07. February 2022
1.14 million account details retrieved in 2021
In 2021, the number of account data requests increased by more than 10 percent compared to the previous year. The tax authorities reportedly requested data on accounts, securities accounts, and safe deposit boxes from banks 1.14 times. This was reported by Welt (https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/plus236371973/Konten-Depots-Schliessfaecher-Finanzaemter-sind-so-neugierig-wie-nie.html), citing data from the Federal Ministry of Finance.
In 2012, the number of account data requests was 72,000 (https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Glaeserner-Bankkunde-Kontenabfragen-erreichen-neuen-Hoechststand-4649686.html).
“I therefore expressly welcome the improvements in data integrity and confidentiality achieved through the Tax Evasion Prevention Act. Whether these improvements will actually be effective remains to be seen. I doubt whether the account information requests are still proportionate given the increasing numbers over the years.”
The data is available to tax and social security authorities as well as bailiffs. Errors in transmission or confusion due to identical names can lead to account freezes or preliminary tax investigations.