“The government has once again ignored small and medium-sized entrepreneurs and proceeded, despite our expressed objection, to increase insurance contributions by 9.6% from1 January 2023, in line with the level of inflation in the previous year.
The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry had sounded the alarm in good time, pointing out that the majority of entrepreneurs,
are unable to cope with the new financial burden, ranging from € 244 to € 655 per year,
only for the main insurance, depending on the category chosen by the non-employed person.
At the same time, the payment of a monthly contribution of 10 euros to the unemployment fund for freelancers remains
and the self-employed, resulting in six insurance categories, especially for main insurance and health,
ranging from EUR 240,25 to EUR 630,6 per month.
The burden increases if professionals are also insured for supplementary or lump-sum insurance.
For example, the contributions of the 1st of the total of three insurance categories for supplementary insurance,
are EUR 42.76 per month, while the corresponding category for one-off payments is EUR 28.51.
We are confident that a new generation of overdue insurance debts will be created, as small and medium-sized entrepreneurs are already
unable to pay the exorbitant energy bills for running their businesses
and will face enforcement measures and seizures by the Insurance Debt Collection Centre.
In this context, the reactivation of the 120 instalments, or some other form of regulation of overdue debts, is requested,
for not creating new ones.
Thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises are already in debt and cannot pay their social security contributions,
as a result they cannot get their pension“, says the President of the B.E.A. Pavlos Ravanis.
The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry presents typical examples of the new contributions called
to be paid by non-employees:
A self-employed person who is in the first insurance category and has both supplementary and lump-sum payments, currently paying €285
for contributions, from 1 January, he will pay €311 .63.
Monthly increase 26.63 euros, annual increase 319.56 euros.
A self-employed person who is in the third insurance category and has both supplementary and lump-sum payments, currently paying 405 euros
for contributions, from 1 January, he will pay €443.1.
Monthly increase of EUR 38.1, annual increase of EUR 457.2.
A self-employed person who is in the sixth insurance category and has both an allowance and a lump sum,
currently paying €669 in contributions, will pay €732.57 from 1 January.
Monthly increase of EUR 63,57, annual increase of EUR 762,84.
