WORLD TRADE 
ORGANIZATION 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights IP/N/l/GRC/C/l 
29 April 1996 
(96-1621) 
Original: English 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
NOTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
Greece 
The present document reproducesl the following laws and regulations, as notified by Greece 
under Article 63.2 of the Agreement: 
Law 212111993, Copyright, related rights and cultural matters 2 
Article 4 of the Law 2173/1993 amending the Law 212111993 36 
Article 59 of the Law 2218/1994 amending the Law 212111993 37 
Presidential Decree 31111994 39 
lIn English only IP/NIlIGRC/C/l 
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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE STATE REPUBLIC OF GREECE 
FIRST ISSUE 
ISSUE NUMBER 25 
4 MARCH 1993 
LAW 212111993 
COPYRIGHT" RELATED RIGHTS AND CULTURAL MATIERS 
We, the President of the Hellenic Republic, hereby grant our assent to the following law 
which Parliament has approved: 
SECTION I 
OBJECT AND CONTENT OF COPYRIGHT 
Article 1 
Copyright 
1. InteltectuaL authors shall have, with the creation of the work, the right of copyright 
over that work. which includes. as exclusive and absolute rights, the right to exploit the 
work (economic right) and the right to protect their personal connection with the work 
(moral right). 
2. The above-mentioned rights shall include the powers of authorization provided in 
Articles 3 and 4 of this Law 
Article 2 
Object of the right 
1. The tenn «work» shall designate any original intellectual literary, artistic or scientific 
creation. expressed in any form, notably written or oral texts, musical compositions 
with or without words. theatrical works accompanied or unaccopmanied by music. 
choreografies and pantomimes. audiovisual works, works of fine art. inGluding 
drawings, works of painting and sculpture, engravings and lithographs, works of 
architecture. photographs. works of applied art, illustrations, maps, "three dimensional 
works relative to geography, topography, architecture or science. 
2. The tenn «work» shall. in addition, designate translations, adaptations, arrangements 
and other alterations of works or of expressions of popular tradition. as well as 
collections of works or collections of expressions of popular tradition or of simple facts IP/NIl/GRC/CI 1 
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and data. such as encyclopaedias, anthologies and data bases. provided the selection or 
the arrangement of their contents is original. Protection afforded to the works listed in 
this paragraph shall in no way prejudice rights on the pre-existing works. which were 
used as the object of the alterations or the collections. 
3. Without prejudice to the provisions of section VII of this Law, computer programs 
and their preparatory design material shall be deemed to be literary works within the 
meaning of the provisions on copyright prot.ection. Protection in accordance with this 
Law shall apply to the expression in any form of a computer program. Ideas and 
principles which underlie any element of a computer program. including those which 
underlie its interfaces. are not protected under this Law. A computer shall be protected 
if it is original in the sense that it is the author's personal intellectual creation. 
4. The protection afforded under this Law shall apply regardless of the value of the 
work and its destination and regardless of the fact that the work is possibly protected 
under other provisions. 
5. The protection afforded under this Law shall not apply to official texts expressive of 
the authority of the State. notably to legislative. administrative or judicial texts. and 
shall not apply likewise to expressions of popular tradition. news information and to 
simple facts and data. 
Article 3 
The economic right 
). The economic right shall confer upon the author notably the power to pennit or 
prohibit: a) the fixation and reproduction of the work by any means. such as 
mechanical. photochemical or electronic means: b) the translation of the work: c) the 
arrangement. adaptation or other alterations of the work: d) the distribution of the 
original or copies of the work via a transfer of ownership, a rental arrangement or 
public lending. and. notably with reference to the use of copies. the imposition of 
limiting conditions on a transfer of ownership or a rental or public lending 
arrangement: e) the communication of the work to the public: f) the public 
performance of the work: g) the broadcasting or rebroadcasting of the work to the 
public by radio and television. by wireless waves or by cables or by other material wires 
or by any other means. in parallel to the surface of the earth or by satellite: h) the 
import of copies of the work produced abroad without the creator~s consent or the 
import of copies from a country outside the European Community when the right over 
such imports had been retained in contract by the author. 
