Around €200m recovered from tax fraud last year

The Tax Agency of Catalonia uncovered tax fraud adding up to 196.8 million euros from 2017. It represents an increase of 15.7% compared to last year. The Catalan Secretary of Treasury, Albert Castellanos, announced the findings on Tuesday at a press conference, where he presented the figures of the annual report of the plan to prevent and reduce tax fraud. Since the plan being launched three years ago, it has uncovered 557.26 million euros.

According to Castellano, the figures "endorse" the Tax Agency's program, as it has allowed money in the hands of defrauders to become part of the public treasury and available for the Catalan government's public policies." The plan "includes 86 measures aimed at raising public awareness of tax fraud."

Some 75.4 million euros were uncovered by inspections. The Catalan Tax Agency has focused its work on property tax, and property transfer and certified legal documents tax, through campaigns targeted at specific sectors, such as loans between private individuals and administrative concessions. These two taxes account for 22% and 60%, respectively, of the 87.9 million euros uncovered by inspections.

The inheritance and donations tax fraud is relevant, as it adds up to 68.5 million euros. It accounts for 35% of the total amount of money uncovered. Then comes the tax on property transfer and legal acts, with 66.6 million euros uncovered, which accounts for 34% of the overall total.

Regarding the property tax, 52.9 million euros have been recovered by the Catalan administration, accounting for 27% of the total. Meanwhile, 7.4 million euros come from gambling taxes, 0.4 million euros from stays in tourist establishments, and 0.8 million euros from other taxes.