From September 1, 2026, a new electronic system for collecting funds from third parties – including through bank accounts. Each case is now assigned a unique ΜΚΔ code, and document submission, signatures and deadlines are recorded digitally.
Briefly about the main thing
- the new procedure is valid from September 1, 2026;
- she touches collection from a third party — κατάσχεση εις χείρας τρίτου;
- a bank, employer or other third party may be required to withhold funds from the debtor;
- each case is assigned Μοναδικός Κωδικός Δήλωσης – ΜΚΔ;
- documents are submitted through portal.odee.gr;
- the application receives an electronic signature and an exact time stamp;
- The general deadline for filing a third party application is up to 19:00 on the eighth day;
- the new system does not abolish the amounts protected from collection provided by law;
- legal basis – laws 5282/2026, 5297/2026 and 5303/2026and also ΚΥΑ 45243/2026.
Table of contents
- What laws govern the new procedure?
- What is third party recovery?
- What is the ΜΚΔ code
- How does the new procedure work?
- Why is 19:00 on the eighth day important?
- What happens when the platform fails
- What changes for the debtor
- What happens to protected funds
- What’s changing for banks and servicers
- Cost of a bailiff’s work
- What matters does the new order concern?
- Regulatory framework
What laws govern the new procedure?
The basis of the reform was Law 5282/2026 – ΦΕΚ A’ 30/27.02.2026.
Its Article 40 amended Article 983 of the Greek Code of Civil Procedure, which regulates recovery from a third party, and Article 41 established the electronic filing of a third party application through the platform of the Federation of Hellenic Bailiffs portal.odee.gr.
The new regulations were originally expected to take effect on May 1, 2026. However Article 254 of Law 5297/2026 – ΦΕΚ A’ 64/28.04.2026 the commencement of Articles 40 and 41 was postponed to September 1, 2026.
Then Article 38 of Law 5303/2026 – ΦΕΚ A’ 81/22.05.2026 additionally clarified Article 985 of the Civil Procedure Code regarding the functioning of the digital platform, the collection procedure itself, payment of bailiffs and fees for using the system.
Finally, practical and technical rules were established ΚΥΑ 45243/οικ./2026 — ΦΕΚ B’ 5198/14.08.2026.
What is third party recovery?
Greek term κατάσχεση εις χείρας τρίτου literally means the collection of property or a claim that is “in the hands of a third party.”
The most obvious example is a bank account. The money belongs to the debtor, but is actually in the bank. Therefore, during enforcement proceedings, the bank becomes third partyto whom the corresponding request is sent.
But the procedure is not limited to banks.
The third party may be, for example, an employer, a company client or another entity who must transfer money to the debtor himself.
That is why it is legally more correct to talk not about “electronic seizure of bank accounts in general,” but about a new digital procedure collection from a third party.
What is ΜΚΔ
One of the main innovations was Μοναδικός Κωδικός Δήλωσης – unique application code, ΜΚΔ.
During the procedure, the bailiff enters the necessary data into the system, after which a unique code for a specific case is generated.
This code links the recovery to a subsequent statement from a bank or other third party.
Thus, the procedure has a peculiar digital identity: Documents no longer exist as separate paper elements, but are combined within an electronic system.
How is the procedure going now?
After serving a document on collection to a third party – for example, a bank – the latter is obliged to inform whether there is money, property or claims of the debtor that may be the subject of collection.
The application is submitted through the official platform portal.odee.grwhich is run by the Hellenic Bailiffs Federation.
For electronic application, ΜΚΔ is used. The document is signed with a qualified electronic signature, after which the system verifies the necessary data and records its receipt.
The Federation of Bailiffs officially reports that since September 1, 2026 Electronic submission of δήλωση τρίτου – statements of a third party – began to work on the platform.
Why is 19:00 on the eighth day important?
One of the most significant features of the new order is the precise digital recording of deadlines.
The general deadline for filing a third party application ends on 19:00:00 on the eighth daycounted from the next day after delivery of the document.
Thus, not only the calendar date is now recorded, but also the specific time of submission.
If the last day of the deadline is a holiday or officially non-working day, it is postponed to the next working day – also until 19:00.
For certain categories, primarily when the third party is the state or certain public legal organizations, the legislation provides for a longer period – 30 days.
What happens if the platform stops working?
The legislator also provided for the situation of technical failure.
If electronic filing is not possible on the last day of the deadline due to a system malfunction, the application may be served on the bailiff in the prescribed procedural manner.
In addition, in cases provided for by the decision, the period is extended so that the participant in the procedure does not lose his rights solely due to a technical malfunction of the electronic platform.
What changes for the debtor
Digitalization itself does not create a new basis for recovery. If the creditor did not previously have the legal right to initiate an enforcement procedure, the electronic system does not provide him with such a right.
First of all, the technical mechanism of execution is changing.
