The Information Society is an ally of both citizens and businesses in their dealings with public services. Transactions with the State within an Information Society are easier and faster, via a PC at home or work or via the Citizen Service Centres (CSC).
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| Citizen Service Centres (CSC) |
| Online tax services |
| Civic and municipal status certificates |
| Certificates / Confirmation / Licenses |
| Online transactions between businesses and chambers |
| Copies of criminal records |
| Online transactions with army recruitment offices |
| Online transactions with the Hellenic Police Force |
| Access for the disabled to e-government services |
| Special Registry online services |
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In order to make it easier for citizens to communicate with public services, InfoSoc provides four types of online services:
- Online information for citizens from ministries, Local Government Authorities, and legal entities about supporting documents, licenses, certificates, contact points, etc.
- Online communication between citizens and public services via new electronic media such as email in order for queries to be rapidly solved.
- Downloadable application forms for certificates, confirmations, etc. accessible via a home or work PC
- Online processing of transactions with the State without delay or wasted time. It is illustrative that one can submit one’s income tax return via taxisnet, pay bills, check on the progress of requests, issue certificates, and so on from a PC.
Below are some of the most important services which have arisen from implementation of InfoSoc Operational Programme projects which will continue to apply even after successful completion of the projects:
| Citizen Service Centres (CSC) |
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CSCs are one-stop-shops where citizens can contact and interact with the State. CSCs can be found in all municipalities nationwide where around 800 services are certified and can be handled by the CSCs, reducing the need for citizens to actually visit public services (project title: Ariadne: Citizen service and information provision system).
| Online tax services |
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From home or work, without moving around, without being limited by office hours, citizens can now submit, check and settle consolidated statements, payrolls and submit, check, settle payroll tax returns, submit, check and settle periodic VAT returns and submit, check and settle income tax returns (Project Title: Tax Services for Citizens - TaxisNet).
Some of the services available online are:
Information and interactive services
- Register data (changes to taxpayer personal data - submission of returns)
- Vehicle data (citizens can check car particulars which are presented as private vehicles in the files of the Ministry of Finance and Economy's Information Systems Secretariat General and submit modifications if they ascertain erroneous or missing information based on the data in the vehicle licence)
- Property data (online forms, worksheets used to calculate the objective value of properties).
- Confirmed debt and payments data
- Returns from previous years
Transaction services
- Intra-Community transaction returns
Hellenic Accounting Books and Records Code documentation
- Online submission, checking and settling of income tax returns for legal entities (general/limited partnership - joint ventures, non-profit organisations, limited liability companies, Sociétés Anonyme, cooperatives).
- Online submission and checking on 10 other types of returns.
- Online submission and checking of withholding tax returns.
- Online submission and use of solemn statements.
- HABRC online services.
- Online submission of consolidated invoice lists.
- Non-attested tax record lists
- Online submission of cash register tax records
- Online submission of business notices – application of capital gains tax
- Online submission and checking of capital gains tax returns.
- Objective calculation of property values.
- Submission on applications and requests for certificates such as income tax certificates, tax clearance forms, capital gains tax certificates, major property tax certificates.
- Online submission of major property tax returns for natural persons and legal entities.
| Civic and municipal status certificates |
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Citizens can directly access information on their civic and municipal status (marital status certificates, documents for general use, ID cards, general identification documentation, closest kin certificates, death certificates, army recruitment certificates, electoral roll certificates, municipal relocation certificates, school certificates, permanent residence certificates, passports, etc.). All certificates issued by Local Government Authorities can be obtained via CSCs and the Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation (Project title: National Municipal Roll IIS).
Some of the services available online are:
Information services
- Direct access to information relating to civic and municipal status which is considered particularly important for citizen dealings with the State.
Interactive services
- Citizens will be able to submit questions and obtain prompt replies.
