• In 2022, Romania recorded the highest VAT collection deficit in the European Union (EU), losing 30.6% of VAT revenues. However, this percentage is 4.2% lower compared to 2021.
• At EU level, the VAT gap increased in nominal value, reaching €89.3bn, which represents 7% of the revenue that should have been collected.
At the end of 2024, the European Commission published the VAT Gap report for 2022. At EU level, the collection rate decreased by approximately 0.4%, meaning an increase of the VAT gap from 6.6% in 2021 to 7% in 2022.
However, if we analyse VAT revenues, they increased by approximately €109bn in 2022 compared to 2021. This growth is largely due to the reduction of restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies, especially those in the sectors that were most affected, such as hospitality and services, resumed operations under normal conditions, leading to higher VAT revenues for member states.
The lo...