Greece

  • Capital: Athens
  • Population: approx. 11,000,000
  • Language: Greek
  • Part of the EU since: 1981

Member Bodies

Professional bodies

SOEL
MembershipMandatory  
No. of members 4,014
Institute staff43
Date of establishment 1992
Local branches3 (Athens – Salonica – Heraklion, Crete) 
Subject to public oversightYes
Public oversight authorityHellenic Accounting and Auditing Standards Oversight Board (HAASOB)
Involvement in Qualification and Market AccessSOEL
Initial educationYes
ExaminationYes
Approval and registrationYes (with HAASOB) 
Continued Professional DevelopmentYes (with HAASOB) 
ActivitiesSOEL
Standard settingNo (HAASOB)
Quality assuranceYes (only audits of non-PIEs with HAASOB, PIEs: HAASOB only)
Disciplinary measuresNo (HAASOB)

Profession

ProfessionsCertified Public Accountant – CPA  
(ΟΡΚΩΤΟΣ ΕΛΕΓΚΤΗΣ ΛΟΓΙΣΤΗΣ – ΟΕΛ) 
Professional bodyInstitute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece (SOEL)
Σώμα Ορκωτών Ελεγκτών Λογιστών (ΣΟΕΛ)
Protected titleYes
Reserved activitiesStatuary Audit
Included authorisationsN/A

Supervision

Certified Public Accountant – CPA
Regulated professionYes
SupervisionYes
Public oversight authorityHAASOB

Qualification

Certified Public Accountant – CPA
General initial education steps (without possible exemptions) • Academic degree (bachelor’s degree or university student status equivalent, as per Law 4449/Article 7 §1a/2017)  

• Professional examinations (as per Law 4449/Article 9 §1/2017)  

• Auditing practice: at least 5 years, 2 of which after successful completion of professional examinations (as per Law 4449/Article 11 §1/2017

Statistics

Certified Public Accountant – CPA
No. of qualified professionals917 (registered CPAs only, April 2020)
No. of new trainees per yearApproximately 200
No. of people taking the professional examinationApproximately 1,000 to 1,100 people per examination period (2 examination periods per year)
No. of people passing the professional examinationApproximately 65% of examinees

Market access – Qualified professionals

Certified Public Accountant – CPA
Registration requiredYes
Competent authority for registrationSOEL (authority granted by HAASOB)
Cost of appointment/ registration€500.00 (Supervisory Council Decision H’4/2/03.06.2015)
Oath requiredYes
Insurance requiredYes
Professional address requiredYes