2. The use. performance or presentation of the work shall be deemed to be <<public» 
when the work thereby becomes accesible to a circle of persons wider than the narrow 
circle of the family and the immediate social circle of the author. regardless of whether 
the persons of this wider circle are at the same or different locations. JP IN IlIGRCICIl 
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Article 4 
The moral right 
1. The moral right shall confer upon the author notably the following powers: a) to 
decide on the time. place and manner in which the work shall be made accessible to the 
public (publication) : b) to demand that his position as the author of the work be 
acknowledged and. in particular. to the extent that it is possible, that his name be 
indicated on the copies of his work and noted whenever his work is used publicly. or. 
oppositely, if he so wishes. that his work be presented anonymously or under a 
pseudonym: c) to prohibit any distortion. mutilation or other modification of his work 
and any offence of the author due to the circumstances of the presentation of the work 
in public: d) to have access to his work. even when the economic right in the work or 
the physical entity of the work belongs to another person: in those latter cases. the 
access shall be effected with minimum possible nuisance to the rightholder: e) in the 
case of a literary or scientific work. to rescind a contract transfering the economic right 
or an exploitation contract or licence of which his work is the object, subject to 
payment of material damages to the other contracted party, for the pecuniary loss he 
has sustained. when the author considers such action be necessary to the protection of 
his personality because of changes in his beliefs or in the circumstances. 
2. \Vith reference to the last case of the preceding paragraph. the rescission takes effect 
after the payment of the damages. If. after the rescission. the author again decides to 
transfer the economic right or to pennit exploitation of the work or of a like work. he 
must give the fonner other contracted party in priority the opportunity to reconstitute 
the old contract with the same tenus or with tenus similar to those which were in force 
at the time of the rescission. 
3. The moral right shall be independent from the economic right and shall remain with 
the author even after the transfer of the economic right. 
Article 5 
«Droit de suite» 
1. Whenever an original fine art work is resold at a a public auction or by an art dealer 
or through the mediation of an art dealer. the author of the work and his heirs shall 
have the right to demand a percentage of five per cent of the sale price. This right shall 
not be trasferrable bet\veen living persons. 
2. The amount shall be rendered by the organizer of the public auction or by the art 
dealer. 
3. Organizers of public auctions and art dealers are obliged when requested. to provide 
the Fine Arts Chamber of Greece and the fine arts collecting societies each year with 
exact infonnation on the works sold by them or through their intervention in the 
preceding calendar year and on their sale prices. SECfION 11 IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
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THE INITIAL SUBJECT OF THE COPYRIGHT 
Article 6 
The initial rightholder 
I. The initial rightholder of the economic right and the moral right attaching to a work 
shall be the author of that work. 
2. The above-mentioned rights shall be vested in the author of a work without resort to 
any formality. 
Article 7 
Works of joint authorship,collective and compound works 
I. The term «work of joint authorship» shall designate any work which is the result of 
the direct collaboration of two or more authors. The initial rightholders in respect of 
the economic and moral rights attaching to a joint work shall be the co-authors of that. 
Unless otherwise agreed the rights shall be shared equally by the co -authors. 
2. The term «collective work» shall designate any work created through the independent 
contribution of several authors acting under the intellectual direction and coordination 
of one natural person. That natural person shall be the initial rightholder of the 
economic right and the moral right attaching to the collective work. 
Each author of a contribution shall be the initial rightholder of the economic right and 
the moral right attaching to his own contribution, provided that that contribution is 
capable of separate exploitation. 
3. The term «compound work» shall designate a work which is composed of parts 
created separately. The authors of all of the parts shall be the initial co-rightholders of 
the rights attaching to the compound work and each author shall be the exclusive initial 
rightholder of the rights of the part of the compound work which he has created. 
provided that that part is capable of separate exploitation. 
Article 8 
Employee-created works 
Where a work is created by an employee in the execution of an employment contract 
the initial rightholder of the economic and moral right attaching to the work shall be 
the author of the work. Unless otherwise provided by contract~ .the only powers 
stemming from the economic right shall be transferred exclusively to the employer shall 
be those which are necessary to the fulfilment of the purpose of the contract. IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
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Article 9 
Audiovisual works 
The principal director of an audiovisual work shall be considered as its author. 
Article 10 
Presumptions 
1. The person whose name appears on the material aid of a work in the manner usually 
used to indicate authorship shall be presumed to be the author of that work. The same 
shall apply when the name that appears is a pseudonym. provided that the pseudonym 
leaves no doubt as to the person's identity. 
