FAQ | infotax.gr

WHERE CAN FOREIGN TRADERS OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT VAT REGISTRATION SYSTEM?

Foreign traders can obtain information about the Greek VAT system at the following

address:

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance

Directorate-General for Taxation

Directorate 14 - VAT

Sina 2-4,

GR - 10672 ATHENS

Tel.: (+30210) 3647203-5

Fax : +30210 364413

WHERE CAN VAT LEGISLATION AND IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS BE FOUND?

IN WHAT LANGUAGES ARE THEY AVAILABLE?

VAT legislation and implementing provisions are available from the Ministry of

Economic Affairs and Finance referred to under question 1, in Greek Only.

WHEN MUST TRADERS REGISTER FOR VAT PURPOSES?

Foreign and domestic persons carrying out transactions which are liable to VAT have to

be registered for VAT. Transactions liable to tax are the supply of goods and services, the

import of goods and the intra-Community acquisition of goods effected for consideration,

within Greek territory, in the context of carrying out an economic activity

Once they have registered, the taxable persons receive a tax identification number, unless

they have already got one for other fiscal purposes, as there is no specific VAT

identification number.

The only exemption concerns farmers (natural persons) who are subject to the special

VAT scheme and who do not carry out intra-Community acquisitions of goods. Farmers

under the special VAT scheme who receive VAT refunds on their inputs are recorded in a

special farmers register.

IN WHAT CASES IS REGISTRATION UNNECESSARY BECAUSE THE PURCHASER OF

THE GOODS OR SERVICES IS A TAXABLE PERSON?

MAY FOREIGN TRADERS

Foreign traders need not register in the following cases:

a) where goods are delivered on Greek territory, within the framework of the

implementation of simplification measures relating to triangular transactions;

b) where services are supplied, and the purchaser of these services is the taxable person

(Article 9 of Directive 77/388/EEC).

In the above cases, foreign taxable traders may not register voluntarily

WHERE DO FOREIGN TRADERS HAVE TO APPLY TO REGISTER FOR VAT?

GIVE NAME OF COMPETENT BODY WITH ADDRESS

TELEPHONE NUMBER

FAX NUMBER

EMAIL ADDRESS

ETC

There is no special body dealing with the registration of foreign taxable persons.

They must register at the Local Tax Office

(∆ημόσιαΟικονομικήΥπηρεσία) in

the area where the foreign trader's tax representative (for third countries) or agent (for

Member States) is established.

Foreign traders subject to VAT may direct any queries they may have to the VAT

Directorate (see under question 1).

A list with all the details of the various DOYs is available on the webpage of the

Information Systems Secretariat-General at www.gsis.gov.gr.

DESCRIBE IN DETAIL THE PROCEDURE AND INDICATE THE SUPPORTING

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

FOR ISSUING TAX VAT IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS

IN PARTICULAR IN THE CASE OF FOREIGN TRADERS

The tax identification number (for VAT and direct taxation) is issued once the taxable

person has submitted a commencement of activity declaration. This declaration has to be

submitted before any operation has taken place.

If a foreign trader is legally established in Greece he is treated as a domestic taxable

person.

Traders not established in Greece must, before undertaking any activity which is liable to

VAT within Greece:

- appoint a tax representative, if they are taxable persons established in a third country;

- appoint a tax agent, if they are taxable persons established in a Member State of the

European Union.

The representative or the agent will submit a commencement of activity declaration on

behalf of the foreign trader to the competent Local Tax Office. A tax identification

number will then be issued as described above.

Together with the commencement of activity declaration, a document giving the name of

the tax representative or agent must also be submitted, translated into Greek.

Where the foreign operator registers in person, he must produce his passport, and where

the details are not entered in Latin characters, a certified translation of the passport is

required.

WHICH THRESHOLD DO YOU OPERATE AS REGARDS INTRACOMMUNITY
DISTANCES ELLING UNDER ARTICLE 28 B2 OF DIRECTIVE 91/680/EEC?

The threshold is 35 000 euros

WHICH THRESHOLD DO YOU OPERATE UNDER ARTICLE 28 A1A OF DIRECTIVE 77/388/EEC

(INTRACOMMUNITY ACQUISITIONS BY PERSONS QUALIFYING FOR A DEROGATION)
The threshold is 10 000 euros.

