According to exclusive information, the provision that would have ended cash payments upon delivery of products via courier is being put on ice, following the intense backlash the measure sparked from the very first hours of the public consultation on the bill introduced by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance.
Courier deliveries: Cash-on-delivery ban provision set to be withdrawn
Competent sources confirm that the provision will not appear in the final text of the bill to be submitted for parliamentary vote, describing the measure as having been completely defused.
As currently drafted in the bill, the provision stipulates that when a product is shipped and delivered to a private individual through a courier company and payment is made upon delivery, that payment must be made exclusively by electronic means — i.e., by card — regardless of the transaction amount.
In other words, a purchase of €5, €20, or €200 delivered by courier would have had to be paid electronically, while that exact same purchase, if the consumer went to a physical store, could be paid normally in cash — since the general rule only mandates electronic payment for transactions of €500 or more.
It is precisely this discrepancy that has triggered strong reactions from the market, with the Athens Chamber of Commerce raising the issue of unequal treatment of businesses and consumers based solely on the method of product delivery.
Cash-on-delivery: Why the mandatory card payment rule was frozen
The core issue being highlighted is that the same transaction would be treated differently — not based on its value, but based on how the product reaches the customer. A business would be able to collect €300 in cash at its store register, yet would be required to request electronic payment if that same product were sent to the same customer via courier.
This discrepancy also raises competition concerns between brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers. Physical stores retain the ability to accept cash for transactions under €500, while online stores using cash-on-delivery via courier would have faced an additional restriction — one that could have affected both consumer choices and business operations.
At the same time, cash-on-delivery remains a significant payment method for a portion of online purchases, particularly for consumers who do not use cards or prefer not to prepay for an order before receiving it. The bill’s text does reference that exemptions will be available, to be specified through a relevant Ministerial Decision. The provision also includes strict penalties, as acceptance of cash by a courier company would carry a fine equal to twice the value of the transaction.
These reactions appear to have been a decisive factor in withdrawing the contested provision from the final bill before it heads to parliament — even as the overarching policy direction remains firmly focused on expanding electronic payments and improving tax transparency.
