A mechanism that “scans” almost all government procedures and achieves a dramatic reduction in bureaucracy of at least 40%.

With the goal of providing even better services to citizens and eliminating the sources of daily frustration and inconvenience in their interactions with public services, Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis has developed a comprehensive strategy to modernize and streamline the state’s core operations.

Under Hatzidakis’s plan, within the immediate future, 1,000 procedures that previously required multiple supporting documents, certificates, photocopies, and other paperwork will instead be completed through a simple sworn declaration.

These include at least 622 procedures related to citizens, such as birth and death registry records, marriage certificates, permanent residence certificates, military status documentation, tax and social security compliance certificates, and others. A further 385 procedures relate to businesses and economic activity.

The driving force behind the implementation of the most extensive horizontal reform of bureaucratic procedures was the passing of the law “Measures for a More Citizen-Friendly State,” which was introduced to Parliament by the Deputy Prime Minister last March. The legislation introduced 14 targeted measures aimed, on the one hand, at reducing time-consuming and costly interactions with government services and, on the other hand, at improving public services for citizens through the use of new digital tools.

The most important element of the reform is the ability to replace, through a sworn declaration, documents that are already held by the state but which were previously requested repeatedly from citizens and businesses.

Citizens will no longer be required to repeatedly submit documents such as copies of university degrees or criminal record certificates. The new law enables the immediate simplification of 1,007 administrative procedures out of approximately 2,500 procedures currently recorded in the National Registry of Administrative Procedures (MITOS) that require citizens to submit supporting documents.

The Overhaul of MITOS

It should be noted that the Deputy Prime Minister has assumed responsibility for coordinating the interministerial initiative aimed at eliminating unnecessary administrative burdens placed on citizens.

Through the MITOS monitoring system, he identified that the public sector currently carries out 3,058 different administrative procedures on an almost daily basis involving citizens and businesses. Of these, 2,530 require the submission of supporting documents, while the remaining 528 do not.

At the same time, the system showed that simply replacing the 25 most frequently requested certificates with a basic sworn declaration would have a significant impact, affecting 40% of daily transactions with 32 different public agencies.

What does this mean in practice?

The government estimates that the implementation of these changes will produce immediate and visible results, improving citizens’ everyday interactions with the state.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s office cites as a key example the simplification of the application process for a survivor’s pension following the death of an insured person.

Until now, citizens submitting such an application were required to collect and submit 13 supporting documents. Under the new system, the marriage or civil partnership certificate, the death certificate, and the next-of-kin certificate will be replaced by a simple sworn declaration. The estimated reduction in administrative burden for this procedure is 23%.

Similarly, a newly married couple applying to open a family bank account was previously required to submit, among other documents, a marriage or civil partnership certificate and proof of permanent residence. These requirements will now be covered by a sworn declaration, resulting in a 66% reduction in bureaucracy.

Another example concerns applicants seeking admission to the Athens Vocational Training School for People with Special Needs operated by DYPA. Previously, applicants had to submit a copy of their degree, proof of AMKA registration, a tax registration certificate, and a certificate confirming the duration of unemployment. Under the Hatzidakis Law, these four certificates—out of the 11 documents previously required—will be replaced by a single sworn declaration, providing citizens with a 36% reduction in administrative requirements.

An additional example is the procedure for notifying the establishment and operation of a gym or sports school. Previously, applicants were required to submit a copy of their degree and, in cases involving studies abroad, a certificate recognizing foreign academic qualifications from DOATAP, along with a criminal record certificate, proof of social security compliance, and proof of tax compliance.

Under the new law, five of the 24 required certificates will be replaced by a single affidavit, resulting in a 21% reduction in bureaucracy.

The Numbers Behind the Reform

• 25 key supporting documents currently required in citizens’ everyday interactions with government services.
• 1,007 administrative procedures being simplified out of the 2,530 procedures that require supporting documents.
• 622 procedures concern citizens.
• 385 procedures concern businesses and economic activity.
• 40% of procedures recorded in the National Registry of Administrative Procedures (MITOS) that require supporting documents will be affected by the reforms.
• 32 different public agencies will be impacted by these changes.