Introduction

Tax revenues in 2021 amounted to 223,385 million euros, 15.1% more than what was collected in 2020 .

When compared to a year as negative as last, the high growth rate does not give a good idea of what the 2021 collection behavior was like. The comparison with 2019 helps to make a better assessment. In this sense, 2021 income was 5% higher than two years ago, with positive results in the main figures (IRPF, Corporate Tax, VAT) with the only exception of Special Taxes. The fundamental cause of the increase in income was the recovery of tax bases, whose growth is provisionally estimated at 12.7%, exceeding those observed in 2019 by more than 4%. On the contrary, the numerous measures of different nature that had an impact on collection did not represent, in net terms, a significant figure.

Personal income tax income grew by 7.5%, which is a smaller increase than that seen in other figures, but it must be remembered that in 2020 these income increased, in contrast to the general drop in other taxes, thanks to the cushion provided by public revenues (AA.PP. salaries, pensions, transfers linked to ERTE and aid to the self-employed). In Corporate Tax, income increased by 67.9%, a very high rate as was the drop in 2020 (-33.2%). Compared to 2019, growth was also good, 12.2%. In VAT, growth was 14.5%, which offset the 11.5% drop last year. Collection was 1.3% higher than in 2019. The Special Taxes were the ones that, among the big figures, had the worst results in 2021. Revenue from these taxes grew by 5% and at the end of 2021 they were still 7.7% lower than in 2019. The evolution of subject consumption throughout the year was one of progressive improvement, but not at a sufficient pace to reverse the decline of the previous year. And added to this was the impact of the drop in the electricity rate since mid-September.