Choice of legal form — ΙΚΕ vs ΕΠΕ vs ΑΕ vs ΟΕ

Since 2012 the ΙΚΕ accounts for over 75% of all newly incorporated Greek companies. The drivers: €1 token capital, no notary requirement, online ΓΕΜΗ filing, unlimited partners and acceptance of in-kind contributions (laptops, IP, services).

ΓΕΜΗ (General Commercial Registry) — step by step

1. Company name availability check — ΓΕΜΗ portal pre-clearance
2. AFM (tax ID) for each founder via the eFORIA portal
3. Καταστατικό (articles of association) — ΙΚΕ with attested signatures; ΕΠΕ/ΑΕ via notary deed
4. Capital deposit — declared at €1 for ΙΚΕ; blocked bank account for ΕΠΕ/ΑΕ
5. ΓΕΜΗ registration at the Athens, Thessaloniki or Ioannina office, 3–5 business days
6. Company AFM and KAD (NACE code) assignment
7. AMKA for directors and employees (social security)
8. Bank account — Piraeus / Eurobank / Alpha / National Bank selection
9. myDATA AADE registration — TaxisNet credentials + certified software provider
10. POS / e-commerce acquirer onboarding — Viva Wallet, Alpha e-Commerce etc.

Opening a bank account — which bank for which scenario?

Foreign founder — AFM and residency permit

A non-EU founder (Turkish, Serbian, British) can incorporate a Greek ΙΚΕ remotely. Physical presence is not required to obtain an AFM; a power of attorney to a Greek representative suffices. If you want to relocate, Greece's Golden Visa programme — €250,000 in residential property (€500,000 in Athens / Thessaloniki) — grants a renewable 5-year residency permit. ZunaPro's Athens lawyer network handles PoA drafting and AFM issuance from Türkiye.

Tax: 22% corporate + 24% ΦΠΑ

Greek corporate income tax was fixed at 22% from 2022 (previously 29%, reduced in steps). ΦΠΑ is 24% mainland, 17% on the Aegean reduced-rate islands. A 5% withholding applies on dividend distribution. ΙΚΕs with turnover under €20,000 may operate under the small-business regime (μικρή επιχείρηση) with simplified accounts; above that, double-entry bookkeeping is mandatory.

ZunaPro Greek company-formation package

• ΙΚΕ / ΕΠΕ / ΑΕ form selection advisory
• ΓΕΜΗ + AFM + AMKA filing — fully remote from your home country
• Athens or Thessaloniki lawyer + notary + accountant coordination
• Piraeus / Eurobank / Alpha / National Bank account-opening appointment
• myDATA AADE TaxisNet user + e-invoice provider provisioning
• First-year SoftOne, Entersoft or PROSVASIS accounting software setup

Golden Visa — Greece residency through investment

The Greek Golden Visa programme, launched in 2013, grants a 5-year renewable EU residency permit on €250,000+ in residential property; the threshold rises to €500,000 in central Athens and central Thessaloniki under recent rules. Spouse, children under 21 and dependent parents are covered. For non-EU founders the Greek Golden Visa is one of Europe's most accessible routes to Schengen residency.

EFKA + KEAO — social security and debt management

For each day worked in Greece social security contributions flow through EFKA (the merged IKA + OAEE single fund). ΙΚΕ director contributions start at €222/month (Class 1) on six tiers by income. Late contributions get transferred to KEAO (Κέντρο Είσπραξης Ασφαλιστικών Οφειλών) with cumulative penalties and interest. ZunaPro's accounting package schedules EFKA contributions to avoid lapses.

"1-day ΓΕΜΗ" — is it really one day?

The Greek government markets ΙΚΕ incorporation as a 1-day process. In practice, with error-free documents, pre-issued AFM, e-signature and e-Banking, one working day is possible. Foreign founders add apostille + translation + power-of-attorney steps that push timing to 5–10 working days. ZunaPro runs the Turkish notary + Greek apostille + Athens lawyer steps in parallel, delivering a fully operational ΙΚΕ in 5 working days.

Annual obligations — balance sheet, tax return, ΓΕΜΗ update

Greek ΙΚΕ / ΕΠΕ / ΑΕ must publish the balance sheet and income statement on ΓΕΜΗ every May, file the E3 + N corporate tax return in June and remit contributions to EFKA each month-end. Annual ΓΕΜΗ fee €30–€100; ΑΕ requires a sworn auditor (ορκωτός λογιστής) adding €1,500–€4,500. ZunaPro's annual subscription orchestrates the cycle.

First-year accounting — choosing your λογιστής matters

In Athens monthly λογιστής fees run €120–€350 (small ΙΚΕ), €350–€900 (mid-cap ΕΠΕ), €900+ (ΑΕ with payroll). ZunaPro operates with certified Athens and Thessaloniki λογιστής partners who handle monthly myDATA submissions, EFKA contributions, quarterly ΦΠΑ Φ2 returns, annual E3 + N corporate return and payroll as a bundle.

One-stop online — ΥΜΣ (e-ΓΕΜΗ)

Since 2018 Greece operates ΥΜΣ (Υπηρεσία Μιας Στάσης / One-Stop Shop), a single digital interface that orchestrates ΓΕΜΗ + AFM + AMKA + ΕΡΓΑΝΗ + KEAO data flow. ZunaPro operates the ΥΜΣ portal under power of attorney from your home country.

Holding structure — ΑΕ holding ΙΚΕs

For founders running multiple activities, the typical pattern is an ΑΕ parent holding operating ΙΚΕ subsidiaries. The Türkiye–Greece double-tax treaty (1986) reduces dividend withholding to 5% on intra-treaty profit upstream. ZunaPro's Athens tax counsel designs the structure.

Investment incentives — Development Law 4887/2022

The Greek government offers 15–70% tax deductions, grants and subsidies under Αναπτυξιακός Νόμος 4887/2022. Agriculture, tourism, digital, energy and manufacturing are priority sectors. Thessaloniki, Aitoloakarnania and Thrace add a +10% regional bonus. ZunaPro prepares the file with an Athens investment-advisory partner.