2. In the cases of collective works. computer programs or audiovisual works. the natural 
or legal person whose name or title appears on the material aid of the work in the 
manner usually used to indicate the rightholder shall be presumed to be the rightholder 
of the copyright attaching to the particular work. 
3. The presumption refferred to in paragraphs and 2 above may be overridden by 
evidence to the contrary. 
Article 11 
Fictitious initial rightholders 
I. Whoever publishes an anonymous or pseudonymous work is deemed to be against 
third parties the initial rightholder of the economic and moral rights attaching to that 
work. When the real author of the work reveals his identity, he aquires the above­
mentioned rights at the condition they are from the actions of the fictitious rightholder. 
2. Whoever possesses and publishes works of authors. who have deceased and are no 
more protected under the provisions of copyright. is deemed to be the initial rightholder 
of the economic and moral right attaching to that works. 
3. In the cases referred to in paragraphs I and 2 above. the moral right shall belong to 
the fictitious rightholder insofar as that is appropriate to his status. 
SECI10N III 
TRANSFER. EXPLOITATION AND THE EXERCISE OF RIGHTS 
Article 12 
Transfer 
1. The economic right may be transferred between living persons or mortis causa. IP/NIl/GRC/CI 1 
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2. The moral right shall not be transferable between living persons. After the death of 
an author the moral right shall pass to his heirs. who shall exercise the right in 
compliance with the author~s will. provided that such will has been explicitly expressed. 
Article 13 
Exploitation contracts and licences 
I. The author of the work may conclude contracts. by which he entrusts to the other 
party to the contract powers deriving from the economic right (exploitation contracts). 
The other party to the contract undertakes the obligation to exercise the powers thus 
entrusted. 
2. The author of the work may authorize some other person to exercise power deriving 
from the economic right (exploitation licences). 
3. Exploitation contracts and licences may be exclusive or non-exclusive. Exclusive 
exploitation contracts and licences shall empower the other contracting party to exercise 
the powers conferred by the contract or licence excluding any third person. Non­
exclusive exploitation contracts and licences shall give the right to the other contracting 
party to exercise the powers conferred by the contract or licence in parallel to the 
author and other contracting parties. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary. 
the other contracting party shall be entitled in his own name to seek legal protection 
against illegal infrigements by third parties of powers he exercices. 
4. Where doubt exists about the exclusivity of an exploitation contract or licence the 
contract or licence shall be deemed to be non-exclusive. 
5. The contract or licence may in no circumstance confer any right over the future 
works of the author in its entirety and shall never be deemed to refer also to forms of 
exploitation which were unknown at the time the relative legal acts were concluded. 
6.The rights of a person who undertakes to effect the exploitation of a work or who 
aquires the possibility of exploitation may not be transferred between living persons 
without the consent of the author. 
Article 14 
Form of legal acts 
Acts dealing with the transfer of powers stemming from the economic right. with the 
assignation or licensing of the right of exploitation and with the exercise of the moral 
right shall be null and void unless they are concluded in writing. Nullity may be 
invoked only by the intellectual author. IP/N/I/GRCIC/l 
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Article 15 
Extent of transfer and of exploitation contracts and licences. 
I. The transfer of the economic right and the exploitation contracts or the contracts 
licencing the exploitation of that right may be restrictive as regards the powers they 
confer. their scope and duration. the place of their validity and the extent or the means 
of exploitation. 
2. If the duration of the transfer or of the exploitaion contracts or licence is unspecified. 
its duration shall be deemed to be limited to five years. provided conventional mores do 
not indicate otherwise. 
3. If the place of validity of the transfer or of the exploitation contracts or licence is 
unspecified. the said legal acts shall be deemed to be valid in the country in which they 
were concluded. 
4. If the extent and the means of exploitation for which the transfer takes place or for 
which the exploitation or the exploitation licence is agreed are unspecified. it shall be 
deemed that the said acts refer to the extent and the means. which are necessary to the 
fulfilment of the purpose of the contract or licence. 
5. In all cases involving the transfer of the economic right or the granting of an 
exclusive exploitation licence. the person who aquires the right or the licence shall 
ensure that within a reasonable period of time the work is accessible to the public via an 
appropriate form of exploitation. 
