EDITORIAL
The authorities do not fight effectively against tax fraud, denounced Monday a report of the Court of Accounts. When the movement of "yellow vests" demanded more tax justice, the institution of the Cambon street had been commissioned, at the end of the great national debate, by the Prime Minister to realize in particular a quantification of the fraud, subject controversial. However, it has not been able to produce an overall assessment of fraud, which the often quoted public finance union, Solidaires Finances, estimates at around 80 billion euros a year.
"It was Edouard Philippe who commissioned this report.The objective: to shed light on the amount of tax and social fraud.Many figures circulate indeed, often considered fanciful, but which have gradually imposed themselves in the political debate. For example, this one that we hear very often: the amount of tax fraud in France amounts to 80 billion euros.And this figure, where does it come from the trade union Solidaires finances public, an organization issue from the SUD union, and therefore very marked on the left.
"Magic number"
And in fact, these 80 billion have become a magic number, with which we can juggle politically. For example, they would be enough to fill the budget deficit; it is very convenient when one militates against a fall of the public expenditure, when one explains that there is no budgetary problem in France and that it is enough to take the money where it is. Implied: in the pocket of fraudsters.
As for the Court of Auditors, she said that she could not decide on the veracity of this figure, that she did not have enough time to investigate such a complex subject. She still provided some leads. For example, it figures social fraud at more than 9 billion euros. As for VAT fraud, it would amount to fifteen billion euros. This does not cover all tax evasion, but we are still very far from 80 billion euros. Especially since, in these 15 billion, there are also the simple errors of declarations of VAT.
"Rather good news for the government"
So it's good news for the government, but the report has been a cold shower. Indeed, the Court of Accounts says that Bercy does not do enough to track down the fraudsters. And that other countries are doing better, with more results, more recoveries. In short, the political advantage that the government thought of drawing from this report is reduced to nothing. He should have been wary, remembering that in taxation, in the minds of many people, there is a presumption: taxpayers (especially the rich) are all potential fraudsters, and governments are all dwarves in this area.
However, France has tightened its nets considerably, at the risk of sometimes going too far. This is how Bercy was sentenced this year to make nearly 5 billion euros to taxpayers (especially companies) who had been abusively taxed. It was not easy: it was necessary for the European Court of Justice to interfere. But of that, the militants of "always more Fisc" do not speak.