The Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR) described 2024 as a year of decisive developments, especially with respect to digital and organisational reforms, in its annual report released on Thursday.
It said that significant results have been achieved in the key pillars of its mission, such as ensuring public revenues, enhancing compliance, fighting tax evasion, preventing smuggling and upgrading services to citizens and businesses. It spoke of a wide range of digital, organisational and operational actions that have substantially enhanced efficiency and led to measurable results.
According to IAPR, coordinated interventions - such as the interconnection of cash registers with POS, the use of myData data and targeted controls - contributed decisively to the increase in compliance, bringing the total amount of revenue collected to 71.3 billion euros, exceeding the annual target by 6.3 billion euros. At the same time, more than 8 billion euros in tax refunds were paid.
  Other actions were also important to enhance tax compliance. A total of 1,706 businesses were identified that submitted zero VAT returns for 2023, despite having normal activity. Following the intervention of the IAPR, they proceeded with corrections, declaring additional outflows of 60.9 million euros. Similarly, for 2022, the 999 businesses that had declared zero VAT complied, after cross-checking, with myDATA platform data, by submitting declarations amounting to 46.7 million euros. In addition, 1,423 legal entities that had submitted no return for the same year were required to comply, declaring a total tax of 14.8 million euros.
  The customs administration carried out more than 109,000 controls, using modern risk analysis and input/output data management tools. A typical example is the Piraeus 3rd Customs Station, where more than 7 million euros worth of drugs were seized.
  At the same time, the fight against non-compliance was stepped up through 122,000 laboratory checks, sampling and inspections on energy and alcohol products, food and water, helping to protect public health and the environment.
   As stated by the governor of  of  IAPR George Pitsilis, "in 2024 we have strengthened compliance, we have used new technologies, we have upgraded our services and we have stood by the citizen and the business. Guided by the results of 2024 and fully aware of the challenges ahead, we continue to implement our mission with consistency and commitment."