Greece seeks German know-how to tackle tax evasion

ATHENS, Greece – Greece has turned to a German state government to seek help in combating tax evasion.

Greek tax officials, initially numbering about 50, will be trained by the tax authorities of North Rhine-Westphalia, a state noted for its success in persuading German citizens to repatriate capital they had whisked abroad to avoid taxation. Their efforts have resulted in 1 billion euros ($1.09 billion) in extra revenue since 2010.

If Greek authorities request it, German tax inspectors will visit Greece to investigate cases, North Rhine-Westphalia’s finance minister, Norbert Walter-Borjans, said Saturday in Athens. He met with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and signed an agreement for the exchange of data and know-how.

Last November, Walter-Borjans handed Greek authorities a list of about 10,400 Greek citizens who had Swiss bank accounts.