The procedure has an electronic trace, thanks to which it is possible to determine the moment of specific actions and check compliance with deadlines.
The debtor’s authorized attorney may obtain access to relevant information using the ΜΚΔ and the necessary representation documents.
On the one hand, this makes the procedure more transparent. On the other hand, many paper delays, which previously could actually slow down collection, disappear.
What happens to funds protected from collection?
Digitalization does not mean the abolition of amounts and income protected from collection.
If the law provides that certain funds or part thereof are not subject to recovery, the transfer of documents into electronic form does not in itself eliminate this protection.
Therefore, the presence of a certain amount in a bank account does not automatically mean that all of it can be transferred to the creditor.
It is necessary to take into account the origin of the funds, the type of recovery and the applicable rules on protected property and income.
What’s changing for banks and servicers
For banks, claims management companies – servicers — and legal representatives of creditors, the most important change is the strict digital recording of the procedure.
The system shows when the document was received, when the application was submitted and whether the deadline was met.
This significantly reduces the space for disputes about the date or time of execution of a procedural action.
At the same time, automation can speed up collection: the transfer of information between the bailiff, the bank and other participants no longer depends to the same extent on the movement of paper documents.
How much does the work of a bailiff cost?
ΚΥΑ 45243/2026 establishes a special payment for the bailiff for drawing up the relevant act.
| Requirement size | Reward |
|---|---|
| Up to €8,000 inclusive | €150 |
| Over €8,000 | €300 |
| Each additional copy | €5 |
In addition, there is a fee for using the electronic platform in the amount of 3% of the bailiff’s remuneration.
Important detail: this fee is paid by the bailiff. It is not included additionally in the costs of enforcement proceedings and should not be transferred to the debtor or claimant.
What matters does the new order concern?
The new electronic procedure applies to collections from third parties carried out from September 1, 2026.
It is this date that must be considered the starting point of the reform: it was established by article 254 of Law 5297/2026, changing the original date for the entry into force of the relevant provisions of Law 5282/2026.
Previously initiated procedures do not automatically become new electronic cases only due to the entry into force of the reform.
AADE tax liens are a separate issue
The new mechanism cannot be automatically identified with all cases of blocking of accounts due to debts to the state.
The procedure described is based on Articles 982–991 of the Code of Civil Procedure and governs recovery from a third party.
There are also special rules and electronic AADE mechanisms for tax debt and enforcement of government revenues.
Therefore, the statement that “from September 1, all bank accounts of tax debtors will be seized through portal.odee.gr” would be legally incorrect.
Why reform matters
At first glance, we are just talking about transferring another legal procedure from a paper form to an electronic one.
But for enforcement proceedings, the exact time is of great importance. The electronic signature, ΜΚΔ and timestamp essentially create a complete digital route for a specific collection.
For the debtor, this can make it easier to verify the legality of the actions. For the bank and lender – reduce administrative delays. For the court, it is easier to determine whether procedural deadlines were met.
The downside is that procedures that previously might have been delayed by paperwork can now be completed much faster.
Editorial comment
The main change from September 1 is not the emergence of a new right to seize debtors’ money, but the digitalization of an already existing enforcement mechanism.
ΜΚΔ, electronic signature and precise timestamp make every action much easier to verify. This is beneficial both for the debtor, who can challenge violations of the procedure, and for the creditor, who receives a faster enforcement mechanism.
But digitalization has an obvious second side: what previously could take additional days due to paper document flow between the bailiff, bank and lawyers is gradually turning into an almost continuous electronic chain.
Therefore, for people and companies with overdue obligations, it is especially important not to ignore enforcement documents and promptly find out whether specific funds are subject to restrictions and protections provided by law.
Regulatory framework
- Νόμος 5282/2026 – ΦΕΚ A’ 02.30/27.2026 — the basic law of reform; Articles 40 and 41 amended Articles 983 and 985 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
- Νόμος 5297/2026 – ΦΕΚ A’ 64/28.04.2026, article 254 — postponed the start of the new procedure to September 1, 2026.
- Νόμος 5303/2026 – ΦΕΚ A’ 81/22.05.2026, article 38 — supplemented Article 985 ΚΠολΔ with provisions on the digital platform, the procedure and payment.
- ΚΥΑ 45243/οικ./2026 — ΦΕΚ B’ 5198/14.08.2026 — determines the technical procedure for conducting electronic collection, the work of ΜΚΔ, deadlines, electronic signatures, remunerations and fees.
- portal.odee.gr is the official digital platform of the Federation of Hellenic Bailiffs, through which, from September 1, 2026, the electronic filing of third-party applications is carried out.
- Greek Code of Civil Procedure (Κώδικας Πολιτικής Δικονομίας), articles 982–991 — basic rates of recovery from a third party; Articles 983 and 985 are key to the new procedure.
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