Starting a business in another country can feel complicated, especially when you have to deal with company registration, tax rules, banking, accounting, and local regulations at the same time. Greece, however, offers foreign entrepreneurs a fairly structured route into the European Union market.
Greece can be very appealing to investors from Turkey and other adjacent economies. Its proximity to Southeast Europe stems from its Mediterranean position, and its membership in the EU provides firms with a foundation from which to operate inside the European market.
If you are considering starting a business in Greece in 2026, the first decision is not simply where to register. You need to think about the type of company you want, who will own and manage it, where decisions will actually be made, how the company will be taxed, and how you will handle banking and ongoing compliance.
This guide walks through the process step by step.
Why Start a Business in Greece?
Greece has developed into an important business and investment location in the Mediterranean. Its economy has strong connections with tourism, shipping, logistics, real estate, trade, professional services, and other industries.
Its geographical position is another major advantage. A company operating from Greece can potentially serve customers and partners in European, Middle Eastern, and North African markets.
For Turkish businesses, the connection can be even more practical. Greece and Turkey are geographically close, and companies operating across the two countries may find opportunities in areas such as:
- International trade
- Tourism
- Logistics
- Real estate
- Professional services
- Technology
- Import and export
- Regional distribution
Of course, choosing Greece simply because it is close to Turkey is not enough. Your business model, customers, tax position, and operational requirements should all be considered before incorporation.
How to Start a Business in Greece in 2026
The process is easier when you break it into separate stages.
In general, you will need to:
- Choose your business activity
- Select the right legal structure
- Choose and check the company name
- Prepare the articles of association
- Decide on shareholders and managers
- Prepare the required documentation
- Register the company
- Obtain the company’s tax identification number
- Arrange banking
- Set up accounting and tax systems
- Register employees where applicable
- Obtain any required licences
- Begin ongoing compliance
One useful feature of the Greek system is the Electronic One-Stop Shop (e-YMS). Eligible company formations can be completed digitally. The government says the process can include company registration with GEMI and the Chamber, obtaining the company’s tax identification number, and notification to EFKA.
That does not mean every part of launching a business happens instantly. Banking, document preparation, tax planning, licences, and operational arrangements can still take additional time.
Choose the Right Business Structure
One of your first major decisions is deciding what kind of legal entity you need.
The most relevant structures for foreign investors can include:
- Private Company (IKE)
- Limited Liability Company (EPE)
- Société Anonyme (AE)
- General or limited partnerships
- Branch office
- Representative office
There is no single structure that is right for everyone. A small consulting business may have very different needs from a company planning to raise substantial capital or operate a large commercial organization.
IKE — Private Company
The IKE, or Private Capital Company, is an important option for entrepreneurs and smaller businesses.
It provides a separate corporate structure and can be established electronically through the e-YMS system. The current Greek administrative registry lists a digital formation fee of €18 and an estimated digital processing time of three days for an IKE procedure.
For many entrepreneurs, the IKE can be worth considering because of its relatively flexible corporate structure.
EPE — Limited Liability Company
The EPE is another limited-liability structure available in Greece.
It may be suitable for businesses that want a traditional limited-liability corporate form. The Greek administrative registry currently lists digital establishments through e-YMS, with an €18 fee and an estimated processing time of seven hours for the administrative procedure.
The actual time required to launch a business can still be longer because banking, documentation, tax setup, and other practical matters sit outside the basic registration procedure.
AE — Société Anonyme
The AE, or Société Anonyme, is a more corporate form and can be appropriate for businesses requiring a larger or more formal corporate structure.
The Greek government currently provides an electronic establishment procedure for AE companies through e-YMS.
Because an AE can involve more sophisticated corporate requirements, investors should assess whether this structure is genuinely necessary before choosing it.
Partnership
Greece also provides partnership structures, including general and limited partnerships.
This makes professional advice particularly useful before choosing a partnership simply because it appears cheaper or easier to establish.
Branch Office
A branch allows a foreign company to conduct business in Greece while remaining connected to its parent company.
Unlike a separate Greek subsidiary, the branch does not create an entirely independent legal personality in the same way.
For an existing Turkish company, a branch may therefore be worth comparing with establishing a separate Greek subsidiary.
Representative Office
A representative office has a much narrower purpose.
It can be used for activities such as market research, promotion, and representing the interests of the parent company. It is not designed to operate as an ordinary profit-generating commercial business.
If you actually intend to sell products or services in Greece, you should not assume that a representative office is sufficient.
Step 1: Decide What Your Business Will Do
Before dealing with registration forms, get clear about the business itself.
Ask yourself:
- What products or services will I sell?
- Who are my customers?
- Will customers be in Greece, Turkey, other EU countries, or elsewhere?
- Will I need employees?
- Will I import or export goods?
- Will I need a physical office?
- Will I need sector-specific licences?
- Will the company have a Turkish parent company?