- Citizens can obtain all certificates issued by Local Government Authorities via CSCs and the Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation (Call Centre: 1462).
| Certificates / Confirmation / Licenses |
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Certificates / confirmation / licences issued by prefectural government authorities are available in the health and public hygiene, social welfare, town planning, trade and companies, industry, mineral wealth, transport and communications sectors.
When ICT are fully integrated into these areas operated by prefectural government authorities, citizens will be able to obtain information about the progress of their request, submit requests online -undertaking to submit the supporting documents within a specific time period to the extent that this is possible by the current legal and statutory framework. Some of the services provided by prefectural government authorities in these sectors are:
Information services
- Updated supporting document lists (list of supporting documents required) per category of request for licenses, certificates and allowances.
- Below are some of the most important services which have resulted from implementation of InfoSoc Operational Programme projects which will continue to apply even after successful completion of the projects: Contact details will be available for each prefecture (phone, address, email) so that interested parties can obtain information on whether they have the correct supporting documents and collect any other ones that are needed.
Interactive Services
- Submission of requests online undertaking to submit the supporting documents within a specific time period to the extent that this is possible by the current legal and statutory framework. Some of the services which will be provided are building permits, health certificates or new company incorporation certificates, professional practice licences, car licences, etc.
| Online transactions between businesses and chambers |
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Via CSCs citizens and businesses will be able to enter into dealings with the Chamber they belong to from anywhere in Greece. Just by calling 1461 or visiting the closest CSC they will be able to be served and obtain business information without the need for pointless trips (Project Title: Integrated Chamber – CSC Cooperation). Some of the services available are:
Information services
Specialised business information. More specifically:
- News, articles from Chambers
- Business catalogue with links to the chamber's register of business
- Sectoral studies
- Greek and European-managed financing schemes
- Supply-demand for products, services and business cooperation around the world
- Special articles on matters of business interest, etc.
Interactive Services
Certificates and confirmations:
- General register certificate
- Subscription Clearance Form
- Articles of Association attestation certificate
- Business commencement certificate
- Corporate name check certificate
- Special register certificate
- Registration Certificate
- Renewal certificate for exports, insurers, agents, brokers, audiovisual equipment manufacturers
- Similar certificates for gold-silversmiths
- Membership background certificate
- Corporate name checks at local and nationwide level.
Transaction services
- Online payment for services provided.
- Online payment of Chamber subscription fees.
| Copies of criminal record extracts |
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Improvement in the time required to obtain a copy of the criminal record from the standard time of 10-15 days to less than 1 day. Estimated reduction of 20% in trial adjournments due to public sector organisation's inability to meet the demand for copies of criminal records. (Project title: ‘Installation of IT System and modernisation of criminal record systems for Court of First Instance Public Prosecutor Services in 6 cities – Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Patra, Heraklion and Volos'). Some of the services available are:
Information services
- Information for citizens about criminal record procedures
Interactive Services
- Downloadable application form for criminal record extracts
In the future, once the new regulatory framework is in place, citizens will be able to submit the application for a criminal record extract online.
| Online transactions with army recruitment offices |
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Introducing ICT to army recruitment offices ensures rapid customer services, reduced travelling requirements and time savings, since via a one-stop shop access point, transactions can be entered into online with local and central authorities and requests related to military service satisfied.
The internet allows Greeks abroad to acquire an up-to-date portal containing army recruitment information and a connection to metropolitan centres while also significantly reducing waiting times for pensioners requesting online acknowledgement of their military service (Project title: Integrated Army Recruitment Office Customer Service IT system). Some of the services available are:
Information services
- Codification of army recruitment legislation
- Guide to citizens, charter of rights
- Army recruitment newsletter
- Consular employee newsletter
- Greeks abroad newsletter
- Guide for citizens
- Charter of rights for citizens
- e-magazine for Greeks permanently resident abroad, immigrants, students abroad, draft evaders.
