National Economy and Finance Minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, on Tuesday set the draft law “Measures to limit tax evasion” under public consultation. The consultation will run until Monday, November 27.
According to Kostis Hatzidakis, the ministry will examine all issues thoroughly.
It is recalled that members of the financial staff had left open the possibility of amendments to the final provisions of the bill before it is submitted to the Parliament at the end of the month, especially as regards the taxation system of freelancers and the self-employed.
The draft law includes:
- The mandatory posting of income and expenses on MyData in 2024.
- The ban on the use of cash in the purchase and sale of real estate.
- The new fair system of taxation of freelancers.
- The increase of the fine for using cash in transactions over 500 euros, to an amount twice the transaction.
- The regulation of the short-term rental market.
- Stopping the cooperation of fuel trading companies with smuggling offenders.
In addition, the reform is complemented by the following interventions that do not require legislative regulation and will be implemented through administrative acts:
- The completion of the interconnection of cash registers with POS in the first months of 2024.
- The extension of the obligation to have an electronic payment system (EFT/POS) to the remaining sectors of the retail market that currently do not have one.
- The mandatory electronic invoices in 2024 for which a relevant request has been submitted to the EU.
The Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kostis Hatzidakis, said: “This bill is a serious reform effort to deal with tax evasion. The government intervenes on many different levels in order to have tangible results for this significant problem: Expanding electronic transactions, limiting the use of cash, strict measures to combat smuggling, modernizing the framework for short-term rentals, a fairer way of taxing freelancers, so that employees and pensioners do not feel victimized by tax policy.
With all these initiatives we will be able to limit tax evasion and support our social policy accordingly, starting with health and education, as will be seen in the 2024 budget.”
