This Q&A gives an overview of the key issues in establishing a business in Greece, including an introduction to the legal system; the available business vehicles and their applicable formalities; corporate governance structures and requirements; foreign investment incentives and restrictions; currency regulations; and tax and employment issues.

We are very pleased to announce the release of the World Law Group (“WLG”) Merger Control Basics 2010. This booklet provides information on merger control filing thresholds and merger control deadlines in 53 jurisdictions worldwide. It therefore provides information on two of the most important questions related to the preparation of multi-jurisdictional merger control filings. This booklet also reflects the significant success and close cooperation experienced by WLG member firms in working together on multi-jurisdictional projects.

Mergers and acquisitions (together, the Concentrations) are subject to merger control under Law 703/1977 “on the control of monopolies and oligopolies and the protection of free competition”, as amended repeatedly and for the last time by Law 3373/2005 (the Competition Law), provided the thresholds imposed by the Law are met.

There are three (3) principle legal methods that can be used in order to bring about a commercial transfer and acquisition of technology, namely: a. The Sale (i.e. Assignment), b. The License Agreement and c. The Know-How Agreement. The commercial transfer of technology through a license is the giving by the owner of a patented invention to another person or legal entity of the permission to perform, in the country and for a limited period of time, one or more of the acts which are covered by the exclusive rights of the owner of the invention patented in that country. When that permission is given, a “license” has been granted.

The companies covered in the below answers are companies incorporated as Sociétés Anonymes Companies whose securities are listed for trading on the Athens Stock Exchange (“Listed Companies”).