- Where will management decisions be made?
Step 2: Choose and Check Your Company Name
Once you know your structure, you can choose a company name.
The Greek digital company-formation system allows users to perform an electronic preliminary check and reserve a company name and distinctive title as part of the process.
Do not choose a name simply because the domain name is available.
Check whether the proposed name works from a legal, commercial, branding, and trademark perspective.
If you intend to operate in both Greece and Turkey, it is also sensible to consider whether customers in both markets can pronounce, remember, and search for the name easily.
Step 3: Prepare the Articles of Association
The articles of association are one of the central documents of the company.
They establish important details about the business, including matters relating to:
- Company name
- Registered office
- Business purpose
- Shareholders or members
- Capital
- Management
- Representation
- Corporate rules
For eligible formations using e-YMS, the required information can be entered electronically using the relevant model articles and additional permitted content. The founders then accept the articles through the digital process.
For a straightforward business, this can be relatively simple. More complicated ownership arrangements deserve careful attention before anything is submitted.
Step 4: Decide Who Will Own and Manage the Company
Foreign investors should decide early who will own and manage the Greek company.
Your shareholders may be:
- Individuals
- Greek companies
- Foreign companies
- A combination of corporate and individual investors
If a Turkish company will be the shareholder, you will generally need to prepare corporate documentation proving its existence, ownership, and authority to participate in the Greek company.
Management also deserves careful consideration.
A company does not necessarily need a local partner merely because it is owned by foreigners. However, having someone locally available can make practical matters such as banking, administration, and business operations easier.
Step 5: Prepare the Required Documents
The important documents are as follows:
- Passport or identification documents
- Proof of address
- Company incorporation information
- Manager information
- Articles of association
What About Turkish Company Documents?
This is where planning can save time.
If a Turkish company is going to become a shareholder of a Greek company, documents may need to go through authentication or apostille procedures and then be translated as required for use in Greece.
There may be needless delays if this paperwork is not prepared until the Greek incorporation process has begun.
Step 6: Register the Company in Greece
For eligible company types, the e-YMS provides a digital route for incorporation.
According to the Greek government, a founder or authorised third party can access the electronic platform, enter the company details, perform the preliminary name check, complete the articles, and have the other members accept them electronically. Once the process is completed, several registration actions are handled automatically.
These can include:
- Registration with GEMI
- Chamber registration
- Issuance of the company’s tax identification number
- Notification to EFKA
- Issuance of the certificate of establishment
This is one of the more convenient aspects of setting up a company in Greece.
Step 7: Obtain Your Tax Identification Number
Tax registration is an important part of getting the company operational.
The Greek tax authority, AADE, provides information on business commencement and the tax obligations that follow, including income tax, VAT, withholding taxes, accounting records, and financial reporting.
Your company’s tax setup should be determined before transactions begin, not after the first invoice has already been issued.
Step 8: Open a Business Bank Account
Company formation and bank account opening are two different processes.
This distinction is especially important for foreign investors.
A Greek bank may want to understand:
- Who owns the company?
- Who are the ultimate beneficial owners?
- What does the company do?
- Where will its revenue come from?
- Which countries will it transact with?
- What is the expected transaction volume?
- Where did the investment funds originate?
- Why does the company need a Greek account?
For a Turkish-owned business, banks may also look closely at transactions between the Turkish parent and Greek company.
A clear business plan and transparent ownership structure can make the process easier to explain.
Step 9: Think About Tax Before You Start Trading
Tax planning should not be treated as an administrative task that comes after incorporation.
It should be part of the structure from the beginning.
The main areas you may need to consider include:
- Corporate income tax
- VAT
- Withholding tax
- Payroll-related taxes
- Social security contributions
- Real estate-related taxes
- Tax treatment of cross-border transactions
- Transfer pricing
- Double taxation
The source material identifies a 22% standard corporate tax rate and a 24% standard VAT rate. Because tax rules and individual circumstances can change, businesses should confirm the applicable treatment for their activities at the time they establish and operate the company.
For businesses connected to Turkey, the Greece–Turkey tax treaty can also become relevant to cross-border payments.
Greece and Turkey: Why Tax Planning Matters
Suppose a Turkish parent company owns a Greek subsidiary.
Money could potentially move between the two businesses through:
- Dividends
- Loans
- Management services
- Consulting fees
- Licensing
- Goods and services
- Other intra-group transactions
Each type of payment can have different tax consequences.
This is why it is better to design the structure before incorporation rather than creating a company first and trying to solve cross-border tax questions later.
Transfer pricing should also be considered whenever related companies transact with one another.
Step 10: Understand Tax Residency
This is one of the most important issues for Turkish investors.
Simply registering a company in Greece does not mean you should ignore where the company is actually managed.
For example, imagine a Greek company that is legally registered in Athens but whose major business decisions are consistently made by management sitting in Turkey.
