Banks to now charge commission for tax payments in cash

Banks will henceforth charge customers a commission when they pay their taxes at bank branches in cash, following a decision signed by the head of the Independent Authority for Public Revenues Giorgos Pitsilis on Thursday.

The move aims to reduce government spending and boost efficiency, while furthering efforts to make the system fully electronic, AMNA reported.

More precisely, the authority has decided that it will only cover the commission charged by banks for transactions via electronic networks (Internet banking, phone banking, ATMs, APS), for transactions linked to the payment of the ENFIA property tax and income tax of individuals that are either over 70, severely disabled (>80 pct), wards of court, or live in very remote areas, provided that the money is paid via the bank account of the tax payer.

Charges for all other transactions must henceforth be covered by the individuals themselves. The move is expected to yield savings of up to 10 million euros annually.

“This decision is part of our policy to make tax-payers transactions with tax administration fully electonic and to eliminate spending that needlessly burdens the state budget, in order words all tax payers. This saving is especially important since if frees up funds to help strengthen policies to fight tax evasion and tax avoidance and to intensify tax inspections and customs prosecution on a nationwide scale,” Pitsilis said.

Source: capital.gr