Digital platforms and their relationship with stopping tax evasion and strengthening tax compliance was, among other things, at the center of the conference “Tax Forum 2023: Tackling Tax Evasion – Thinking out of the box for future shifts” held today by Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives of two important platforms in the country participated in this panel, Kostantinos Akrivos, financial director of Online Delivery (efood) and Nikos Lysigakis, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Freenow. The two speakers focused on the special legislation that exists for platforms and the obligation that exists to provide information to the tax administration when it requests it, pointing out that it is in the right direction but the state should listen to the platforms and the particularities of each industry ( focus, transport, etc.). Also, checks on the physical market should be continued in order to further crack down on tax evasion and strengthen tax compliance.

In the context of the conference, special reference was made to the challenges faced by organizations and businesses in terms of environmental, social and corporate governance criteria. In this context, the changes in the business model of the groups are added which, by extension, necessitate a change in the way tax affairs are handled. At the same time, changes in the tax framework are intensifying and organizations are required to manage and comply with them. Maria Theodoulidou, Group Finance Director Controlling, Planning & Corporate Governance, Fourlis Group of Companies stated that things have changed drastically in the context of corporate governance applied by businesses in Greece and continuous compliance is required in order to achieve the goals that have been set. In the same context, Michalis Gialouris, Group CFO, Onassis Foundation Maria Theodoulidou, focused on the need for businesses and organizations to have a tax strategy in order to record and update all their obligations. According to him, recording is absolutely necessary in the overall planning of a business activity.

The conference also discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on Tax & Legal services. As mentioned, according to research, in one year from now the tasks that a trainee lawyer is currently performing will be taken over by artificial intelligence, and in three to five years, artificial intelligence will take over the tasks of an experienced lawyer. In this context, businesses and organizations should prepare for the new era of augmented intelligence.

Stefanos Tentolouris, Chief Technology Officer, Tax & Legal, Deloitte Greece referred to the new trends giving examples of application in businesses.

For his part, Giorgos Marinos, Head of Digital Transformation Division, National Bank of Greece referred to how the National Bank has managed the challenges of artificial intelligence and the actions it has implemented in order to optimize its services.