Tax

Tax is a diverse and fast-changing environment in Greece, presenting special challenges. Policy changes, in an effort to maintain and increase tax revenue, and a tax administration trying to move towards efficiency and modernization are complemented by constant changes in the EU and international tax environment. Our highly experienced team, comprising of senior professionals with a wide degree of domestic and international experience, can effectively navigate through uncertainty, identifying issues, and present solutions that mitigate tax risks, while ensuring compliance.

Our tax practice, provides, on a steady and recurrent basis, tax advice in respect of innovative and ground-braking transactions. Koutalidis Law Firm was voted as the Greek Tax Firm of the Year for 2021 at the European Tax Awards, an institution organized by EUROMONEY and International Tax Review (ITR).

We provide legal advice in respect of all areas of taxation and tax issues, whether domestic or cross border, in a corporate or private context, standalone or as part of a multidisciplinary team. Our team has a deep and thorough understanding of the Greek tax system and tax critical considerations and, above all, offers a forward-thinking approach that can shield our clients against a challenging environment and achieve optimal outcomes.     

Services

Banking, Finance and Capital Markets

Our team is among the leaders in all tax aspects relating to Banking & Finance, ranging from the traditional Banking & Finance transactions to leveraged buy-outs, bank recapitalizations, NPL portfolio sales and other securitizations, as well as sovereign and corporate debt restructuring.

Project Finance

Our team has solid experience in all tax aspects relating to Project Finance, having advised a wide range of businesses on the structure of their domestic and cross border transactions. We have traditionally advised on tax related issues of most of the major Greek project financing deals, representing domestic as well as foreign financial institutions, in all stages of project financing, securitizations and structured products, both on the lenders’ and on the borrowers’ side.

Business Reorganizations

We advise on all tax aspects of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, spin-offs, demergers, as well as all related transactions, including joint ventures, holding company and financing structures. Our tax team has very high expertise and focus on tax incentive legislation for business reorganisations, business restructurings and corporate transformations, including incentives for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and offers solutions for tax efficient transactions, to maximize value, also providing support after completion of the transaction.

Corporate

Our tax team advises on all aspects of domestic and international business taxation matters, including the establishment of branches or subsidiaries and the support in operations and transactions. We offer a unique forward-looking approach; assisting in tax compliance and the assessment of tax risks, while focusing on Tax Law changes affecting the course of business.

Cross-border Dispute Resolution

Situations in which different States differently interpret or apply the provisions of bilateral tax agreements and conventions can create serious tax obstacles for businesses operating across borders, often leading to double taxation. Our firm has significant expertise in handling mutual agreement procedure (MAP) cases, under the double treaty and the Arbitration Convention MAP mechanisms, recently complemented by the new EU Directive on tax dispute resolution.

High Net Worth Individuals

Our team has extensive and long lasting experience in supporting high-net-worth individuals on all tax aspects of their professional and private lives, including all tax residence matters, executive compensation schemes, gift and inheritance taxation, tax audits and litigation. Most recently, we have been actively supporting a number of foreign individuals seeking to enter the alternative taxation regimes for individuals, professionals and pensioners.

International Tax

Our team consists of highly skilled experts on all EU and international tax issues, focusing on EU Tax Law, tax treaties, anti-avoidance rules and disclosure obligations, with a wide experience in handling permanent establishment issues. We offer integrated solutions as to the structuring of complex transactions, including cross-border investments, while ensuring compliance.

Investment Funds

Our tax team regularly advises a wide range of investment funds, including private equity funds, real estate funds as well as alternative investment funds and fund managers, offering our expertise both to the funds side and to prospective investors. 

Real Estate

We offer high quality tax advice on all varieties of real estate transactions, both for corporations and individuals, including real estate transactions tax, real estate holding tax and property tax. An area of particular focus is the Special Real Estate Tax (SRET), which has proven to be a very important factor as regards the tax structuring of all major real estate projects in Greece.

Tax Controversy and Litigation

Our team successfully supports corporate and individual clients in all stages of tax audits, providing an accurate estimate of the tax position, and supporting communication with the tax authority, including drafting technical enquiries, for the effective resolution of the dispute. We have an impressive success rate before the tax authority, in the administrative dispute resolution stage, as well as before administrative Courts of all instances with respect to corporate and individual income taxation, fiscal accounting, indirect taxes and tax residence.

Our work also focuses on voluntary disclosure issues and tax penalties. Importantly, we offer unique expertise in the application of general and specific anti-avoidance provisions.

VAT and Indirect Taxes

Our team has very deep knowledge and understanding of the Greek system of indirect taxes and successfully advises on the best strategy to mitigate indirect tax costs and risks. We provide advice on VAT and indirect taxes issues in all kinds of transactions, including intra-community and cross-border provision of goods and services, digital economy, VAT refunds, VAT compliance and permanent establishment related matters. Other areas of particular focus include, indicatively, the stamp duty legislation, which is an important factor to investment structuring, as well as the bank levy of L. 128, which significantly affects loans and credit from financial institutions.

Wealth and Estate Planning

Our team has successfully provided expert advice to the most prominent Greek individuals and families on any aspect of wealth and estate planning, including the smooth succession of family businesses. Our services include, among others, cross-border and domestic estate and income tax planning and compliance, succession planning, gift and inheritance taxes, purchases, sales and structuring for asset protection, as well as family offices and tax residence matters.

George Naskaris
Partner
    +30 210 360 7811
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    gnaskaris@koutalidis.gr






Lydia Sofrona
Partner
    +30 210 360 7811
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    lsofrona@koutalidis.gr