Whether it increases or not, theVAT remains the favorite victim of the Italian tax evaders. In no other EU country are similar peaks reached. The European Commission has also noticed this, which in a study to be published has defined the "inefficiencies and inequalities" in our country as "very high".
The judgment is linked to a sum: 36,134 billion euros. According to Brussels, this is the difference between the potential revenues and those actually collected by the Italian State in 2011. This is the highest level in the entire European Union, accounting for 27% of theoretical revenue. They come after us France (32,2 billion), Germany (27 billion) e UK (19,5 billion).
In the period 2000-2011 the ratio was 26%. Over this wider period of time we are in third place in the European ranking (together with Hungary), after Slovakia (29%) and Romania (42%).
In general, non-payment of VAT in EU countries has reached i 193 billion euros in 2011, equal to 1,5% of the gross domestic product (although the conclusions of the report, as the French daily "Le Monde" wrote yesterday, have been criticized by some states, which contested the methodology used).
The causes are different: economic recession, tax fraud, administrative inefficiencies, bankruptcy. “The report also suggests – explains the Commission – that high VAT rates and complicated tax systems (…) are the two main reasons for non-compliance with the payment of the tax”.
Today the Italian reference rate is 21%, but from next month could rise to 22%. In Europe, the lowest is in Luxembourg (15%), the highest in Denmark (25%).