Article 16 
Consent of the author as exercise of the moral right 
The granting of consent by an author for an action or an omission which would 
othenvise constitute an infrigment of his moral right shall be deemed to be a fonn of 
exercise of his moral right and shall be binding upon him. 
Article 17 
Transfer of the material aid 
Unless there exists prior agreement to the contrary in writing with the initial rightholder 
of the economic right. the transfer of the ownership of the material aid. where the work 
has been incorporated. whether in the original form or in any form of copy, shall not 
constitute a transfer of the copyright or confer on the new owner any powers to exploit 
the work. SECI10N IV IP/N/1/GRC/CIl 
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LIMITATIONS TO THE ECONOMIC RIGHT 
Article 18 
Reproduction for private use 
I. Without prejudice to the provisions laid down in the following paragraphs, it shall be 
pennissible for a person to make a reproduction of a lawfully published work for his 
own private use without the consent of the author and \vithout payment. The term 
«private use» shall not designate use by an enterprise, a service or an organization. 
2. The freedom to make a reproduction for private use shall not apply when the act of 
reproduction is likely to impede the normal exploitation of the work or to prejudice the 
author's legitimate interests. and notably: a) when the reproduction is an architectural 
work in the form of a building or similar construction; b) when technical means are 
used to reproduce a fine art work which circulates in restricted number. or when the 
reproduction is a graphical representation of a musical work. 
3. If for the free reproduction of the work technical means are used. such as visual or 
sound or visual and sound recording equipment, magnetic tapes or other materials. 
suitable for the reproduction of sound or image or of sound and image. photocopying 
machines. photocopy paper or computers, an equitable remuneration shall be payable 
to the author of the work and to any rightholders of related rights. The remuneration 
shall be fixed at 6% of the value of the visual or sound or visual and sound recording 
equipment and of the magnetic tapes or other materials. at 40/0 of the value of the 
photocopying machines and of the photocopy paper and at 20/0 of the value of the 
computers. In any case, the calculation shall be made at the time of the import, or of 
the distribution from the factory or at the time of the wholesale or retail sale. The 
remuneration shall be paid by the manufacturers or the importers or the tradesmen of 
the objects herein specified and shall be noted on the invoice. acting for all or part of 
the concerned category of rightholders. The collecting societies shall collect the said 
remuneration and shall choose the debtor. The remuneration collected from the 
manufacture or import or sale of photocopying machines. photocopy paper and 
computers shall be shared equally between the intellectual authors and the publishers of 
printed matters. The remuneration collected from the manufacturer or import or sale of 
visual or sound or visual and sound recording shall be distributed in the proportion of 
55~/o to the intellectual authors. 250/0 to perfonners and 200/0 to the producers of 
recorded magnetic tapes or other sound or visual or sound and visual recordings. The 
necessary details pertaining to the allocation and payment of monies to the various 
categories or sub-categories of the same category of rightholders can be detennined by 
recommendation of the Minister for Culture. 
Article 19 
Quotations of extracts 
Quotation of short extracts of a lawfully published work of an author for the purpose 
of providing support for a case advanced by the person making the quotation or a 
critique of the position of the author shall be permissible without the consent of the IP/N/lIGRC/C/l 
Page 10 
author and \vithout payment. provided the quotation is effected in accordance with 
good morals and that the extent of the extracts is essential to the purposes of the 
quotation. The quotation of the extract must be accompanied by an indication of the 
source of the extracts and of the names of the author and of the publisher, provided the 
said names appear on the source. 
Article 20 
School textbooks and anthologies 
1. The reproduction of the lawfully published literary works of one or more writers in 
educational textbooks approved for use in the primary and secondary education by the 
Ministry of National Education and Religions or another competent ministry. 
according to the official detailed syllabus. shall be pennissible without the consent of 
the authors and without payment. The reproduction shall encompass only a small part 
of the total output of each of the writers. 
2. After the death of the author it shall be permissible to reproduce his works in a 
lawfully published anthology of literary works of more than one writers. without the 
consent of the rightholders and without payment. The reproduction shall encompass 
only a small part of the total output of each of the writers. 
3. The reproduction. as specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 above. shall not impede the 
normal exploitation of the work from which the texts are taken and must be 
accompanied by an indication of the source and of the names of the author and of the 
publisher. provided the said names appear on the source. 
