The gap between expected and actual VAT receipts stood at 33% in Italy, which means, in a nutshell, 46 billion euros less in state coffers. This was announced by a report by the EU Commission relating to 2012, according to which the difference recorded in our country would be the fifth highest among European countries, after Romania, Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia, and on par with Greece.
In addition to fraud, this gap also results from bankruptcies, insolvencies and late payments. The European average gap between actual and expected VAT receipts was 16%, equal to a total loss in Europe of 177 billion euros. "Member States - explains the note from the Commission - cannot afford to lose revenue of this magnitude and must strengthen their action by adopting decisive measures to recover public money".
