This platform is an electronic one-stop shop where all major company types can be established within a day, provided that all necessary information is given and a model articles of association is used.

More specifically, in a single day the new company will be registered with the tax authorities, the general commercial registry, the competent chamber of commerce and a notification will be sent to the national social security entity making the company ready to start operations.

The first step to creating a business in Greece is to choose one of the company types regulated under Greek law. There are quite a few available legal forms, with five of them dominating the market. They can be divided in two groups: a) personal companies, which resemble partnerships, and b) capital companies.

In order to establish a company in Greece, all partners/shareholders (and directors) need to have a Greek Tax Identification Number (AFM). Moreover, an account to the tax authority’s online platform is required for the use of the electronic one-stop shop for company formations.
For non-residents, the competent authority for the issuance of the above is the Tax Office for Residents Abroad. The needed documents are: a clear photocopy of your ID or passport and an application form filled out with your personal and identity information. Moreover, for persons not permanently residing in Greece, the appointment (by notarial deed) of a tax representative in Greece is mandatory.
The tax number and relevant account details are issued on the day of the appointment with the tax authorities (availability of appointments varies, usually within 7-14 days).

If all the information in this graph is provided, including the Tax Identification Numbers of the founder(s) & director(s), the company can be established on the same day. This of course means using the standard/model articles of association provided by the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and using the founders’ tax platform accounts and usernames.
For establishing a company with customized articles of association, a power of attorney will be needed and it will take longer than when using the standard ones (2-4 days), as it cannot be done via the electronic one-stop shop.

As an EU Member State, Greece has adopted accounting and auditing rules in accordance with the relevant EU Regulations and Directives. In general, different financial reporting obligations apply depending on various factors of a company, such as its annual turnover, number of employees and assets. Stricter rules, such as mandatory audits, usually apply only for public interest companies and large enterprises.
Taking into consideration the size and type of your company, our office can recommend trusted accounting offices and firms, with which we have a long-standing cooperation, in order to help you comply with the applicable laws in your specific case.