1. World problems
  2. Evasion of customs and excise duties

Evasion of customs and excise duties

  • Customs tax avoidance
  • Customs fraud
  • Carriage of contraband

Nature

When companies try to avoid paying taxes to the federal government in relation to the importation of goods brought into the country, it is customs fraud. This is a catch-all term for all kinds of fraud connected to tax evasion on imported goods. There are many different kinds of customs fraud, but the two major types are “antidumping” duties and “countervailing” duties.

Incidence

To indicate their inexhaustible range, a list of some smuggled consignments could include butter, cocaine, machine guns, political manuscripts, escaped criminals, stolen art masterpieces, refugees, alcoholic beverages, protected species of animals, tobacco, abducted women and children, and diamonds. Because of the difficulty involved in detection, some countries (such as the USA and the UK) may have very few smuggling convictions when compared with the thousands of minor and hundreds of major undetected smuggling operations annually.

The USA Customs Service estimates that about 10% of all imports are fraudulent. In fiscal years 1984 and 1985, only 27% of the textile and apparel imports involved in customs fraud were even detected. In Italy in 1993, cigarette smuggling was estimated to have cost the treasury £685 million in lost revenue.

For several years a Japanese car manufacturer exported to the European Union, from Hungary, vehicles essentially Japanese in origin. The manufacturer claimed the cars were of Hungarian origin, in order to take advantage of the duty-free treatment enjoyed by Hungarian exports. The fraud was uncovered in 1998.

Claim

Evasion of customs and excise duties is a critical issue that undermines national economies and public trust. It deprives governments of essential revenue needed for infrastructure, healthcare, and education, ultimately harming society. This rampant illegal activity fosters unfair competition, jeopardizes legitimate businesses, and encourages corruption. Addressing this problem is imperative to ensure a level playing field, protect jobs, and uphold the rule of law. We must prioritize robust enforcement and international cooperation to combat this pervasive threat.This information has been generated by artificial intelligence.

Counter-claim

Evasion of customs and excise duties is often overstated as a significant issue. In reality, the vast majority of businesses comply with regulations, contributing to economic growth. Focusing on this topic distracts from more pressing concerns, such as innovation and job creation. Instead of demonizing honest entrepreneurs, we should celebrate their contributions and streamline processes to enhance compliance. Overemphasizing duty evasion only fuels unnecessary bureaucracy and hinders progress in our economy.This information has been generated by artificial intelligence.

Broader

Evasion of the law
Unpresentable

Narrower

Smuggling
Unpresentable

Aggravated by

Documentary fraud
Unpresentable

Related

Strategy

Evading the law
Yet to rate
Being fraudulent
Yet to rate
Avoiding tax
Yet to rate

Value

Overtax
Yet to rate
Miscarriage
Yet to rate
Fraud
Yet to rate
Evasion
Yet to rate
Avoidance
Yet to rate

Reference

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal #8: Decent Work and Economic GrowthSustainable Development Goal #12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionSustainable Development Goal #17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

Metadata

Database
World problems
Type
(D) Detailed problems
Biological classification
N/A
Subject
  • Commerce » Customs
  • Commerce » Taxation
  • Societal problems » Crime
  • Transportation, telecommunications » Transportation
  • Content quality
    Presentable
     Presentable
    Language
    English
    1A4N
    D2620
    DOCID
    11426200
    D7NID
    137629
    Last update
    Oct 4, 2020