Greece: providing services and travelling for business

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Guidance for UK businesses on rules for selling services to Greece.

Trade and services regulations in Greece

If you’re a UKbusiness offering services in Greece, you must follow Greek regulations about:

• getting authorisations or licences to provide a service
• complying with specific local business regulations
• EEA nationality requirements which could prevent you from providing services in some sectors

The Greek e-government portal for service providers can help you to:

• learn about providing services in Greece
• understand local regulations
• complete any relevant administrative procedures online

Consider appointing an English-speaking lawyer in Greece to help you comply with specific regulations. You can also contact your local chamber of commerce for advice.

To check if EEA nationality requirements apply to you, contact the appropriate competent authority.

Trade reservations

To sell or provide services to customers in Greece, you must follow local laws. If in doubt, you should get professional advice.

Reservations are part of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. They reserve the right of each party to keep or make new laws restricting investment, or the sale of services, in ways that would otherwise breach the rules in the agreement.

Check which reservations apply to the sale of services from the UKto Greece. This includes an interactive tool to find reservations that are already in place.

VAT on sales of digital services

To use the UK’s VAT Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS) to declare sales of digital services to EU consumers, businesses need to register for MOSS in an EU member state.

Ownership of companies registered in Greece

If you have a UK business, you might face restrictions on your ability to own, manage or direct a registered company in Greece or any other EEA country.

Ownership of legal firms in Greece

If you’re a UK legal professional who has investments in law firms in Greece, contact the Greek Plenary of Bar Associations for further information on the implications for your investment.

Business travel and entry requirements

UK business travellers and service providers may need a visa, work permit or other documentation.

• types of visa and work permit routes available
• exemptions that may apply to you or the activity you are planning to undertake

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (website in Greek) have more information about:

• visas including intra-corporate transfers
• work and residence permits
• supporting documentation
• other conditions

Social security payments for employees

Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Greece.

Recognition of professional qualifications

If you need to take action to secure the recognition of your professional qualification in Greece, these sources can help you:

• Greek NARIC, the information centre for the recognition of professional qualifications
• the Greek single point of contact

The UK Centre for Professional Qualifications ( UK CPQ) provides practical assistance and advice to:

• professionals who qualified overseas and are interested in working in the UK
• UK professionals seeking to practise overseas

UK statutory auditors working in Greece

For UKstatutory auditors, the Hellenic Accounting and Auditing Standards Oversight Board should be able to provide further information.

UK lawyers working in Greece

If you’re a UK-qualified lawyer working in Greece, either using a Greek or a UKprofessional title, you should contact the local Bar association in the region in which you are working or the Greek Plenary of Bar Associations for specific advice.

Data transfer and GDPR

On 28 June 2021, the EU formally adopted ‘adequacy decisions’ for the UK, delivered through:

• Article 45 of the GDPR
• Article 36 of the Law Enforcement Directive

‘Adequacy decisions’ allow for the ongoing free flow of personal data from the EU/ EEA to the UK.

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