The outstanding tax debts of citizens and businesses alike increase each month, with the tax authorities being owed an estimated 66 billion euros, 4.325 billion of which debt was generated between January and April 2014.
According to the data published by the General Secretariat of Public Revenue, taxpayers have generated on average one billion euros of debt each month in 2014; 962 million in January, 1.39 billion in February, 1.2 billion in March and 763 billion in April.
Tax authorities managed to collect just 1.134 billion euros of outstanding debts in the first four months of 2014. Of that sum 702 million euros are debts generated before the 31st of December 2013, while the rest – 432 million euros – was generated in 2014. Additionally, 233 million euros of debt has been written off.
The General Secretariat of Public Revenue has also stepped up its inspection efforts, with 2,431 inspections of large businesses, offshore companies and wealthy taxpayers are currently under way. So far 2,481 inspections have been carried out – 415 of which were carried out in April – however greater efforts are needed to meet bailout commitments.
At present, 804 full inspections of large businesses are being conducted and in 131 cases a total of 190.53 million euros worth of fines have been imposed. So far only 55.73 million euros have been collected.
Likewise of the 370 partial audits of large businesses being conducted, in 168 cases fines to the tune of 22.8 million euros have been imposed. Regarding offshores, wealthy taxpayers and taxpayers with overseas accounts, tax authorities have planned 397 inspections and carried out 116.
