Malta, having joined the European Union last May, is now seeking international assistance in the pursuit of tax evaders. The principal type of tax evasion targeted concerns the VAT refund program and businesses claiming refunds fraudulently for transactions previously untaxed. The director general of the VAT Department, Oliver Vassallo, noted that some 92 percent of companies are in compliance with VAT requirements, which involves reporting of transactions and the payment of taxes. Non-compliance varies by region and type of business. Service providers appear most tempted to avoid the VAT rules, according to a report in The Times of Malta...[more]