WHEN DOES A TAX REPRESENTATIVE HAVE TO BE APPOINTED?

A tax representative must be appointed where there is supply of goods or services, import

of goods or intra-Community acquisition of goods effected for consideration on Greek

territory.

Tax representatives are appointed on submission to the Local Tax Office of an

authorising document signed by the foreign trader, together with a declaration of

commencement of activity in Greece. This declaration must be certified by the Greek

consular authority where the trader is established, or by the authority designated for the

purposes of authentication in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961.

In the case in point, the tax authority may require such guarantees as it considers

necessary in order to safeguard the public interest.

WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF A TAX REPRESENTATIVE?

Tax representatives have the same rights and obligations as any other taxable person

established on Greek territory.

Tax representatives are jointly and severally liable with the persons they represent for the

payment of any tax, interest and fines arising from taxable operations in Greece.

IS A BANK GUARANTEE REQUIRED?

There is no obligation to submit a bank guarantee.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO APPOINT A TAX REPRESENTATIVE OR A TAX AGENT?

Since 1 January 2002, traders from other EU Member States have an obligation to

appoint a tax agent.

WHAT ARE THE RULES GOVERNING THE APPOINTMENT OF A TAX AGENT?

Tax agents are appointed on submission of an authorising document expressly stating that

the tax agent appointed is the trader's sole agent, and containing all the particulars of the

principal.

Tax agents may be any natural or legal person (except non-taxable legal persons) who is

already liable to tax and whose head office or permanent residence is in Greece.

WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF A TAX AGENT?

Tax agents who accept their appointment must submit a commencement of activity

declaration on behalf of the taxable persons they represent, a copy of the authorising

document, and an official statement accepting their appointment as tax agents, to the

Local Tax Office (DOY) dealing with income tax or to the DOY where the agent has his

head office.

Taxable persons established in another EU Member State also have an obligation: (a) to

keep either second or third category records irrespective of their legal form, and (b) to

submit and keep the data stipulated in the Tax Records Code (KVS). The above

obligations are performed by the tax agent appointed in Greece.

INVOICES

WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE ISSUE OF AN INVOICE?

Any domestic or foreign natural or legal person operating on Greek territory and aiming

to earn income from commercial, industrial or agricultural activity or a liberal profession

is obliged to issue and keep invoices, when making sales to other businesses.

The same obligations apply to utilities, consortia of firms, the State, other legal persons

other than partnerships, non-profit committees and associations, foreign missions and

international organisations.

In what circumstances?

The circumstances in which invoices must be issued are as follows:

(1) for the sale of goods on own account or for a third party, or for the right to import,

and the provision of services between businesses;

(2) where the business receives subsidies, financial aid, compensation, refunds of

indirect taxes, duties or interest, levies, other miscellaneous income and sums

credited to its account, provided this is acknowledged in writing;

(3) where goods belonging to third parties are sold by a representative or contract

work is carried out;

(4) where deductions or refunds are not recorded on any other invoice;

(5) in exceptional cases an invoice is issued by the purchaser when:

– the seller who is liable to issue an invoice refuses to do so;

– the seller is a farmer covered by the special VAT scheme and is therefore not

obliged to issue an invoice.

How soon after the sale or the supply of a service must the invoice be issued?

There are two cases where the time of issue of the invoice is important.

(1) The supply of goods. In this case the invoice is issued when the goods are

delivered or dispatched to the recipient. The invoice may be issued up to one

month later, but always within the same tax year, provided carriage was covered by

a consignment note.

(2) The supply of services. In this case the invoice is issued when supply is effected.

There are also special cases:

(a)when the supply of the service is spread over time. The invoice is issued when

part of the payment becomes due for the part of the service that has already

been provided (accrued income);

(b)in the case of construction and other technical works, the invoice is issued

within one month of provisional settlement of accounts, provided this is

within the same tax period as that of the settlement.

In the case of contracted services for a fixed period of time and a fixed fee,

the invoice is issued on payment. It may never be issued after the expiry of

the time limit set in the contract.

What information must appear on the invoice?

The date of issue, full identification of the parties, details of the transaction and the serial

numbers of any consignment notes issued for the carriage of the goods concerned.

Full details of a trader are his full name or company name, profession, address, tax

number and local tax office.

In transactions involving the State or equivalent bodies, international organisations and

foreign missions, the invoice should contain at least the name and the address.

