Starting in April 2026, bank account seizure procedures in Greece will be carried out entirely electronically, following a new decision by the country’s Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), the agency responsible for tax collection. The reform is part of a broader effort to digitize tax enforcement procedures and speed up the collection of public debts.
Under the new system, seizure orders for bank accounts and other financial institutions will be sent electronically through interconnected information systems linking the tax authority with banks. A seizure order will be considered officially delivered the moment the electronic notification enters the bank’s system. The bank will then automatically issue a digital confirmation of receipt, which will also be sent electronically to the tax authority.
From the next working day after receiving the order, the bank will have eight working days to respond through what is known as a "third-party declaration". Through this declaration, the bank informs the tax authority whether the debtor holds funds in their account and specifies the amount available that can be seized. If funds are available, the bank is required to transfer the seized amount to the Greek State within ten days.
For example, if a taxpayer owes €5,000 in overdue taxes, the tax authority can issue an electronic seizure order and send it to the bank where the taxpayer holds an account. If the account contains €2,000, the bank will declare that amount and transfer it to the State, reducing the taxpayer’s debt accordingly. If there are no funds in the account at the time of the seizure, the bank will submit a negative declaration stating that no balance is available.
However, the seizure remains active and will automatically apply to any future deposits into the account until the debt is paid.
The new decision also defines the process for lifting a seizure. If the debtor repays or settles the debt through a payment arrangement, the tax authority will send an electronic notice lifting the seizure to the bank, which will then immediately release the account.
A key feature of the new system is that every stage of the process - from sending the seizure order to confirming receipt, submitting the bank’s declaration, transferring funds, and lifting the seizure - will be conducted electronically using digital signatures and time stamps, ensuring full traceability of every action. The full electronic system is expected to come into effect in the second half of April 2026, following a pilot period involving banks and tax authority services.
