In anticipation of the 2025 Athens Tax Forum, to be held on November 3 this year, Business Partners reached out to distinguished experts from some of the top tax firms operating in Greece, inviting them to share their perspectives on the future of taxation and the economy, in Greece as well as globally.
From the pressures of global tax policy reforms and the opportunities of digital transformation to the persistent challenges of labor taxation and the need to boost competitiveness, these articles touch on key issues, providing critical insights that will frame the conversations at the upcoming Athens Tax Forum. They also highlight the urgent need for businesses, policymakers, and professionals to adapt, innovate, and prepare for a future in which agility, data, and collaboration define success.
Responding to Shifting Dynamics in the Global Tax Environment
By Effie Adamidou, Partner, Head of Tax and Legal, KPMG in Greece
Participation in technological advancements and their integration into the production process has always been one of the most critical drivers of a country’s economic development. This progress depends on the scientific human capital that takes part in the national production system.
Despite having high rates of tertiary education graduates, Greece remains a country with a weak production plan and an ineffective model for integrating new scientific personnel into it. The previous decade was marked by a significant brain drain of the country’s scientific workforce. Now, as the economy recovers, it is imperative to consider the prospect of brain gain—and, crucially, the incentives that must be offered to young scientists to participate in the country’s production process, as a counterbalance to the attractive financial opportunities they can find abroad.
As the economy recovers, it is imperative to focus on brain gain and the incentives that must be offered to young scientists
In recent years, the state has sought to foster the growth of companies involved in research and technological innovation. However, the tangible benefits of these efforts are often realized by their parent and subsidiary companies abroad, while Greece is left with an initial research effort.
Despite Greece’s exceptional environment—undeniably a major factor in attracting young scientists—it often does not become the final choice for many of the most capable among them. Economic factors have proven to be the main obstacle. Anyone who closely examines the state-imposed burdens placed on labor in Greece—particularly taxation and social security contributions—will quickly recognize a fundamental barrier to retaining top scientific talent. This outdated model excludes employees from active profit sharing in the businesses they contribute to and is a main reason why outstanding scientists are distancing themselves from the country’s production system.
In an era of rapid transformation in both production and the global economy, it is imperative that Greece fundamentally reconsiders labor related state burdens and how it incentivizes talent and that it effectively reassesses the model of profit distribution to employed scientists. Opportunities of this kind are not only rare—they are often decisive.
The Future of Taxation in Greece and How to Capture It
By Spyros Kaminaris, Partner, Head of Tax Services, EY Greece
How are corporate tax functions in Greece responding to global disruption, local legislative shifts, and a digital-first tax authority? EY’s first tax survey in Greece aims to map the country’s evolving tax landscape.
Capturing the perspectives of 124 executives of companies operating in the Greek market, the EY Tax Survey Greece 2025 offers valuable insights into the trends shaping the future of taxation in the country.
The trajectory is evident: Tax and finance departments are being called to adapt and transform, in order to meet increasing demands for compliance and information reporting, while also serving as strategic advisors in business decisionmaking.
Half of respondents (51%) identified compliance with Greece’s tax-related technological framework as their foremost priority over the next three years—but here’s the trade-off: As teams double down on meeting compliance requirements, their bandwidth for strategic contribution appears to be shrinking. Notably, 37% of respondents feel they are unable to adequately advise their organization’s leadership, given the complexity and unpredictability of the tax landscape, both locally and globally.
To stay ahead, tax departments need to build adaptive, insight-driven functions
Meanwhile, tax risks are on the rise, with transfer pricing becoming a focal point amid increased regulatory scrutiny. Two out of three respondents (65%) reported a greater risk or uncertainty around tax legislation or regulation over the past two years, while 70% expect a significant or moderate impact on their organizations’ transfer pricing policy due to heightened enforcement focus by the tax authorities.
To stay ahead, tax departments need to build adaptive, insight-driven functions, and that means investing in two areas: technology and talent.
Electronic Invoicing in Greece: A Catalyst for Businesses to Embrace Digital Transformation
By Michalis Markogiannakis, Director, Head of Tax Compliance and myData services, PwC Greece
In today’s business landscape, digital transformation is no longer a choice but a necessity. One significant aspect of this transformation is electronic invoicing, the adoption of which is not only a regulatory requirement but also an opportunity for companies to improve efficiency and compliance.
Greece had introduced over the previous years a business-to-government (B2G) e-invoicing mandate. Also, taking parallel steps to the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council’s (ECOFIN) agreement for the adoption of the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) Directive, which includes the introduction of mandatory e-invoicing, Greece had received the green light from the European Council (Decision 2025/502) to implement mandatory B2B e-invoicing. Mandatory B2B e-invoicing was recently also introduced into Greek tax legislation, with a starting date as of February 2026.
