Commission mulls VAT gap reform

Features discusses the findings in the 2015 edition of 'Study to quantify and analyse the VAT Gap in the EU Member States', covering the situation in 2013.

The VAT Gap is an indicator of the effectiveness of VAT enforcement and compliance measures, as it provides an estimate of revenue loss due to fraud and evasion, tax avoidance, bankruptcies, financial insolvencies as well as miscalculations.

It was estimated that the EU-28 lost over €160bn to VAT fraud in 2013.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG TAXUD: Study to quantify and analyse the VAT Gap in the EU Member States, 2015 http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/resources/documents/common/publications/studies/vat_gap2013.pdf

ESO: Background information: Commission presses Member States on VAT revenue collection http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commission-presses-member-states-on-vat-revenue-collection/

Kathimerini, 04.09.15: VAT loss came to 37 bln euros in 2009-13 http://www.ekathimerini.com/201218/article/ekathimerini/business/vat-loss-came-to-37-bln-euros-in-2009-13

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