The losses of the state from the “VAT Gap” amounted to 3.23 billion euros in 2021. According to the data released by the European Commission, the member states managed to combat tax evasion by reducing the “VAT Gap” in 2021 to 60.6 billion euros (5.3%) from 99.3 billion euros (9.6%) in 2020. In Greece the corresponding percentage decreased to 17.8% or 3.23 billion euros from 21% or 3.4 billion euros in 2020.
Despite the progress that has been made, our country still ranks third among the EU countries after Romania with 36.7% and Malta with 25.7%.
“The European Commission recently published a report on the VAT deficit, the so-called VAT Gap. According to the report, Greece presented a reduction in the deficit by 3.2 percentage points in 2021, i.e. to 17.8% of VTTL compared to 21% the previous year,” Deputy Finance Minister Haris Theocharis stated.
He added that “this is another essential step that proves the progress that has been made in strengthening tax awareness, enhancing tax justice and tackling tax evasion. The road is still long, but our will is also strong. The government of New Democracy and the National Economy and Finance Ministry will remain firmly committed to the necessary reforms which, through the modernization of procedures, the digitization of the economy and the evolution of control mechanisms, will face chronic illnesses of the system and strengthen social cohesion.”
The main objective of the economic staff is to reduce the percentage of the “VAT gap” further in the coming years so that in 2026 it reaches the European average or at least 9%.
