FAOLEX Database

Greece - Country Profiles

Constitution of the Hellenic Republic of Greece.
Date of text: 1975

Policies

Multi-year National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture Development for the new programming period 2021-2030.
Date of text: 2022
New Circular Economy Action Plan of Greece.
Date of text: 01 November 2021
Long Term Strategy for 2050 (LTS).
Date of text: 2020
National Energy and Climate Plan.
Date of text: 01 December 2019
National Circular Economy Strategy.
Date of text: 01 December 2018

Legislation

Agricultural and rural development

Law 4691/2020. Regulation of competence of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food for the upgrading and modernisation of the agricultural sector and other provisions.
Date of text: 05 June 2020
Law No. 4384 establishing Agricultural Cooperatives, as forms of collective organization of rural lands.
Date of text: 26 April 2016
Law No. 2810 on Agricultural Cooperative Organizations.
Date of text: 08 March 2000
Act No. 1541 on Agricultural Co-operatives.
Date of text: 11 April 1985
Law no. 5035 of 2023 - Uniform regulatory framework for the organisation and operation of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization - DIMITRA, establishment and operation of the Amfissa Traditional Olive Grove management body and other provisions to strengthen rural development.
Date of text: 24 March 2023

Climate change

Law No. 3851 enhancing the development of renewable energy sources for assessing the impact of climatic change and bringing forth other provisions on issues falling under the competence of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change.
Date of text: 04 June 2010
Law no. 4936/2022. National Climate Law - Transition to climate neutrality and adaptation to climate change, emergency provisions to address the energy crisis and protect the environment.
Date of text: 27 May 2022
Law No. 3017 ratifying the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations framework convention on climate change.
Date of text: 30 May 2002

Cultivated plants

Law No. 4036 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, the sustainable use of pesticides and other provisions.
Date of text: 25 January 2012
Law No. 1565 on Fertilizers.
Date of text: 25 September 1985
Joint Ministerial Decision 8197/90920 establishing a National Action Plan for the implementation of Directive 2009/128/EC and the protection of human beings and the environment.
Date of text: 22 July 2013
Law No. 4523. Production of Medicinal Cannabis end-products and other provisions.
Date of text: 06 March 2018
Law No. 3495 of 9 October 2006 ratifying the International Plant Protection Convention.
Date of text: 05 October 2006

Environment

Law No. 1650 on the protection for the environment.
Date of text: 1986
Law no. 5037 of 2023. Renaming the Energy Regulatory Authority to the Waste, Energy and Water Regulatory Authority and expanding its scope with responsibilities over water services and urban waste management, strengthening water policy - Modernisation of the legislation on the use and production of electricity from renewable sources through the incorporation of EU Directives 2018/2001 and 2019/944 - More specific provisions for renewable energy sources and environmental protection.
Date of text: 28 March 2023
Law no. 4964/2022 concerning provisions for the simplification of environmental licensing, establishing a framework for the development of Offshore Wind Farms, dealing with the energy crisis, environmental protection and other provisions.
Date of text: 30 July 2022
Law no. 4685 of 2020. Modernisation of environmental legislation, incorporation into Greek legislation of Directives 2018/844 and 2019/692 of the European Parliament and of the Council and other provisions.
Date of text: 07 May 2020
Law no. 4819/2021 on Integrated framework for waste management.
Date of text: 22 July 2021

Fisheries

Legislative Decree No. 420 introducing the Fisheries Code.
Date of text: 24 January 1970
Law No. 4282 on Aquaculture development.
Date of text: 29 August 2014
Law No. 3409 on recreational diving and other provisions.
Date of text: 03 November 2005
Law No. 1740 on the development and protection of coral formations, aquaculture and fish breeding areas.
Date of text: 04 December 1987
Law No. 2078 on the establishment of the Fishery Committee.
Date of text: 07 November 1939

Food and nutrition

Law no. 5019 of 2023 - Incorporation of Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2020 regarding representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers and for the repeal of Directive 2009/22/ EC, strengthening consumer protection, regulatory framework for wine aging and other urgent provisions.
Date of text: 13 February 2023
Law No. 4492 concerning movement and marketing of fresh and perishable agricultural products.
Date of text: 18 October 2017
Law No. 4235/2014 on Administrative measures, procedures and penalties for the implementation of EU and national legislation related to food, feed and animal health and welfare sectors.
Date of text: 11 February 2014
Law No. 3377/2005 laying down the principles and rules on the re-organization of the operation and the development of main trade and market sectors - Issues of the Ministry of Development.
Date of text: 18 August 2005
Law No. 3066 on the constitution of certain companies and other provisions.
Date of text: 18 October 2002

Forestry

Law No. 3208/2003. Protection of forest ecosystems, regulation of rights over forests and forestal areas and other provisions.
Date of text: 24 December 2003
Law No. 998 on the protection of forests and forestal areas.
Date of text: 27 December 1979
Law No. 1845/1989. Development and utilization of the agriculture research and technology – Protection of forests and other provisions.
Date of text: 26 April 1989
Ministerial Decree No. 165387/410 establishing the procedure, information and accompanying documentation needed for changing the land use of forest land extending within illegal urban settlements (paragraph 2, article 24 of Law No. 3889/2010).
Date of text: 03 February 2012
Ministerial Decree No. 15277 on the specification of procedures for the approval of environmental terms, as established by the legislation on forestry, concerning projects or activities of the First or Second Category as established by Ministerial Decree No. 1958/2012, pursuant to article 12 of Law No. 4014/2011.
Date of text: 23 March 2012

