Greek journalists remain effectively barred from accessing the country's register of beneficial owners, despite years of government promises to expand transparency and a looming European Union deadline requiring broader access to corporate ownership information.
The registry, which identifies the individuals who ultimately control or benefit from companies, is considered a key tool for investigating corruption, money laundering, conflicts of interest and hidden networks of economic influence. For investigative reporters, access to such data is often essential for tracing ownership structures and identifying the people behind complex corporate arrangements.
At the end of 2025, access appeared set to widen. A joint decision by Greece's finance and digital governance ministries envisaged that individuals and legal entities able to demonstrate a legitimate interest would be granted access to beneficial ownership information from December 31 onward. The move was widely seen as a step toward greater corporate transparency and closer alignment with European standards.
Instead, legislative changes introduced shortly before the deadline significantly narrowed eligibility. Under amendments adopted through Law 5259/2025, access to the registry is now largely confined to prosecutors, anti-money laundering authorities and other enforcement bodies. Individuals seeking access must demonstrate a special legitimate interest and obtain authorization through a prosecutorial order.
The changes have raised concerns among transparency advocates, who argue that the new requirements create substantial obstacles for journalists seeking information that is routinely used in public-interest investigations elsewhere in Europe.
The debate comes as Brussels strengthens its anti-money laundering framework. Under Directive (EU) 2024/1640, investigative journalists, academic researchers and civil society organizations are explicitly recognized as actors with a legitimate interest in accessing beneficial ownership information. Member states are required to transpose the directive into national law by July 10, 2026.
Critics contend that Greece's latest legislative approach risks diverging from the direction of travel set by the EU. While the European framework seeks to balance transparency with privacy protections, the Greek rules introduce additional conditions that could make access significantly more difficult in practice.
The restrictions are reflected in the registry's digital platform. Users logging in through the government's Taxisnet system are unable to conduct beneficial ownership searches unless they belong to specifically authorized categories. The platform continues to reference a 2022 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which found that unrestricted public access to beneficial ownership registers infringed privacy and data protection rights.
That judgment prompted governments across Europe to revise access rules, but it did not eliminate access for journalists or others able to demonstrate a legitimate interest. With less than a month before the EU transposition deadline, questions remain over whether Greece intends to revise its framework and bring it into line with the bloc's new transparency standards.
