Consultancy agreement in Greece: Template, Key Clauses and Local Law (2026)

What a consultancy agreement is in Greece A consultancy agreement engages an independent consultant, an individual or a company, to provide advice or services without becoming an employee. In Greece these agreements sit on the Civil Code's contract for independent services (Articles 648 and following), under the freedom of contract granted by Article 361, and read against the good faith principles of Articles 200 and 288. They cover management advice, IT and engineering specialists, interim experts and freelancers. The central issue in a Greek consultancy agreement is classification. Greek labour law protects employees heavily, and the courts look at the substance of the relationship rather than its label. If an individual provides services under the client's direction and control, works fixed hours set by the client, is integrated into the business and depends economically on that single client, a Greek court can find a contract of dependent employment, with all the protections that brings: minimum pay, leave, social security, notice and severance. Getting this wrong is costly, because reclassification can mean back payment of contributions and employer obligations. A genuine consultancy keeps the consultant independent. The consultant controls how the work is done, carries business risk, can serve other clients, invoices for results, and is registered for tax and social security as a self-employed professional. In Greece, independent professionals contribute to EFKA under the self-employed regime and invoice with value added tax (FPA) where registered. Greek law also recognises an intermediate category of economically dependent self-employed persons, which can attract some protections, so a consultant who works almost entirely for one client should be structured carefully. ## Key clauses a Greek consultancy agreement should contain Parties and status. Name the parties with tax numbers (AFM) and state plainly that the consultant is an independent professional, not an employee, responsible for their own taxes and social security. The label does not decide classification, but it matters. Scope and deliverables. Describe the advice or services. Frame the engagement around outcomes and the consultant's own methods rather than fixed hours and supervision, which keeps it on the independent side. Fees and invoicing. The rate, payment days and whether value added tax applies. Independent consultants invoice with VAT where registered. Term and termination. Fixed or rolling, notice period and termination for breach. Address payment for work in progress on termination. Intellectual property. State expressly that deliverables and their IP are assigned or licensed to the client, because rights do not pass automatically on payment. Confidentiality. A clear confidentiality clause, supported by the trade secret regime in Law 4605/2019. Non-compete and non-solicit. These can be agreed more freely with a genuine independent consultant than with an employee, but keep them reasonable in scope, geography and time, or the good faith principle may limit them. Liability and insurance. A liability cap, exclusion of indirect loss, and professional indemnity insurance for advisory work. Governing law and disputes. Greek law and a chosen forum, the competent Greek courts or arbitration. ## A simple consultancy agreement structure you can adapt 1. Parties and independent professional status.

2. Scope of services and deliverables.
3. Fees, expenses, invoicing and VAT.
4. Term and termination.
5. Intellectual property assignment or licence.
6. Confidentiality.
7. Non-compete and non-solicitation (reasonable).
8. Warranties, liability cap and insurance.
9. Data protection, where relevant.
10. Governing law (Greek) and disputes.
11. Signatures. This is a starting point, not legal advice. For long or high value engagements, have a Greek lawyer review the status and IP clauses in particular. ## Avoiding the misclassification trap Greek courts apply a substance test. Warning signs that a consultancy might be reclassified as employment include fixed hours set by the client, close supervision of method, integration into the client's team and reporting lines, exclusivity, the client providing tools and workspace, and continuous pay by time rather than by result. The economically dependent self-employed category adds a further layer, because a consultant who depends on one client for almost all income can attract some employee style protections even if genuinely independent in other respects. Build both the contract and the working relationship to reflect genuine independence, and avoid structuring a full time role as a consultancy to cut cost, because the court looks at reality. ## Keeping the agreement and its obligations in one place A consultancy agreement creates duties that outlive the kickoff: the end or renewal date, the notice window, the IP that must be delivered and assigned, the confidentiality that continues after the work ends, and the invoices tied to milestones. When these sit across emails, drives and calendars, it is easy to lose track of what was agreed and which version is current. The idea worth keeping is that drafting a consultancy agreement, checking its status and IP clauses, editing it as the engagement changes, and tracking its dates and obligations are one connected job, and it is far easier when the document and its deadlines live in one place. That single workspace idea is what Adira is built around for business contracts. Adira is India first today, with other jurisdictions on its roadmap, so for Greece specific points such as dependent self-employment or social security you would confirm the detail with Greek counsel. The direction holds anywhere: an engagement you can trust is one that stays in one place, in step, with its dates in view.