Greece has been in the process of implementing mandatory B2G e-invoicing over the past few years, with a B2B e-invoicing mandate expected to follow.
Following reports that Greece had requested a derogation to introduce mandatory B2B e-invoicing in 2024, the European Commission has published a proposal for a Council Implementing Decision to grant this authorisation.
This proposal confirms the Commission’s unanimous support for Greece’s intention to introduce a country-wide B2B e-invoicing mandate. It will be submitted to the European Council as a formal step before becoming an official decision.
Taxpayers and transactions in scope
In July 2024, Greece requested authorisation from the European Commission to introduce mandatory B2B e-invoicing.
According to the Commission’s proposed decision, the obligation will cover transactions between taxable persons established in Greece (B2B transactions). As a result, taxpayers who are VAT-registered in Greece but not established in the country will be excluded from the mandatory scope.
E-invoicing and existing tax obligations in Greece
According to the Greek government’s request, mandatory e-invoicing will strengthen the existing myDATA e-accounting system which has been in place since 2018. The system requires taxpayers to transmit transactional and accounting data to the tax administration in real-time or periodically, updating a set of online ledgers maintained on the government portal.
myDATA will continue to exist, but the Greek government foresees its improvement once e-invoicing becomes mandatory. E-invoice data will directly feed into myDATA, providing real-time information and ensuring higher data quality.
Additionally, such data will be used to pre-fill VAT returns – a measure already in place in Greece – but which should be facilitated and improved with the advent of mandatory e-invoicing.
E-invoice format
Greece should allow the issuance of e-invoices compliant with the European standard (EN 16931) in order to foster interoperability. The Commission does not mention any other specific formats.
While taxpayers will be able to exchange e-invoices in line with the EU standard, they will only report to myDATA the information necessary for tax purposes – rather than the full invoice.
Taxpayers are expected to be able to issue e-invoices via an Electronic Invoicing Service Provider, upgraded management programs (commercial/accounting, ERP) or the “timologio” free government application. However, more details will be revealed after the derogation is granted and the Greek government publishes its mandatory e-invoicing framework.
ViDA implications
The European Commission’s explanations also conclude that the e-invoicing system Greece aims to implement is aligned with the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) proposal, which was recently approved by ECOFIN (Economic and Financial Affairs Council configuration of the Council of the European Union) and is expected to be officially adopted during 2025.
Seeking EU approval has become a common approach in the EU, as the current VAT Directive allows taxpayers to exchange invoices in any format, paper or electronic. It also mandates that the use of an electronic invoice is subject to the buyer’s acceptance.
Countries such as Italy, Poland and Romania, and others have already obtained authorisation to implement mandatory e-invoicing systems. However, this will change once ViDA is enforced, as EU Member States will no longer need to request such authorisation if they wish to introduce mandatory e-invoicing systems for domestic transactions.
What’s next for Greece B2B e-invoicing?
The Commission proposes to grant Greece the authorisation from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2026, as derogations are temporary and must be renewed over time. The Decision will apply until its final date or until ViDA requires Member States to apply any national provisions transposing the Directive once ViDA is officially approved.
This is a proposed decision by the European Commission to allow Greece to introduce mandatory e-invoicing measures. It must follow to by the Council before it becomes official and can produce legal effects. This is a procedural step and, based on the experience of other countries, is not expected to pose an obstacle to Greece’s receipt of the derogation.
Find out more about e-invoicing in Greece.