That situation may require a closer look at tax residency and effective management.
Before incorporation, consider:
- Where management decisions will be made
- Where directors actually perform their duties
- Where important contracts are negotiated
- Where business operations take place
- How the Greek and Turkish entities interact
- How intra-group agreements are documented
The goal is not merely to register a company in one country. The legal and operational reality should make sense together.
Step 11: Set Up Accounting and Financial Reporting
Once your company exists, accounting becomes an ongoing responsibility.
You may need systems for:
- Bookkeeping
- Sales invoices
- Purchase invoices
- Bank reconciliation
- VAT records
- Payroll
- Financial statements
- Corporate tax reporting
- Supporting documentation
Greece uses electronic tax and reporting systems, so your accounting setup should be ready before the company begins generating significant transaction volume.
The Greek tax authority specifically highlights accounting books, sales documents, financial statements, VAT returns, and other tax reporting obligations as areas businesses need to manage.
Step 12: Register Employees and Handle Social Security
If you plan to hire employees in Greece, employment compliance becomes another part of the setup.
You may need to handle:
- Employment contracts
- Payroll
- Employee tax obligations
- Social security registration
- Employer contributions
- Employee contributions
- Required employment records
Step 13: Check Licences and Industry Requirements
You might require extra licenses or approvals based on your industry.
This can matter particularly for businesses involved in areas such as:
- Food and hospitality
- Tourism
- Transportation
- Construction
- Healthcare
- Financial services
- Real estate
- Certain professional activities
- Regulated products
Always check the requirements that apply specifically to your business activity.
Common Mistakes Foreign Investors Make
Starting a business in Greece becomes much easier when you know what can go wrong.
- Ignoring the bank account timeline
- Preparing documents too late
- Choosing a structure based only on cost
- Leaving tax planning until after incorporation
- Ignoring where the company is actually managed
Is Greece a Good Place to Start a Business in 2026?
For the right business, Greece can be an attractive option.
Its EU membership, location, tourism and trade connections, growing digital infrastructure, and access to European markets give foreign investors several reasons to consider it.
For Turkish businesses in particular, Greece can serve as a potential bridge between Turkey and the EU.
But the real question is not simply whether Greece is a good country for business.
The better question is whether Greece makes sense for your particular business model.
A company that needs EU market access, Mediterranean logistics, tourism exposure, regional operations, or a physical presence in Europe may find Greece particularly interesting.
A company whose operations, customers, and management are entirely outside Greece may need to think more carefully about whether incorporation there actually adds value.
Conclusion
In 2026, starting a business in Greece is one of the best business ideas, especially since the nation’s digital e-YMS system can handle qualified company forms. Important registration processes, such as GEMI, tax identification, and EFKA notice, can be linked to incorporation by the platform.
Choosing the appropriate business structure, preparing paperwork for foreign shareholders, opening a bank account, setting up accounting, comprehending tax obligations, and ensuring that the company’s actual management and cross-border transactions are appropriately planned are all examples of the more significant work that frequently occurs around the registration itself.
FAQ
How can I start a business in Greece in 2026?
Choose a company name, draft the articles of association, set up the necessary ownership and management information, and register the firm using Greece’s electronic One Stop Shop (e-YMS) system after deciding on your business activity and legal structure. Following registration, you will be responsible for managing your business’s tax, banking, accounting, license, and employee-related registrations.
Can Turkish citizens start a business in Greece?
Yes. Turkish citizens and Turkish companies can establish businesses in Greece, provided they meet the relevant Greek legal and regulatory requirements. Because Greece and Turkey have close geographical and commercial ties, Greece can also be considered by Turkish businesses looking for access to the wider European market.
Can I own 100% of a Greek company?
In general, foreign investors can hold 100% ownership of a Greek company. The important exception is that certain regulated industries can have additional ownership, licensing, or investment requirements.
Can I open a branch of my foreign company in Greece?
Yes. A foreign company can establish a Greek branch instead of creating an entirely separate subsidiary. A branch can be useful when the parent company wants to maintain a direct connection between its foreign operations and its Greek activities.
Can I open a representative office in Greece?
A representative office can be an option when a foreign business wants to establish a presence for activities such as market research or representation rather than conducting a full commercial operation. Its permitted activities are more limited than those of an operating company.
How do I register a company in Greece?
Company formation can be completed electronically through the e-YMS system. The process can include checking or reserving the company name, completing the model articles of association, obtaining acceptance from the founders, and completing registration with the General Commercial Registry (GEMI).
What is GEMI?
GEMI, or the General Commercial Registry, is Greece’s commercial business register. Company registration through the relevant formation process results in the business being recorded in the commercial registry.
Do I need a Greek tax number to run a business?
Yes. A Greek tax identification number, commonly referred to as an AFM, is an important part of operating a business in Greece. The company formation process can include the assignment of the relevant tax number.