The adoption of a common e-invoice format will allow companies to reallocate resources to more strategic areas, minimize human errors, and accelerate payment processes
Where traditional invoicing methods involve substantial costs associated with printing, recording in the accounting books, and storage, the adoption of a common e-invoice format will allow companies to automate the issuing and processing of invoices and eventually reallocate their resources to more strategic areas. This efficiency also minimizes human errors and accelerates payment processes.
While the advantages of e-invoicing are clear, companies will face some challenges during the transition, mainly relating to the initial setup costs as well as resistance to change. Investing in e-invoicing infrastructure can be a financial burden for companies; however, longterm savings and benefits outweigh any initial costs.
Leading the way in digital tax transformation, PwC Greece and Softone Impact, an IAPR-certified e-invoicing provider, concluded a strategic alliance, offering an integrated solution that combines PwC’s trusted advisory services with Softone Impact’s Einvoicing platform. This collaboration delivers a seamless and comprehensive approach to e-invoicing, e-archiving and electronic data interchange (EDI), ensuring full compliance with Greek tax requirements while helping businesses simplify processes, reduce operational costs, and enhance performance throughout their digital tax journey.
Tax Competitiveness: Ranking Greece Among Its Peers
By Loukas Panetsos, Senior Manager, Tax and Legal, Deloitte Greece
The Greek tax system has been transformed in recent years through the adoption of various investment-friendly policies and the digitalization of the Tax Administration. Yet, one could ask whether these developments make Greece competitive or not. In order to answer this, we must look at how Greece ranks among its peers.
The most comprehensive rankings on tax competitiveness are produced by the Tax Foundation, a US-based non-partisan tax policy non-profit. In its 2024 International Tax Competitiveness Index, Greece ranked 27th among the 38 OECD countries — its second-best ranking since the launch of this Index in 2014 (it ranked 25th in 2023). It is noteworthy that Greece has better rankings in income taxes compared to indirect and property taxes.
Despite the significant progress Greece has made, further steps are needed for the country to improve its competitiveness
And what about our neighborhood? The Tax Foundation’s 2024 European Tax Policy Scorecard ranked Greece 25th among 32 European countries (not all of them OECD members). Looking at rankings within specific geographic regions, Greece would rank 13th out of a total of 19 countries in Western Europe, but 13th out of a total of 14 in Eastern Europe. Nonetheless, Greece ranks better than Italy, Spain, and Portugal, the other major representatives of the EU South.
What can we learn from the above? Despite the significant progress Greece has made, further steps are needed for the country to improve its competitiveness. Additionally, given that most of our neighbors have better rankings, Greece should make targeted reforms in order to compete with them. Lastly, with proper reforms, Greece can obtain a significant advantage against Italy, Spain, and Portugal, which share many common features with Greece.
The Future of the Greek Economy: Brain Gain and the State Burden on Labor
By Dimitrios Panozachos, CEO, Orthologismos
The Greek tax system has been transformed in recent years through the adoption of various investment-friendly policies and the digitalization of the Tax Administration. Yet, one could ask whether these developments make Greece competitive or not. In order to answer this, we must look at how Greece ranks among its peers.
The most comprehensive rankings on tax competitiveness are produced by the Tax Foundation, a US-based non-partisan tax policy non-profit. In its 2024 International Tax Competitiveness Index, Greece ranked 27th among the 38 OECD countries — its second-best ranking since the launch of this Index in 2014 (it ranked 25th in 2023). It is noteworthy that Greece has better rankings in income taxes compared to indirect and property taxes.
Despite the significant progress Greece has made, further steps are needed for the country to improve its competitiveness
And what about our neighborhood? The Tax Foundation’s 2024 European Tax Policy Scorecard ranked Greece 25th among 32 European countries (not all of them OECD members). Looking at rankings within specific geographic regions, Greece would rank 13th out of a total of 19 countries in Western Europe, but 13th out of a total of 14 in Eastern Europe. Nonetheless, Greece ranks better than Italy, Spain, and Portugal, the other major representatives of the EU South.
What can we learn from the above? Despite the significant progress Greece has made, further steps are needed for the country to improve its competitiveness. Additionally, given that most of our neighbors have better rankings, Greece should make targeted reforms in order to compete with them. Lastly, with proper reforms, Greece can obtain a significant advantage against Italy, Spain, and Portugal, which share many common features with Greece.
