Topical issues of harmonization of tax legislation of Ukraine with the requirements of the European Union

The article deals with the main directions of harmonization of Ukrainian tax legislation in accordance with the EU standards, key measures to optimize the taxation system of Ukraine in accordance with European norms. Considerable attention is paid to the harmonization of Ukraine’s tax policy with the approaches used in the EU. The article identifies the main principles and objectives of the EU tax policy, analyses the priority areas for improving the Ukrainian tax system in the context of its adaptation to European standards. The author emphasizes that direct taxation in the EU is based on harmonization of standards for taxation of individuals and legal entities, especially in the context of preventing tax evasion and resolving the issue of double taxation. Ukraine has already implemented some European and international standards, which helps to stabilize the basic principles of taxation, create a coherent tax base and improve the mechanisms of tax assessment and collection. The author comes to the conclusion that at the present stage the main difficulties of the Ukrainian tax system include: predominance of the fiscal function of taxes over the regulatory function; numerous regulations from other areas of law which partially regulate tax relations; insufficient level of legal guarantees for all participants of tax relations. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of international experience in the field of indirect taxation, which demonstrates the effectiveness of accumulating tax revenues for economic development, supporting low-income groups of the population, stimulating scientific and technological progress and increasing the country’s labor potential. The article suggests ways to overcome the challenges in harmonizing the tax legislation of Ukraine and the EU. Integration into the EU is a priority of Ukraine’s foreign policy, and harmonization of legislation is an important step in this process. Improving the efficiency of the tax system contributes not only to the financial stability of the state, but also to the intensification of business activity.