A practical route into the Greek market
Doing Business in Greece
Turn a commercial opportunity into a compliant, operational and scalable Greek business presence.
Doing business in Greece requires more than selecting a legal form. The right market-entry plan connects contracts, tax residence, permanent establishment risk, VAT, people, banking, accounting and management control before the first transaction. N.KOLYDAS I.K.E. helps international companies convert their commercial model into a practical Greek structure that can operate from day one.
Choose a Route That Fits the Business You Intend to Build
The right structure protects commercial flexibility while controlling tax exposure, administrative cost and future restructuring risk.
Greek Company
Build a dedicated Greek operation with local invoicing, employees and liability separation. IKE is often considered for flexible privately held structures.
Greek Branch
Extend the foreign legal entity into Greece while keeping the parent directly responsible for the branch's Greek activity and obligations.
Greek Subsidiary
Create a separate group company for local investment, governance, financing, contracts and a clearer division of operational risk.
Targeted Registration
Use an AFM, VAT or employer route where the facts permit, without automatically creating a full company that the business may not need.
Structure before registration
A Fast Registration Can Still Be an Expensive Wrong Turn
Choosing a legal form before reviewing the actual flow of contracts, people and revenue can lead to duplicated costs, VAT problems, banking delays or an unexpected permanent establishment. We test the commercial model first, then select the Greek route that can support it.
- Who signs contracts and carries commercial risk?
- Where are management decisions made?
- Will employees, offices, inventory or equipment be located in Greece?
- Which entity invoices customers and receives revenue?
- Is the Greek presence temporary, limited or intended to grow?
Understand the Headline Rates, Then Plan the Real Tax Position
Rates matter, but the final result is shaped by deductible costs, shareholder residence, treaty access, financing, profit distribution and the substance of the Greek operation.
Corporate Income Tax
Greek companies are generally taxed on taxable business profits at the standard corporate income-tax rate.
Dividend Withholding
Greek-source dividends are generally subject to withholding, with treaty or EU relief reviewed where conditions are met.
Standard VAT
The standard Greek VAT rate applies unless a reduced rate, exemption, reverse charge or special regime is relevant.
Permanent Establishment
People, premises, contracts and dependent activity may create Greek taxable presence even without a local company.
What Must Be Decided Before the First Greek Invoice
A market-entry structure is ready only when the legal form, transaction flow and daily operating responsibilities point in the same direction.
Be ready to trade, not only to register
Your Greek Business Must Work the Morning After Formation
The real launch begins when the first invoice, payment, employee or supplier transaction appears. We build the accounting and reporting workflow around the way your business actually operates, reducing last-minute corrections and giving management a clearer view of Greek obligations.
- Greek chart of accounts and bookkeeping workflow
- myDATA and electronic invoicing readiness
- VAT, VIES, Intrastat or OSS review where relevant
- Payroll and employer registrations before employment begins
- UBO, GEMI and annual corporate compliance
- Bank KYC file and transaction-documentation readiness
One Connected Project from Decision to First Reporting Cycle
Instead of separating formation, tax and accounting into disconnected tasks, we manage them as one operating launch.
Business Review
Activities, contracts, founders, parent company, people and Greek objectives.
Tax Risk Map
Corporate tax, VAT, payroll, PE and cross-border exposure.
Route Selection
Company, branch, subsidiary or limited registration route.
Registration File
Corporate, UBO, representative, legalisation and translation documents.
Tax Onboarding
AFM, VAT, activity codes, employer and reporting setup.
Compliance Launch
Accounting, myDATA, VAT, payroll and annual follow-up.
One accountable point in Greece
A Greece Desk That Turns International Instructions into Local Execution
You should not need to coordinate a different contact for every Greek registration, tax question and reporting deadline. Our Greece Desk receives the commercial and professional instructions, converts them into a local action plan and follows the implementation with the relevant accounting, tax and procedural teams.
International management keeps visibility over decisions and deadlines, while the Greek file moves forward with clear ownership, English-language communication and fewer handover gaps.
- Single coordination point for founders, CFOs and international advisors
- Document mapping before translation, certification or legalisation costs arise
- Progress tracking from structure decision to operational compliance
- Ongoing support after the initial market-entry project is complete
Frequently Asked Questions
Key questions foreign businesses ask before entering Greece.
Can a foreign company do business in Greece?
Yes. Depending on the activity, it may form a Greek company, register a branch or subsidiary, or use a more limited tax, VAT or employer-registration route.
Is a Greek company always necessary?
No. The correct route depends on the operating model and whether the activity creates Greek corporate, VAT, payroll or permanent-establishment obligations.
Can the setup be coordinated remotely?
A substantial part of the review and file preparation can usually be coordinated remotely. Certified signatures, legalisation, banking or specific procedures may still require additional steps.
What taxes should a foreign investor consider?
Corporate income tax, dividend withholding, VAT, payroll taxes, permanent-establishment exposure and treaty relief should be reviewed according to the structure and transactions.
What happens after company formation?
The business must organise bookkeeping, invoicing, myDATA, VAT, payroll where relevant, corporate reporting and annual tax compliance.
Does formation automatically include a Greek bank account?
No. Company registration and bank onboarding are separate procedures. The bank independently reviews ownership, source of funds, expected transactions, business activity and compliance risk.
Can activity in Greece create tax exposure without a Greek company?
Yes. Personnel, premises, agents, projects, contracts or other local activity may create VAT, payroll or permanent-establishment obligations even when no Greek company has been formed.
Can you support the business after market entry?
Yes. N.KOLYDAS I.K.E. provides ongoing accounting, tax, VAT, payroll and compliance support for Greek and foreign-owned businesses.
Before You Register, Test the Route
Send us your activity, ownership structure, expected contracts, transaction flow and staffing plan. We will identify the decisions that affect setup cost, tax exposure and operational readiness in Greece.