Optimal Commodity Taxes for Norway with Cross-Border Shopping

An empirically based simulation model consisting of a representative consumer is constructed and calibrated, for the purpose of finding optimal commodity taxes for Norway. The model includes endogenous labor supply and cross-border shopping. Focusing on commodities exposed to cross-border shopping, such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and food, optimal commodity taxes are computed conditional on the preexisting wage income tax and nonlabor income. The optimal tax structure is highly differentiated. Compared to the actual tax rates for Norway in the base year 2006, almost all tax rates on commodities exposed to cross-border shopping increase, the exception being the one on tobacco. The analysis demonstrates a considerable effect of making cross-border shopping or labor supply endogenous on the optimal tax structure.