As the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) opens, business representatives from across Greece are converging on the event with a shared priority: reducing burdens on enterprises, improving liquidity, and building a more predictable operating environment—especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Chambers of commerce, industry associations, and trade groups have already submitted formal proposals ahead of government announcements expected at the fair. While their recommendations vary in detail, they converge around several core concerns—debt relief, tax reform, energy and banking costs, and long-term policy stability.
Debt Restructuring at the Top of the Agenda
A central demand is expanding existing debt settlement frameworks. The Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) is calling for an extension of the current 72-installment payment plan to 120 installments, broader application of the flat-rate 48-installment scheme, and the ability for companies previously excluded from restructuring programs to re-enter them. Similarly, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) advocates for a horizontal, cross-sectoral 120-installment arrangement for debts owed to both the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) and the Social Insurance Fund (KEAO). It also proposes introducing a legally protected, non-seizable business bank account—a measure intended to safeguard operational liquidity.
The Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) echoes these priorities, urging not only new debt settlement options but also a fully functional non-seizable business account. In addition, it highlights the need to reduce transaction fees imposed by banks and compliance costs related to digital reporting obligations. The chamber further stresses improving SME access to financing and ensuring fair competition against large international e-commerce platforms.
Tax Reform and Social Security Adjustments
In the tax domain, a major consensus has formed around overhauling how small businesses are taxed. The ACCI is pushing to exempt individual retail traders from the ‘presumptive’ (tekmartos) taxation system, abolish the business license fee (telos epitidevmatos), and eliminate the advance income tax payment requirement. The Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE) supports similar measures—including removing retail trade from presumptive taxation, scrapping the business license fee for legal entities, and aligning advance income tax payments for legal and natural persons.
ESEE also recommends cutting employer social security contributions by one percentage point in 2027, aiming to bring total non-wage labor costs down to 30% by 2030. The Thessaloniki Federation of Professionals and Traders (OEEΘ) aligns closely with this stance, reinforcing calls for structural tax simplification and predictability.
Underpinning all these proposals is a broader plea for fiscal stability: businesses emphasize that frequent legislative changes undermine planning, investment decisions, and hiring—making consistent, long-term policy frameworks essential for sustainable growth.