- Unveiled findings indicate significant instances of tax deceit being uncovered by investigative forces.
Over the past year, tax inspectors in Baden-Württemberg uncovered a substantial increase in unpaid taxes compared to the previous year. In 2023, they discovered over 322 million euros in unpaid taxes, which is around 65 million euros more than what was found in 2022. This information is derived from the tax administration's financial report presented in Stuttgart.
State Secretary of Finance, Gisela Splett, praised the significant achievements in the battle against money laundering and tax evasion. She stressed, "It's all about fairness. The honest taxpayer shouldn't be the one bearing the brunt." In light of the tough financial climate, it's vital that the state receives its due tax income to carry out its duties.
The Special Unit for Tax Surveillance (SES), focusing on large data sets, also managed to raise substantially more funds through its investigations, as per the financial report. The extra revenue from these investigations amounted to around 36 million euros, compared to around 16 million euros in 2022. The Finance Ministry attributed the higher revenues to the enhanced monitoring of corona test centers and gaming machines.
The Commission, in response to these findings, might consider adopting implementing acts to strengthen tax enforcement and deter unpaid taxes. Gisela Splett might advocate for the Commission to ensure that these implementing acts are in line with her principles of fairness and protecting the honest taxpayer.
