ilić-Popov Gordana1University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law, Belgrade, SerbiaUniversity of Belgrade, Faculty of Law, Belgrade, SerbiaAs a rule, in comparative tax law statutes do not have a retroactive effect. This principle may be either postulated in constitutions or derived by constitutional courts from the principle of legal certainty. The issue of retroactivity cannot be raised in the case of imposition of a property tax, since its taxable object per definitionem is property representing the result of the accumulation of unspent income realised in previous periods. Indeed, retroactivity is allowed in many legal systems subject to some strict conditions. The authors distinguish between retroactivity and retrospectivity, the latter being in principle permissible and denoting cases where a statute is applicable without grandfathering to the future consequences of a taxable event that occurred before its enacting. Analyzing the impact of Radbruch's values contained in the idea of law (legal certainty, purposiveness and equality) on the principles of intertemporal law, the authors conclude that the prohibition of retroactivity implies the primacy of the principle of legal certainty, while retrospectivity puts in the foreground the principles of purposiveness and equality. The European Court of Human Rights considers that retroactive application of a tax statute does not represent per se a violation of the right to peaceful enjoyment of property. However, the Court developed conditions that, being unfulfilled, qualify the application as disproportionate. Since Serbia and Montenegro ratified the European Convention on Human Rights, ECtHR's positions are relevant for Serbia's legislator.http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0003-2565/2015/0003-25651501005P.pdfIntertemporal rulesTax statuteRetroactivityRetrospectivityEntry into force
spellingShingle Popović Dejan
Ilić-Popov Gordana
Retroactivity of statutes in tax law
Anali Pravnog Fakulteta u Beogradu
Intertemporal rules
Tax statute
Retroactivity
Retrospectivity
Entry into force
title Retroactivity of statutes in tax law
title_full Retroactivity of statutes in tax law
title_fullStr Retroactivity of statutes in tax law
title_full_unstemmed Retroactivity of statutes in tax law
title_short Retroactivity of statutes in tax law
title_sort retroactivity of statutes in tax law
topic Intertemporal rules
Tax statute
Retroactivity
Retrospectivity
Entry into force
url http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0003-2565/2015/0003-25651501005P.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT popovicdejan retroactivityofstatutesintaxlaw
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