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Documentation requirements for taxpayers under Greek law – rights of access of the tax administration

Article 13 of Law 4174/2013 (Hellenic Tax Procedures Code) states that all persons with income from business activities are obliged to keep a reliable accounting system and suitable accounting records in accordance with the accounting standards specified in Greek law in order to prepare financial statements and other information in accordance with the tax laws. The accounting system and accounting records are examined as a whole, and not individual parts thereof, in terms of their reliability and suitability. “Accounting records, electronic tax registers, tax memories and files generated by electronic tax registers” must be retained for at least: (a) a period...

30 Mar 2020

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Liability for transfer of a Group of assets (Article 479 CC)

in Civil Law, Special topics

According to Article 479 of the Civil Code, “Where assets or an undertaking have been transferred by contract, the transferee shall be liable to the creditor up to the value of the elements transferred for the debts of the assets or the undertaking. The transferor’s liability is not extinguished. Any agreement between the parties which damages the lenders is void against them”. It may be deduced from applying mutatis mutandis Article 25, second sub-paragraph, of the Civil Code and Article 4(4) of Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 of the European Parliament and the Council, of 17 June2008, on the law applicable to...

30 Mar 2020

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Abuse of the corporate form – Piercing/lifting of the corporate veil

in Civil Law, Special topics

According to established case-law, piercing / lifting of the corporate veil is justified where: i. the legal person is used as an interposed person, ii. there exists a dominant shareholder who prevails in a manner such as that the company does not operate as a legal person, and iii. the institution is being abused, i.e. insisting on the principle of separation would lead to results unacceptable by the law, and the dominant shareholder uses the legal person either to circumvent the law or to intentionally cause damage to third parties or to avoid complying with its obligations towards third parties. Under Greek law, the...

04 Mar 2020

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Alternative taxation method pursuant to Article 5A of Law 4172/2013, as added by Law No 4646/2019 (Greek Government Gazette No A’ 201/12.12.2019)

Pursuant to the recent legal framework [Article 5A of Law 4172/2013], an individual who transfers his/her tax residence in Greece may be subject to an alternative income tax regime. The requirements which must be met are the following: a) The individual concerned has not been a tax resident in Greece for the previous seven (7) of the last eight (8) years; Cases: • Whether the individual appears in the records of the Tax Administration as a foreign tax resident for the previous seven (7) of the last eight (8) years, no supporting documentation is required. • Whether information proving the individual's tax residence during the...

20 Jan 2020

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Establishment of a branch of a foreign ΝGO in Greece

in Commercial Law, Special topics

A. A foreign Non-governmental organization (hereinafter “NGO”) can establish a branch in Greece, even if its legal form is not applicable in Greece. The supporting documentation required for the approval of the establishment in Greece of a branch of a foreign company by the competent General Commercial Register is the following: 1. Application signed before the Department of the General Commercial Register upon submission of the supporting documents. 2. Company decision related to the establishment of a branch in Greece, specifying the purpose, the location, the name and the legal representative of the branch; 3. Copy of the Articles of Association of the foreign...

07 Jan 2020

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Pizza industry growth model is changing

in Food & Beverages, Special topics

Market moving at 10% worldwide - Greek chains battling for their share. The digital age is signalling significant opportunities and challenges for the pizza market, both in Greece, where the industry is recovering after the maelstrom of the economic crisis, and worldwide. According to a Business Wire survey, the global market is expected to exceed $233 billion by 2023, with an average annual growth rate of over 10% for the period 2019-2023. According to international analysts, factors such as the increasing urban population, disposable income, consumer trends amongst the younger generation and the growth of the fast food market are expected over...

21 Nov 2019

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Upcoming tax developments in Greece

VAT Suspension of the imposition of VAT on construction activity for the following three (3) years. Reduction of VAT rates from 13% to 11% and from 24% to 22% within the following four (4) years, especially for baby essentials. Gradual imposing of e-business invoicing (B2B) and e- accounting books. Real estate tax Reduction of the Unified Real Estate Property Tax (hereafter EN.F.I.A.) rates within the next two (2) years. Suspension of the imposition of goodwill tax on the transfer of property for the next three (3) years. Tax deductions for the expenses related to energy functional and upgrading of...

21 Nov 2019

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Recent developments in Greek taxation and corporate compliance issues

1. Greece has adopted the EU anti- tax avoidance Directive (ATAD) through a new law, which is in force from 1.1.2019 onwards. The rules transposed in domestic law amended the following provisions: 1.a. The Greek thin capitalization rules (article 49 Greek Income tax code) were reformulated in order to fully comply with the Directive. However, no significant changes were made in relation to the previous provisions system, which complied with the Directive to a great extent. Specifically, excess borrowing costs are deducted in the tax year in which they are occurred only up to 30% of the company’s earnings before taxes,...

17 Oct 2019

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Acquisition & Revocation of Greek citizenship – Q&As