Greece Tops EU Charts in Indirect and Property Taxes

Greece continues to lead the way in indirect and property taxation among EU countries, according to the European Commission’s Annual Report on Taxation 2025, which covers fiscal data from 2023.

The report shows that indirect taxes in Greece amounted to 17.3% of GDP, placing the country fourth among the EU’s 27 member states. Meanwhile, property taxes reached 2.7% of GDP, the third highest rate in the EU after France and Belgium.

When it comes to indirect taxation, only Croatia, Sweden, and Hungary ranked above Greece. Notably, 44.4% of Greece’s total tax revenue in 2023 came from consumption taxes, compared to the EU-27 average of 33.2%. Overall, indirect tax revenues totaled 38.9 billion euros, with VAT alone accounting for 8.8% of GDP—ranking Greece 11th on that specific metric.

High Special Consumption and Environmental Taxes

Special consumption taxes—imposed on fuel, alcohol, and tobacco—were particularly high, reaching 5.2% of GDP. This places Greece second among EU member states. Environmental taxes also stood out, comprising 4.1% of GDP, again the second highest rate in the bloc.

According to the Commission’s figures, Greece’s total tax revenue in 2023 amounted to 38.9% of GDP, just shy of the EU average of 39%.

Lagging in Direct Taxation

The picture shifts significantly when it comes to direct taxes. Greece lags behind the EU average, with direct taxes—including personal and corporate income taxes—amounting to just 10.4% of GDP. This places the country 16th in the EU ranking.

Breaking that down, personal income taxes contributed only 5.9% of GDP (18th place), while corporate income taxes accounted for 2.9% of GDP (17th place), underscoring the imbalance in Greece’s tax structure.

Source: tovima.com