Italy's 2012 tax hikes second highest in EU

(see related) (ANSA) - Brussels, June 16 - Italy's tax hikes in 2012 were the second highest in all the European Union with respect to gross national product, Eurostat reported Monday. In that period, taxation relative to GDP grew from 42.4% to 44%, the highest increase in the EU after Hungary, putting Italy in sixth place out of all 28 member States with regard to tax rates. Labor taxes accounted for the majority in Italy, at 51.1%, compared to the EU average of 51%.