The Italian taxman hunts down the great tax evaders, the big ones who, through a shrewd use of the laws, manage to pay less taxes than they should. Or at least less taxes than one might expect given the enormous profits declared. It is a difficult battle, that of the tax authorities, but it is starting to give some results: there are several agreements reached by theInland Revenue with known names ofweb economy and not just the Web they have decided to negotiate with the taxman. The latest, in chronological order, is the French luxury giant Kering which, for its subsidiary Gucci, has agreed to pay 1,2 billion in penalties and interest. But Kering has illustrious predecessors, from Apple which pleaded 218 million at the end of 2015 to Google, Facebook and others. We started with modest figures, one could say, but the receipts for the state have increased over the years, in a crescendo that bodes well.
Here is a history of the successes achieved by the Italian state against the main big names:
- Google: In 2017, the Agenzia delle Entrate and Google signed an agreement for the tax years between 2009 and 2013. Furthermore, Google agreed to pay more than 306 million euro, including the amounts relating to the two-year period 2014 - 2015 and an old dispute dating back to the period 2002 - 2006. The amounts are attributable to Google Italy and Google Ireland.
- Amazon: At the end of 2017, Amazon signed an agreement with the Agency for the tax years between 2011 and 2015. Amazon agreed to pay 100 million euro. The amounts refer to Amazon Eu S.ar.l and Amazon Italia Services srl.
- Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC),: At the end of 2015, Apple paid the Italian tax authorities 318 million, a sum wholly disputed after a complex investigation by the anti-fraud unit and the Large Taxpayers Office. Apple, in fact, has agreed with the Italian administration, accepting all the requests made by the taxman. The news had a strong media impact and the success of the Italian tax authorities was highlighted on the pages of major newspapers such as: Financial Times, Telegraph and Guardian, El Pais, Le Monde, Times and New York Times.
- Facebook: Facebook reached an agreement in November 2018 with the Revenue to settle the dispute relating to the tax investigations conducted by the Guardia di Finanza and coordinated by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, relating to the period between 2010 and 2016. The agreement between the Agency of Revenue and Facebook was based on a reconfiguration of the initial disputes, without any reduction of the amounts which will give rise to a payment of more than 100 million euro referable to Facebook Italy Srl.
- Mediolanum: At the end of 2018, the Mediolanum Group signed an assessment with the Revenue Agency relating to disputes regarding relations with Mediolanum International Funds Limited. The path was based on a reconfiguration of the initial disputes regarding the location of the tax residence abroad of the company which, on the contrary, actually has its activity in Italy. All of this recalculated the transfer prices for the years 2010 to 2013 and resulted in a total payment of 79 million by the group.
- Kering (Gucci): The agreement with Kering is the latest signed by the Revenue Agency relating to the allegations against Luxury Goods International SA (LGI) . Part of the tax disputes concern the existence of a permanent establishment in Italy in the period between 2011 and 2017. Other findings concern the transfer prices charged by LGI with Guccio Gucci SpA The agreement provides for the payment of higher taxes for 897 million Euros, plus penalties and interest for a total of over 1,2 billion euros.
