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By relying on WVS data and using multilevel mixed modeling, the paper tests the hypothesis that access to larger flows of information about government fiscal accounts and financial transactions increases citizens' willingness to pay taxes. By supporting such an hypothesis, our analysis suggests that in the presence of more information, the implicit contract between the government and taxpayers displays less stringent incentives and participation constraints and causes part of the contract, namely tax morale, to be enhanced. This finding supports the implementation of fiscal transparency policies, whose possible design is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Liberalizations in the EU have increased the market share of rail freight services. • Having more than one competitor in the market positively impacts on modal shift. • Nevertheless, this impact is modest and, anyway, lower than initial expectations. • Policy measures such as road-charging schemes can better contribute to modal shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the role of fiscal transparency as a determinant of foreign direct investment (FDI) attractiveness. It proposes an empirical test based on a panel regression analysis on data from 72 countries in the 2006–2015 time span. The evidence supports the idea that countries characterized by higher levels of budget openness attract more FDI inflows. In more detail, a higher degree of transparency during the phase of budget execution is associated with increases of FDI inflows, even when the sample is restricted to non-OECD countries and low and lower-middle-income countries. The positive effect is robust to several different specifications and is found to be additional to the one of general government transparency. Moreover, we also show that the role played by fiscal transparency in attracting FDI is independent of other close institutional determinants like control of corruption and regulatory quality. • Fiscal transparency attracts FDI inflow. • A higher degree of transparency during the phase of budget execution is associated with increases of FDI inflows. • The effect of fiscal transparency is additional to those of government transparency, quality of institutions and corruption. • FDI inflows increase also in the sub-sample of non-OECD countries and low and middle-low income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]