Having a fiscal representative in Greece (or a tax representative) becomes a legal obligation for certain companies developing taxable activities on the Greek territory. The types of companies that need to conduct this procedure can vary from country to country, as a EU member state can have its own tax principles, however, these principles must abide by the EU legislation.
In Greece, the obligation to appoint a fiscal representative is imposed to a large category of businesses. Our team of Greek lawyers can offer an in-depth presentation concerning the procedure and the situations when this requirement is imposed.
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When is it necessary to appoint a fiscal representative in Greece?
The obligation to appoint a tax representative is imposed to foreign companies registered outside the European Union (EU) which develop commercial activities in Greece that are taxed in Greece. This obligation appears in the following situations:
- import activities in Greece of goods that originate from countries outside the EU;
- the export of goods from Greece to countries located outside the EU;
- the purchase of goods from the other EU member states, that are sold in Greece;
- the supply of goods (on a business-to-business level) from Greece to other EU member states;
- the supply of goods and services to Greek individuals (on a business-to-client level).
EU companies that develop these activities are not required to appoint a fiscal representative in Greece. The requirement applies to non-EU companies that do not operate through a permanent establishment in Greece.
The purpose of the tax representative is to handle all the tax formalities that Greek companies and those that operate through a permanent establishment must comply with. Our attorneys in Greece can present more information on the main tax obligations of corporate entities.
What are the responsibilities of the fiscal representative in Greece?
The fiscal representative is appointed so that he or she can represent the foreign company in any tax matter. The person must register the company for VAT, for EORI, submit documentation to the Greek tax authorities, pay fees, submit tax reports and many others.
In the list below, our team of lawyers in Greece have prepared a short presentation regarding some of the main tax matters foreign companies should be aware of:
- the standard VAT rate in Greece is 24%, while special categories of goods are taxed with reduced rates (13%, 6%);
- the fiscal representative must conduct the necessary steps to acquire a VAT number for the foreign company following the rules of the Ministerial Circular POL 1281/1993;
- the representative must also apply for an EORI number in Greece if Greece is the first country to conduct customs activities in the EU, as per the Article 5 of the Regulation 2446//2015;
- the obligation to appoint a tax representative must be conducted as per the requirements of the Article 36 Par. 4 Case (d) of the Greek Tax Code.
Once the company appoints the fiscal representative, the person will be responsible for submitting quarterly VAT returns and paying the amount of VAT due. He or she must also address the Greek customs authorities, with the purpose of submitting import declarations and of paying various duties, if this is the case.
Please know that our Greek lawyers can act as your company’s fiscal representative in Greece, as they have an in-depth knowledge and expertise in tax law and tax procedures imposed to corporate entities.
You can also refer to our team for other matters. For instance, if you want to buy property in Greece for commercial purposes, you can always rely on our team for professional legal assistance and full legal representation throughout all the stages of the sale.
For any other legal matter and for tax assistance, we invite you to contact our law firm in Greece, where you will receive the necessary legal support, tailored in accordance to the needs of your company.