Full details of a transaction are: in the case of a supply of goods, the type of goods, the

quantity, the unit of measurement and the unit price, and in the case of a supply of

services, the value or kind of services and the charge, broken down as necessary by VAT

rate (or without VAT). Any deductions must also be noted.

There are special cases where the invoice must contain additional information.

(a)An invoice issued by the representative of a foreign firm should give not only

the information mentioned above but also details of the bank via which the

transaction was effected, details of the foreign firm and the number of the

invoice or order form relating to the transaction.

(b)In the event of a return of goods, deductions and other discrepancies, without

VAT and referring to previous transactions, a credit invoice is issued

showing not only details of the parties concerned, but also the kind,

quantity, unit of measurement, price and value per VAT rate of the

returned goods, the amount of deductions and any discrepancies, the serial

number or numbers of the data of the transaction concerned by the return

or the deduction granted, and the VAT. The above numbers are not

required for discounts calculated on sales.

ARE THERE EXEMPTIONS FROM THE OBLIGATION TO ISSUE AN INVOICE?

IF SO TO WHAT CATEGORIES OF BUSINESS DO THEY APPLY?

The only cases where an invoice does not need to be issued are as follows:

(a)sales of immovable property, industrial plants, ships, motor vehicles, aircraft

and the like, provided a sales contract has been drawn up, and the sale of

shares, bills, bonds etc.;

(b)sales of non-mineral water, gas, electricity, thermal energy and the provision of

telecommunications, postal, banking, stock exchange and financial

services, provided that the undertakings selling those goods or services

issue other documents containing the information normally entered on an

invoice, except for the tax identification number and the name of the Local

Tax Office concerned, and that a copy of those documents is handed to the

customer;

(c)sales of goods which cannot be resold by the buyer, of a value per transaction

of up to 50 euro provided a retail receipt is issued.

For sales of goods or provision of services to the final consumer, a retail receipt is issued

instead of an invoice.

QUARTERLY VAT RETURNS

UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IS A TRADER OBLIGED TO SUBMIT A VAT RETURN FORM?

VAT declarations are submitted by traders who:

(a)sell goods or provide services which are subject to VAT;

(b)acquire goods by way of intra-Community transactions.

VAT declarations are not submitted by small businesses with an annual turnover of less

than:9 000 for the supply of goods, or 4 000 for the supply of services.

IS FURTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED IN ADDITION TO THAT STIPULATED BY

ARTICLE 22(6) OF DIRECTIVE 77/388/EEC AS AMENDED BY DIRECTIVE 91/680/EEC?

In addition to the information stipulated by Article 22(6) of Directive 91/680/EEC, the

following must also be entered in the recapitulative statements: (1) the details of the local

tax authorities, (2) the currency used in the recapitulative statements (EUR), (3) a special

column for entering information relating to triangular transactions (Article 16(3) of

Directive 77/388/EEC) in the recapitulative statement of supplies form, and (4) a special

column for entering information relating to triangular - notional acquisitions in the

recapitulative statement of acquisitions form.

VAT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

BE le numéro d'identification à la taxe sur la valeur ajoutée

BTW - identificatienummer

DK momsregistreringsnummer

DE Umsatzsteuer - Identifikationsnummer

EE käibemaksukohustuslasena registreerimise number

EL Arithmos Forologikou Mitroou FPA

ES el número de identificación a efectos del Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido

FR le numéro d'identification à la taxe sur la valeur ajoutée

IE value added tax identification no.

IT il numero di registrazione IVA

CY Αριθμος εγγραφης ΦΠΑ Arithmos Egrafis FPA

LV pievienot

LT PVM mok tojo kodas

LU le numéro d'identification à la taxe sur la valeur ajoutée

HU MT numru ta’ l-identifikazzjoni tat-taxxa fuq il-valur miújud

value added tax identification number

NL BTW - identificatienummer

AT Umsatzsteuer - Identifikationsnummer

PT o número de identificação para efeitos do imposto sobre o valor acrescentado

SI identifikacijska številka za DDV

SK identifika e ne e íslo pre da

FI arvonlisãverorekisterõintinumero

Mervärdesskatteregistreringsnummer (momsregistreringsnummer)

SE Mervärdesskatteregistreringsnummer (momsregistreringsnummer)

GB value added tax (VAT) registration no

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