Romanian 'IRS' collects EUR 1.5 billion more in taxes in 2013

The National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), which collects the state taxes in Romania, reported budget revenues of RON 173.15 billion (EUR 39.18 billion) in 2013, 3.2 percent higher than the revenues in 2012. Back then, the ANAF collected RON 167.8 billion (EUR 37.66 billion), according to the agency’s annual report. However, the reported revenues were 3.8 percent under the planned level. The share of budget revenues in GDP was 27.7 percent, lower than in 2012 (28.6 percent). The state budget revenues were RON 117.3 billion (EUR 26.54 billion), up 2.9 percent compared to 2012. Revenues from personal income tax grew the most, by 8.6 percent, to RON 20.7 billion (EUR 4.69 billion), and revenues from excises were up 4.2 percent, to RON 21 billion (EUR 4.75 billion). V AT revenues grew by 1.8 percent, to RON 51.4 billion (EUR 11.6 billion), having the largest contribution to the state budget. Revenues from the corporate income tax were almost flat, at RON 10.9 billion (EUR 2.47 billion). ANAF also collected RON 37.85 billion (EUR 8.57 billion) for the social state insurance budget, 6.1 percent more than in 2012, and RON 16.57 billion (EUR 3.75 billion) for the unique social health insurance fund budget, 1.3 percent less than in the previous year. ANAF conducted over 40,000 fiscal inspections last year and determined extra taxes worth RON 9.28 billion (EUR 2.1 billion). The agency also applied over 12,300 fines for a total of RON 20.7 million (EUR 4.68 million). It also filed 3,192 criminal claims in which it signaled damages of RON 5.93 billion (EUR 1.34 billion) for the state budget. The Romanian state loses about EUR 20 billion each year due to tax evasion, according to estimates from the Fiscal Council, mostly from uncollected VAT. Although Romania has more taxes than most European states, the share of budget revenues in GDP is among the lowest. andrei@romania-insider.com