PORTAL FOR GENERAL COMMERCIAL REGISTRY (GCR)
Published on 18 September 2018
Greece
Kentriki Makedonia
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
GCR replaced the fragmented public services that were operating as business registers, by a general commercial register and met the need to establish a single framework for the organization and use of the public administration registries.
It is an electronic platform that includes all active enterprises in Greece in a single database, while providing the possibility of registering all entrepreneurial amendments, issuing certificates for the amendments and for non-dissolution, certificates of business representation by digital signature and copies of the formation statutes or amendment statutes.
Before GCR, the main problem was that the registration changes and license versions were issued by different services according to the legal form of the companies. GCR gathered all services in one service. The documents are digitalized and get internally transferred to the respective Public Service. The biggest challenge was the collection of all data digitally.Traders with their critical comments contribute to the system's improvement. Through an electronic application, there is the possibility of finding company data since its creation. The electronic service also decongested Public Services from tons of paper/applications.
Every chamber has its own GCR service which provides services to its member companies. Main stakeholders:
The Union of Greek Chambers and the General Secretariat of Commerce-Ministry of Economy & Development
It is an electronic platform that includes all active enterprises in Greece in a single database, while providing the possibility of registering all entrepreneurial amendments, issuing certificates for the amendments and for non-dissolution, certificates of business representation by digital signature and copies of the formation statutes or amendment statutes.
Before GCR, the main problem was that the registration changes and license versions were issued by different services according to the legal form of the companies. GCR gathered all services in one service. The documents are digitalized and get internally transferred to the respective Public Service. The biggest challenge was the collection of all data digitally.Traders with their critical comments contribute to the system's improvement. Through an electronic application, there is the possibility of finding company data since its creation. The electronic service also decongested Public Services from tons of paper/applications.
Every chamber has its own GCR service which provides services to its member companies. Main stakeholders:
The Union of Greek Chambers and the General Secretariat of Commerce-Ministry of Economy & Development
Expert opinion
This good practice highlights the benefits of digitalizing services aimed at businesses. By creating one unified registry the Greek Chambers of Commerce has released hundreds of hours of work for Chamber workers as electronic applications are served automatically. It also opens up time for businesses who can now submit such documents from a distance at a time most convenient for them. It has become a One Stop Shop for thousands of companies in their interaction with the public sector.
Digital governance systems such as GCR not only reduce the administrative burden, but they make interactions between the public and private sector more efficient, convenient, transparent and usually less costly (considering the human resources saved on both sides).
See also other such practices discussed in the Policy Learning Platform Workshop “Mastering the digital transformation of business support” held in Brussels in November 2019: https://www.interregeurope.eu/digitaltransformation/conclusions/
Digital governance systems such as GCR not only reduce the administrative burden, but they make interactions between the public and private sector more efficient, convenient, transparent and usually less costly (considering the human resources saved on both sides).
See also other such practices discussed in the Policy Learning Platform Workshop “Mastering the digital transformation of business support” held in Brussels in November 2019: https://www.interregeurope.eu/digitaltransformation/conclusions/
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
In Central Macedonia, GCR is served by 8 employees & 5 practicing lawyers costing 270,530€ /year. GCR income comes from annual fee paid by enterprises that ranges from 30€ ( for sole nteproprietorship) to 320€ (for SAs). A part of this income (4%) is withheld by UHCC to cover registry maintenance.
Evidence of success
Back-office Service of GCR of Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce & Industry was strengthened, due to electronic applications The delivered by hand applications were reduced significantly. Hundreds of thousands of electronic applications are served automatically without the employee’s intervention, releasing human resources for other purposes of the Chamber. The biggest success is that thousandsof businesses and individuals are served by an One Stop Shop Service electronically.
Potential for learning or transfer
The Greek Business Registry is a State service assigned by law as regards its operation to the General Secretariat of Trade, the Union of Hellenic Chambers of Commerce and the 59 local Chambers of Commerce - members of the Union. It was created following a persistent relevant request of the Chambers of Commerce aiming at assuring publicity and red tape limitation. Interconnection with the data bases of each local Chamber of Commerce and other informative systems, digitalization of documents and procedures and also training of the personnel were necessary steps made gradually in order to reach to a functional and mature service.
Business Registry in other countries is managed by Chambers without the direct involvement of the State or by Justice without Chambers’ involvement.
Transfer of the Greek experience in other countries should take in to consideration the specific conditions of the interested country and it depends surly on a political decision.
Business Registry in other countries is managed by Chambers without the direct involvement of the State or by Justice without Chambers’ involvement.
Transfer of the Greek experience in other countries should take in to consideration the specific conditions of the interested country and it depends surly on a political decision.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Union of Greek Chambers-Local Chambers-Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry as regards its members
Greece
Kentriki Makedonia
Contact
Project Manager-Urban & Regional Planner, MSc