HOUR Greece experienced the third largest decline in real wages among its countries. OECD in the previous year, according to the Agency’s report Payroll taxation. Height inflation 9.7% led to real income will decrease by 7.4% in 2022 compared to 2021, while, on the contrary, the average nominal gross salary in 2022 increased by 1.5% and amounted to 19,912 euros compared to 19,614 euros in 2021

In Germany, for example, where inflation was 8.5% last year, the decline in real salary decreased by 3.9%. In Italy, inflation was 8.1%, with a 2.2% decline in real wages, and in Portugal, inflation was 8.3%, with a real wage decline of 3.5%.

The total tax burden of employees in Greece (income tax and social security contributions they pay to the state) as a percentage of the total cost of labor decreased slightly by 0.02 percentage points. for single childless workers with an average income and amounted to 37.1%. , the agency said in a statement.

The slight decrease in the burden was mainly the result of a reduction in employee and employer contributions to supplementary insurance, which reduced the burden by 0.21 percentage points overall. This decrease was more than offset by a 0.18 percentage point increase in the income tax burden due to an increase in nominal income.

The tax burden remains high for workers with children.

However, Greece continues to have one of the highest burdens (despite slight declines in some categories) among OECD countries, with the average stagnating at 34.6%.

On the contrary, a big problem that our country has not faced is the burden on families with children. In particular, for married couples with two children, one of whom receives the average wage and the other 67% of the average wage, the tax burden increased by 1.52 percentage points. up to 35.7%. According to the OECD, the increase is due to the fact that in the above category, child benefits were “lost” due to an increase in the average wage (and possibly the minimum wage). In OECD countries, the average increase in the tax burden for this category amounted to 0.45 percentage points, up to 29.4%.

In Denmark, fees for families with two children are 31.2%, in Ireland 27.7% and in Poland 22.2%. The highest fees are levied by Belgium at 45.5%, Germany at 40.8% and France at 40.7%.

For couples with two children and one worker with an average wage, the total burden increased slightly by 0.03 percentage points to 33.7%, while in OECD countries it increased by an average of 1.05 percentage points to 25.6% .

The results of the report, says the OECD, highlight the importance of policies aimed at mitigating the impact of inflation. From the data collected, it appears that 17 countries introduced automatic adjustments to their personal income tax system last year, while 21 countries made adjustments at their own discretion. Most countries have started adjusting premiums and half have started adjusting benefits. However, it is noted that families with children have the highest burden of any OECD country.