The investigation began in 2021 and analyzed the routines carried out by the tax police in an area north of Milan
Italian authorities investigate Amazon and 3 executives from the company’s European unit to evade about 1.2 billion euros in VAT payments (Value Added Tax). The news about the investigation was released last year, but the details about its extension appeared on Friday (14.FEV.2025), reported by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. The information is from the news agency .
Amazon disputes the prosecution and said in a statement sent to Reuterswhich is committed to compliance with all tax laws. The company also pointed out that it generated more than 1.4 billion euros in direct and indirect tax revenues for Italian public coffers in 2023.
According to the agency’s sources, the Amazon algorithm allows her to sell in Italy’s outskirts from outside the EU (European Union), mainly Chinese, without revealing their identity, helping them to avoid payment of Italian VAT.
If they are confirmed in court, accusations may represent a threat to Amazon’s business model throughout Europe, as VAT is a harmonized European tax, the sources said. They could not be identified because they were not allowed to speak publicly about the matter.
In another accusation, in July 2024, the Italian tax police seized approximately 121 million euros from an Italian Amazon unit. The action was part of an investigation into alleged tax fraud and illegal labor practices that is also underway.
Milan prosecutors accused the Amazon Italia Transport Logistics unit to circumvent labor and tax laws, relying on limited cooperatives or companies that provided workers, omitting taxes on added value and reducing social security payments.