Land and soil

Law No. 2882 bringing forth the Code on expropriation of immovable property.
Date of text: 02 February 2001
Law No. 4351 on Grazing Land in Greece and other provisions.
Date of text: 04 December 2015
Law no. 3147 of 2003. Regulation of rural land issues, resolution of issues of rehabilitated and restored livestock farmers and other provisions.
Date of text: 03 June 2003
Law No. 4061 on the management and protection of the immovable property of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food − Regulation of property rights and other provisions.
Date of text: 22 March 2012
Law No. 3882 establishing the National Infrastructure for Spatial Information – Alignment with Directive 2007/2/EC, amending Law No. 1647/1986 and providing for other related matters.
Date of text: 22 September 2010

Livestock

Law No. 4351 on Grazing Land in Greece and other provisions.
Date of text: 04 December 2015
Presidential Decree no. 148 of 2007. Codification of the provisions of regulatory decrees and regulatory ministerial decisions of the national drug legislation.
Date of text: 31 July 2007
Law 4859/2021. Measures to facilitate and modernise the establishment and operation of livestock facilities, provisions for carrying out checks and imposing penalties and other emergency regulations.
Date of text: 27 November 2021
Law No. 4235/2014 on Administrative measures, procedures and penalties for the implementation of EU and national legislation related to food, feed and animal health and welfare sectors.
Date of text: 11 February 2014
Law No. 4039 on stray animals protection from exploitation or speculative use.
Date of text: 22 March 2012

Sea

Law No. 4546 transposing into Greek legislation the EU Directive 2014/89 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning and other provisions.
Date of text: 11 June 2018
Law No. 4037 on ship-source pollution, the introduction of penalties for infringements and other provisions, in compliance with Directive 2005/35/EC as amended by Directive 2009/123/EC.
Date of text: 27 January 2012
Law No. 4033 implementing the provisions of Directive 2009/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector and amending Council Directive 1999/35/EC and Directive 2002/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Date of text: 17 December 2011
Law No. 2971 on the seashore, the beach zone and other provisions.
Date of text: 19 December 2001
Law No. 743 on the protection of the marine environment and arrangement of other matters related thereto.
Date of text: 14 October 1977

Water

Law 3199 on water protection and management – Harmonization with EU Directive No. 2000/60/EC.
Date of text: 09 December 2003
Law No. 3498 on the development of thermal and medicinal water tourism and other provisions related thereto.
Date of text: 23 October 2006
Law No. 3010 on the harmonization of Law No. 1650/1986 with the Directives 97/11/EC and 96/61/EC, procedure of delimitation and regulation of matters regarding water streams and other provisions.
Date of text: 22 April 2002
Ministerial Joint Decree No. 39626/2208/Ε130 laying down measures for the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration, in compliance with EU Directive 2006/118/EC.
Date of text: 25 September 2009
Ministerial Joint Decree No. 50388/2704/Ε103 amending and completing Cabinet Decree No. 2/1.2.2001 on fresh waters emission standards with regard to discharges of certain dangerous substances belonging to List II of Council Directive 76/464/EEC.
Date of text: 12 December 2003

Wild species and ecosystems

Basic Act No. 3937 on the Conservation of Biodiversity.
Date of original text: 29 March 2011 (21 December 2018)
Law No. 3409 on recreational diving and other provisions.
Date of text: 03 November 2005
Ministerial Joint Decree establishing conservation measures for natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.
Date of text: 11 December 1998
Ministerial Decree No. 33318/3028 establishing measures and procedures for the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.
Date of text: 11 December 1998
Ministerial Decree No. 366599 establishing measures for the management and conservation of wild birds, in compliance with Commission Directive 79/409/EEC.
Date of text: 16 December 1996

Miscellaneous

Law no. 4951/2022. Modernisation of the licensing process for Renewable Energy Sources - Phase B, Licensing of electricity production and storage, framework for the development of Pilot Marine Floating Photovoltaic Plants and more specific provisions on energy and environmental protection.
Date of text: 04 July 2022
Law no. 4887 of 2022. Development Law - Greece Strong Development.
Date of text: 04 February 2022
Law No. 3428 on natural gas market liberalization.
Date of text: 27 December 2005
Law No. 4203 on Renewable Energy.
Date of text: 01 November 2013
Law no. 4843/2021.
Date of text: 20 October 2021

International Agreements

Final Agreement for the settlement of the differences as described in the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the termination of the Interim Accord of 1995, and the establishment of a strategic partnership between the Parties. Prespa, 2018.
Date of text: 17 June 2018
Agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Hellenic Republic on cooperation in the field of agriculture.
Date of text: 16 June 2014
Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Turkey and Hellenic Republic on the cooperation in the field of agriculture.
Date of text: 04 March 2013