Greece launches digital platform to track undeclared properties and illegal subsidies

Greece's Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) is set to launch the Property Ownership and Management Registry (MIDA) in June. This new digital platform aims to create a unified system for all taxpayer property data, significantly enhancing the state's ability to track real estate assets and associated financial activities.

The MIDA system will encompass approximately 7.1 million property owners. It will store detailed information for each property, including type, location, size, usage, condition, and utility connection status. Crucially, the platform will conduct extensive data cross-referencing with existing databases such as the Hellenic Cadastre (KAEK), the electricity distribution network (DEDDIE), insurance contracts, and urban planning permits. This comprehensive approach is designed to ensure the complete registration of all real estate holdings.

Property owners will receive notifications from AADE to review and confirm the accuracy of their registered property details, making necessary corrections or additions. The system is expected to bolster tax authority controls by identifying properties not declared in the E9 tax forms and cross-referencing them with cadastral data. Special attention will be paid to agricultural plots, with mandatory declarations for owned, leased, or granted lands, and data will be cross-checked against agricultural subsidies.

Furthermore, MIDA will introduce stricter electronic checks on property-related benefits and tax exemptions. This includes housing benefits, rent rebates, ENFIA tax exemptions, student housing subsidies, and programs like 'Renovate - Rent.' The platform will also target instances of false declarations for agricultural land and artificial increases in acreage to claim larger subsidies, aiming to curb tax evasion and ensure fair distribution of state aid.