AADE launches intensive summer tax audits in Greece

The Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) has launched an intensive summer operational plan involving mobile inspection teams, drones, and digital monitoring to combat tax evasion in Greece. Under a policy implemented since 2023, inspectors are no longer restricted to their local jurisdictions, allowing them to perform surprise audits in high-traffic tourist destinations such as Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, and Santorini.

AADE is utilizing advanced digital tools, including tablets with access to real-time data (myDATA, POS, and VAT declarations), to conduct rapid inspections. Recent data from late July indicates a high non-compliance rate, with 732 violations identified out of 2,252 inspections.

Furthermore, tax authorities are scrutinizing bank transfers to identify undeclared income or informal gifts. Key areas of focus include:

- Transactions between joint accounts where the contributor's share cannot be proven. - Use of cash, which voids the €800,000 tax exemption for gifts to first-degree relatives, triggering a 10% tax. - Successive or chain transfers between relatives intended to circumvent tax limits, which can incur a 20% tax. - Large transfers or remittances that do not align with declared income.

Additionally, AADE is ramping up communication with taxpayers through emails and phone calls to address outstanding tax liabilities and unsubmitted declarations.