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The effect of card payments on vat revenue in Greece

Author

Listed:
  • George Hondroyiannis

    (Bank of Greece and Harokopio University)

  • Dimitrios Papaoikonomou

    (Bank of Greece)

Abstract

The effect of card payments on VAT revenue performance in Greece is investigated using quarterly observations on card transactions during 2002q1-2016q2. Time-varying-coefficient methods are employed, in order to study the role of increasing card payments after the imposition of cash restrictions in July 2015. We find that (i) a 1pp increase in the share of card payments in private consumption results in approximately 1% higher revenue through increased compliance; (ii) lowering the VAT rate can generate revenue gains; (iii) card transactions may facilitate tax buoyancy. It is argued that stronger incentives for using card payments in tax evading industries can help lock-in the recent strong revenue performance when cash restrictions are lifted.

Suggested Citation

  • George Hondroyiannis & Dimitrios Papaoikonomou, 2017. "The effect of card payments on vat revenue in Greece," Working Papers 225, Bank of Greece.
    • Handle: RePEc:bog:wpaper:225
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kenneth Rogoff, 2015. "Costs and Benefits to Phasing out Paper Currency," NBER Macroeconomics Annual, University of Chicago Press, vol. 29(1), pages 445-456.
    2. Hall, Stephen G. & Hondroyiannis, George & Kenjegaliev, Amangeldi & Swamy, P.A.V.B. & Tavlas, George S., 2013. "Is the relationship between prices and exchange rates homogeneous?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 411-438.
    3. Hasan, Iftekhar & De Renzis, Tania & Schmiedel, Heiko, 2012. "Retail payments and economic growth," Research Discussion Papers 19/2012, Bank of Finland.
    4. Nikolaos Artavanis & Adair Morse & Margarita Tsoutsoura, 2016. "Measuring Income Tax Evasion Using Bank Credit: Evidence from Greece," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 131(2), pages 739-798.
    5. Dario Caldara & Christophe Kamps, 2017. "The Analytics of SVARs: A Unified Framework to Measure Fiscal Multipliers," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 84(3), pages 1015-1040.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Oguzhan Akgun & David Bartolini & Boris Cournède, 2017. "The capacity of governments to raise taxes," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1407, OECD Publishing.
    2. Kodjo Adandohoin & Jean-Francois Brun, 2021. "The Role of Income and Property Taxes in Tax Transition and the Mediating Effect of Financial Development," Post-Print hal-03470540, HAL.
    3. Francesco Berardini & Fabrizio Renzi, 2022. "Mind the Gap! The (unexpected) impact of COVID-19 pandemic on VAT revenue in Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 669, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Kodjo Adandohoin & Jean-Francois Brun, 2020. "Are incomes and property taxes effective instruments for tax transition?," Working Papers hal-03053683, HAL.
    5. Jules Ducept & Evangelos Koumanakos & Panayiotis Nicolaides, 2023. "Consumption Taxes and Corporate Income Taxes: Evidence from Place-Based VAT," Working Papers hal-04564099, HAL.
    6. Christou Anna & Eriotis Nikolaos & Lomis Ioannis & Papadakis Spyros & Thalassinos Eleftherios, 2021. "The Greek VAT Gap: The Influence of Individual Economic Sectors," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4 - Part ), pages 851-882.
    7. Hrushikesh Mallick, 2021. "Do governance quality and ICT infrastructure influence the tax revenue mobilisation? An empirical analysis for India," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 371-415, May.
    8. Alvarez, Fernando & Argente, David & Jimenez, Rafael & Lippi, Francesco, 2022. "Cash: A Blessing or a curse?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 85-128.
    9. Dellas, Harris & Malliaropulos, Dimitris & Papageorgiou, Dimitris & Vourvachaki, Evangelia, 2024. "Fiscal policy with an informal sector," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    10. Bohne, Albrecht & Koumpias, Antonios M. & Tassi, Annalisa, 2023. "Cashless payments and tax evasion: Evidence from VAT gaps in the EU," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-060, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    11. Gkillas, Konstantinos & Longin, François, 2018. "Financial market activity under capital controls: Lessons from extreme events," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 10-13.
    12. repec:ers:journl:v:xxiv:y:2021:i:4b:p:851-882 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Marta Jakubowska, 2017. "The Role Of Cashless Transactions In The Process Of Limiting The Scale Of The Shadow Economy," Copernican Journal of Finance & Accounting, Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika, vol. 6(4), pages 23-37.
    14. Janina Kotlinska & Marian Zukowski & Pawel Marzec & Jaroslaw Kuspit & Zdzislaw A. Blasiak, 2020. "Household Consumption and VAT Revenue in Poland," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 2), pages 580-605.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • K34 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Tax Law

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