Courts and Codes
Claims are heard by the Eirinodikeio (magistrate's court) or the Protodikeio (court of first instance) by value. As an EU member state Greece also offers the European Order for Payment and European Enforcement Order to creditors elsewhere in the Union - but for a documented claim the domestic route is usually stronger, for the reason set out below.
A Payment Order That Bites Immediately
The diatagi pliromis is granted by a single judge on documentary evidence, without the debtor being heard. What distinguishes it from equivalents elsewhere is its status: it constitutes an enforceable title from issue, so enforcement steps can be commenced against the debtor before any opposition is determined.
The debtor may file opposition within the statutory period, and may separately apply to suspend enforcement - but suspension is not automatic and has to be argued for. For a creditor holding a clean invoice with proof of delivery, this means the debtor is placed on the back foot from the outset, which is the reverse of the usual position in civil law systems.
The strength of the route depends entirely on documentary quality. Greek courts examine the paperwork closely at the application stage, and a gap in the delivery evidence is a reason for refusal.
Five Years for Merchants' Claims
Greek law applies a five-year limitation period to claims arising from a merchant's supply of goods or services, against a twenty-year general period for other obligations. For a commercial supplier the operative figure is therefore five, running from the end of the year in which the claim became due.
That year-end mechanic mirrors the German approach and produces the same clustering effect: claims from a trading year expire together rather than on individual anniversaries.
Statutory Late Payment Interest
Greece implements the EU Late Payment Directive, giving a business creditor statutory interest at the ECB reference rate plus a statutory margin from the due date, together with a fixed compensation sum for recovery costs. Setting the figure out precisely in the demand matters here because it forms part of the sum for which the payment order is sought.
How Long Does a Greek Claim Take?
| Stage | Typical Duration | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-legal demand Exodikos, negotiation, settlement | 3–6 weeks | Low |
| Diatagi pliromis Application to enforceable title | 4–10 weeks | Low |
| Opposition proceedings Where the debtor opposes | 1–3 years | High |
| Enforcement Kataschesi - accounts, receivables, assets | 3–8 months | Medium |
How Does SXB Global Handle a Greek Case?
Everything turns on the documents, because the payment order route is documentary and the court examines the file properly before granting. We assemble and check the evidence first, then quantify statutory interest into the sum claimed. Contact is conducted in Greek. Where legal proceedings become appropriate, SXB Global coordinates the instruction of appropriately authorised local counsel. Legal services are provided by the relevant independent legal professionals.