Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance sets out permanent November rent refund mechanics and bank fee cuts linked to the new Customs Code

Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance published an interview briefing in which Deputy Minister Giorgos Kotsiras outlined recent household support and compliance measures, including a permanent annual refund of one month’s rent paid each November and reductions in bank fees introduced via an amendment to the new Customs Code. The rent refund is designed to be paid automatically without an application, provided the lease contract number has been completed in the taxpayer’s income tax return. Taxpayers who have not entered the lease number were advised to submit an informative amending return by 30 September, with data cross-checks planned between tenants and landlords. The briefing also referenced the Independent Authority for Public Revenue’s “Theros” operation and reiterated the government’s focus on tackling tax evasion, noting that curbing tax evasion generated EUR 2 billion in additional state revenues last year. Beyond bank fee reductions aimed at curbing unnecessary charges, the new Customs Code was presented as creating a more digital and stricter operating environment for customs authorities and includes tax provisions such as excluding employer-funded hospitalisation support for an employee or family member from employment income, as well as exempting vehicles acquired by volunteer firefighting organisations from vehicle registration taxes. The only stated near-term step is the 30 September deadline for taxpayers to update lease details to support automatic payment of the rent refund, which is intended to recur each November.