Tax crackdown: 194,000 audits & phone pressure campaign target debtors

Greece’s tax administration is shifting into high gear, launching a new era of enforcement and debt collection aimed at hundreds of thousands of taxpayers. The 2026 operational plan by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) includes an unprecedented 194,000 audits, alongside a coordinated campaign of direct phone calls to debtors.

Mass audits across the entire economy

The plan goes far beyond routine inspections. It expands into:

• market and business activity
• customs and goods movement
• complex financial crime investigations

Breakdown of audits:

• 53,900 audits by tax services
• 100,800 audits by customs authorities
• 39,300 audits by specialized financial crime units

The objective is clear: real-time detection of tax evasion and immediate penalties.

Phone “pressure” on 55,000 debtors

Alongside audits, authorities are activating a more direct enforcement tool: 55,000 phone calls to taxpayers with newly overdue debts.

Targets include:

• at least 60% compliance rate
• collection of around 45% of new debts before escalation

“The pressure will be immediate and continuous, before debts spiral out of control,” market analysts note.

Digital weapons and artificial intelligence

What sets this strategy apart is its heavy reliance on technology. Audits are driven by:

• myDATA and POS transaction data
• automated cross-checks
• risk analysis systems
• artificial intelligence tools

Early 2026 results already show:

• 8,000 audits conducted
• 50,000 violations detected
• €5.6 million in undeclared transactions uncovered

Goal: higher revenues, lower tax evasion

The finance strategy aims for a dual outcome:

• boosting public revenues
• sharply reducing the shadow economy

Estimates suggest total gains could reach up to €2.5 billion for state coffers.

Who is being targeted

Authorities are focusing on:

• recent tax years (last 3–5 years)
• VAT and income tax filings
• real estate transfers
• businesses with a history of violations

“Priority is given to ‘fresh’ cases with immediate collection potential,” tax officials emphasize.

AADE is entering a more aggressive and fully digitized enforcement era, where prevention, real-time monitoring, and direct pressure work together.

The message to taxpayers is unmistakable: Delays and omissions are now quickly detected — and increasingly costly.

Source: pagenews.gr