Interactive Services
- Services to citizens via interactive procedures such as email, fax, FAQ pages
- Online submission of applications for certificates, payment of administrative fines, military service duties via an online form, computer-printed certificates, etc.
Once the system is in place it will be possible to:
- Submit application on line, redeem military service obligations or pay administrative fines.
- Fill out military service forms via CSCs.
- Issue military service status certificates to authorised system users.
Once army recruitment offices are integrated into the SYZEFXIS system additional services available will include:
- Digital call centres at each army recruitment office
- A nationwide helpline for citizens
- Teleconferencing via regional army recruitment offices and the HAGS Army Recruitment Directorate to promptly handle issues arising from application of the recruitment legislation concerning applications or queries made by citizens.
Transaction services
- Provision of information to citizens via other public services or military service forms dispatched by recruitment offices to other bodies.
Once the system is completed other administration-to-administration services will include:
- Direct acknowledgement of military service for pensionable staff as time counting towards pension by public sector insurance providers (this procedure is outlined in a relevant study).
- Issuance of passports after confirming that military service has been discharged or that there is no need to discharge it. This will be done directly by prefectural government authorities.
- Confirmation that candidates cannot be appointed in public sector recruitment drives directly by ASEP.
- Online interconnection between CSCs and the OPLISYS system to enable CSCs to directly issue army recruitment certificates to citizens.
| Online transactions with the Hellenic Police Force |
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By introducing new ICT infrastructure the Hellenic Police primarily seeks to improve the services provided to citizens, to reduce service times and increase police effectiveness. Note that information such vehicle theft notices which require immediate posting (which until now were sent conventionally by fax, telex, etc with delays of up to 24 hours - enough time for the vehicle to be taken across the border) will now be posted immediately to the system resulting in a significant increase in the number of stolen vehicles recovered. Moreover, citizens will now be able to request and obtain certificates, licences, confirmations, etc, from any Hellenic Police precinct ensuring better service without requiring an actual visit to the precinct (as is the case today) to report theft or loss (Project Title: Participation of the Hellenic Police in modernising the public administration using IT). Some of the services which will be available are:
Interactive Services
- Missing persons reports (nationwide)
- Stolen vehicle reports Found-Stolen items (nationwide)
- Documents found
- Crime records
- Prosecution documents
- Temporary ID cards
- Citizen complaints
- Administrative services for citizens (licenses, certificates, confirmations).
| Access for the disabled to e-government services |
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The results of this project will have a direct impact on how disabled-related agencies operate at local, regional and national level and on how other agencies in the public and private sector already involved or which need to be involved in the planning, implementation and marketing of software and services which are universally accessible operate (Project title: Access for the disabled to e-government services).
Information services
- Portal accessible by the disabled which collects, classifies (based on criteria) and distributes digital content e-government services which is accessible and easy to use for the disabled and other citizens and professionals.
- Access tools for the worldwide web and e-government service already provided via it such as online submission of tax returns, municipal rolls, searches for Government Gazette issues, post code searches, searches for laws, etc.
- Adaptation of existing services at local/regional level (e.g. Local Government Authorities) or national level (e.g. ministries) to make them accessible to the disabled.
- New support services for how disabled-related agencies operate at all levels (local, regional and national) to bolster participation, communication, exchanges of experiences and direct provision of up-to-date information to agencies involved.
| Special Registry online services |
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Information for citizens via the internet on matters covered by the Special Registry such as supporting documents required, applications for copies of registry deeds, etc. Immediate, direct access to registry deeds via CSCs (Project title: Special Registry Integrated Information System).
Information services
- Information searches related to Special Registry issues concerning Greeks abroad (application forms and supporting documents required in each case).
- Special Registry database information searches (index of registry deeds) for accredited users (CSCs).
Interactive Services
- Downloadable application forms for register issues for Greeks abroad.
- Online submission of application form for registry deeds for Greeks abroad (CSC).
- Online completion and printout of registry deeds for accredited users (Consulates).