If you are a natural person wishing to operate in the commercial sector and be based in Greece, you can digitally start your own business, without having to sign up in advance to the General Commercial Registry (GEMI) and the National Social Insurance Agency (eEFKA).

The commencement of operation can be effected also by a third person acting on your behalf, if he/she has been duly authorised for this purpose from within the application, and after he/she has signed up to the National Communication Register (EMEP), in order to confirm his/her phone number.

The conditions for using the service are:

• you need to have a valid and active Greek Tax Identification Number (AFM)
• you must be a Greek national or a national of another EU member state, and be over 18
• the registered seat of your company must be in Greece
• you must not already have a sole proprietorship
• if the offices of your company are rented or transferred, the lease agreement must include the postal code of the address

You will need to fill in:

• your personal Taxisnet credentials
• the Real Estate Identification Number (ATAK) of privately owned offices, or the Electronic Lease number and the year of its submission, in the case of leased or transferred offices
• the details of the company (e.g. name), details of Greek Accounting Standards (e.g. category of books), VAT (e.g. VAT status), and the Activity Code Number (KAD)
• the Tax Identification Number (AFM) of the authorised third person, in case that person effects the submission on your behalf

After completing the process, you will receive a unique application number to start the sole proprietorship.

The process is successfully completed with the creation of the Business Commencement Certificate, which bears the security features of gov.gr. In its printed form, it does not need to be validated and is verified with the document validity application of gov.gr.

The certificate can be retrieved from the myAADE web page, and more specifically by selecting the Register & Contact / e-notifications option, by using the Taxisnet credentials.

As soon as the Business Commencement Certificate has been issued for your sole proprietorship, you can register for eEFKA insurance by choosing -Register as a non-salaried professional (eEFKA) or Re-register as a non-salaried professional (eEFKA). If you skip this step, the registration will be carried out ex officio, by the competent insurance institution.