The Italian Revenue Agency reached record results in its actions against tax evasion during 2014, collecting additional tax revenue of 14.2 billion euro, a sum never seized before since its establishment.
"From quantity to quality, a matter of value"
Revenues from tax enforcement activities piloted last year increased by over 1 billion euro, a growth of eight percent compared to that in 2013. A worthy goal achieved despite a fall in the number of tax audits by 4.4 percent. That was possible due to the fact that the Agency concentrated its efforts on a range of ad hoc sectors considered at the highest risk for not declaring income. This quality change in the investigative strategy applied by the offices has revealed as a good performing variation.
"Tax data by operative sectors"
26 percent of the revenues came from large taxpayers with an annual business turnover of over 100 million euro, 22 percent from medium-sized enterprises, 21 percent from small businesses, and 21 percent from individuals.
"Billions of tax refunds served to millions of taxpayers"
The Revenue Agency also improved its services for taxpayers last year, and in particular sped up its payment of tax refunds, which amounted to 13 billion euro last year. Overall, around 3 million taxpayers benefited from this injection of liquidity, emphasized the Agency's General Director, Rossella Orlandi, during a recent press conference. The aim of this sped up in refunding millions of workers is also due to the aim of providing them with a significant boost of liquidity, given the better economic situation respect to the 2013 scenario. In fact, the tax Agency also disbursed a total of 430 million euro in individual income tax refunds to 585,000 taxpayers within a few months to support laid-off workers.
"The mouse on the spot"
The Revenue Agency's online services were also enhanced in 2014, during which over 80 percent of tax compliance activity was managed completely over the internet, thereby reducing time taken and costs faced by individual taxpayers and firms.
"Tax agenda new dynamics"
The new Italian tax deal is guided by the purpose to change the relationship between the tax authority and the taxpayer, in particular focusing on four basic pillars: a tax system that is simplyer, more certain, more digital, and with a lower tax burden thanks also to effective action against evasion. This latter means concentrating on specific sectors with a high level of tax gap rather than automatically everywhere and without a precautionary quality screening.