Introduction

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

Compared to a year as negative as last year, the high growth rate does not give a good idea of how tax collection behaved in 2021. 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 main reason for the increase in revenue was the recovery of tax bases, whose growth is provisionally estimated at 12.7%, exceeding by more than 4% those observed in 2019. On the other hand, the numerous measures of different kinds that had an impact on revenue did not represent, in net terms, a significant figure.

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