Taxes: a new anti-fraud plan, who is affected and what are the penalties?

On May 9, 2023, Gabriel Attal announced a new plan to fight tax fraud. Here is what will change and the first targets.

The pension reform, highly contested by the French, lost popularity Emmanuel Macron . To regain his notoriety, the President of the Republic attacks, just after the publication of the law on pensions, to a problem that everyone agrees on : strengthening the fight against tax evasion. In the interest of this new project, on May 9, gabriel attal , Minister Delegate in charge of Public Accounts, announced a new fight plan against tax evasion. What changes will this bring for your taxes? Who will be affected by these new reinforcements? What are the penalties incurred in the event of a tax adjustment? Let's do a check in.

Tax fraud: unsatisfactory statistics

Before talking about the changes that will take place after the implementation of the project strengthening the fight against tax evasion, let's first talk about the past. Indeed, the fight against tax evasion is not new. tax evasion, false statements or serious breaches of tax obligations have existed for a long time.

' Over the period 2017-2021, in five years, 9 billion euros were collected on average each year following a tax audit, i.e. 45 billion in total over the first five-year period ', can we read in a article of Free Midi published on May 20.

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However, this is insufficient. In an article by C news published on May 17, we can read:

“According to specialized associations, tax evasion remains a particularly serious scourge in France with amounts estimated at nearly a hundred billion euros in lost revenue for the State each year. »

It is therefore entirely legitimate for the current government wishes to strengthen the fight . But what is being prepared then?

Strengthening of tax controls

To strengthen tax controls, the government plans to increase the number of tax auditors . According to our colleagues from Cnews,

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' the staff of tax audits and the fight against tax evasion will be increased by 15% by the end of the five-year term, i.e. 1,500 additional controllers '.

Tax police staff will also be strengthened .

' The staff of the tax police will be doubled from 2025, i.e. 40 additional officers ', still according to the Cnews article.

In addition, the means of economic and financial intelligence will also be intensified . To do this, the government plans to launch a major investment plan of 100 million euros. It is not for nothing that in an article of Echos published on May 16, the executive calls this fight 'unprecedented' .

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'This battle will be targeted'

Also in the aforementioned Echos article, the Ministry of Public Accounts declared that ' this battle will be targeted '. But who will be the targets? Large companies will be targeted . Indeed, in the Midi Libre article quoted above, we can read:

' The Minister of Public Accounts explained that the new agents in charge of controls will have to target the largest assets as a priority '.

However, individuals are not forgotten. To this end, the objective is that by 2027, the number of tax audits towards individuals expected to increase by 25% . For companies, the implementation of electronic invoicing will be of great help. In this regard, in the aforementioned Cnews article, we can read:

' For companies, the amount of additional revenue that could be collected thanks to the implementation of electronic invoicing is estimated at 3 billion euros '.

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New tougher tax penalties

To put an end to tax evasion, the government considering new sanctions against fraudsters . It is true that tax evasion does not lead to imprisonment. However, the executive plans to set up works of general interest (TIG) in addition to fines .

In addition, a new sanction is also provided for the specific offense of incitement to tax evasion. According to the Cnews article quoted above, the specific offenses in question are :

• The posting on the internet and social networks of real ' fraud kits ',
• The marketing of legal and financial tools intended to conceal income or assets.

In conclusion, people who commit tax indignity or who are convicted of serious breaches of their tax obligations will be temporarily deprived of certain rights , such as tax cuts and tax credits.

Sources : midilibre.fr , cnews.fr , lesechos.fr