Article 21 
Reproduction for teaching purposes 
It shall be permissible, without the consent of the author and without payment. to 
reproduce articles lawfully published in a newspaper or periodical. short extracts of a 
work or parts of a short work or a lawfully published fine art work exclusively for 
teaching or examination purposes at an educational establishment. in such measure as is 
commensurate with the aforementioned purpose, and provided that the reproduction is 
effected in accordance with good morals and does not impede normal exploitation. The 
reproduction must be accompanied by an indication of the source and of the names Df 
the author and of the publisher. provided the said names appear on the source. 
Article 22 
Reproduction by libraries and archives 
It shall be permissible, without the consent of the author and without payment, for a 
non-profIt-making library or archive to reproduce one additional copy from the copy of 
the work already in their permanent collection for the purpose of retaining that 
additional copy or of transferring it to another non-profIt-making library or archive. 
The reproduction shall be permissible only if the additional copy cannot be obtained 
from the market promptly and on reasonable tenns. ,Article 23 
Reproduction of cinematographic works IP/NIl/GRC/CI 1 
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In a circumstance where the rightholder of the economic right abusively withholds 
consent for the reproduction of a cinematographic work of special artistic value for the 
purpose of preserving it in the National Cinematographic Archive. the reproduction 
shall be permissible without his consent and without payment. subject to a decision by 
the Minister of Culture. taken in conformity to the prior opinion of the 
Cinematography Advisory Counsil. 
Article 24 
Reproduction for judicial or administrative puproses 
To the extent justified for a particular purpose. the reproduction of a work for use in 
the judicial or administrative procedure shall be permitted without the consent of the 
author and without payment. 
Article 25 
Reproduction for information purposes 
I. To the extent justified for a particular purpose. the following acts of reproduction 
shall be permissible without the consent of the author and without payment:. a) for the 
purpose of reporting current events by the mass media. the reproduction and 
communication to the public of works seen or heard in the cource of the event: b) for 
the purpose of informing on current events. the reproduction and communication to the 
public by the mass media of political speeches. addresses. sennons. legal speeches or 
other \vorks of the same nature. as well as of summaries or extracts of lectures. provided 
the said works are delivered in public. 
2. Wherever possible. the reproduction and communication to the public shall be 
accompanied by an indication of the source and of the name of the author. 
Article 26 
Use of visual images of works sited in public places. 
The occasional reproduction and communication by the mass media of visual images of 
arcitectural works, fine art works. photograph or applied art wor15s. which are sited 
permanently in a public place. shall be permissible. without the consent of the author 
and without payment. IP/N/1/GRC/CIl 
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Article 27 
Public performance or presentation on special occasions 
The public perfonnance or presentation of a work shall be pennissible without the 
consent of the author and without payment on the following occasions: a) at official 
ceremonies. in measure commensurate with the nature of the ceremonies; b) within the 
framework of staff and pupil or student activities at an educational establishment. 
provided the audience is composed exclusively of the aforementioned persons, the 
parents of the pupils or students. persons responsible for the care of the pupils or 
students or persons directly involved in the activities of the establishment. 
Article 28 
Exhibition and reproduction of fine art works 
l. Museums which own the material aid. where the art works have been incorporated. 
shall be entitled. without the consent of the author and without payment, to exhibit 
those works to the public on the museum premises or during exhibitions organised in 
museums. 
2. The presentation of a fine art work to the public and its reproduction in catalogues in 
a measure necessary to promote its sale shall be permissible. without the consent of the 
author and without payment. 
3. In the circumsances of paragraphs 1 and 2. above, reproduction shall be pennissible, 
provided such reproduction does not impede the nonnal exploitation of the work and 
does not prejudice the legitimate interests of the author. 
SECfION V 
DURATION OF PROTECTION 
Article 29 
Duration in general 
I. Copyright over a work shall continue to apply for the whole of the author~s lifetime 
and for seventy years after his death computed from the end of the year of death. 
2. After the expiry of the period of copyright protection, the State. represented by the 
Minister of Culture. may exercise the rights relating to the acknowledgement of the 
author's paternity and the rights relating to the protection of the integrity of the work 
stemming from the moral right pursuant to Article 4 (1 band 1 c) of this Law. Article 30 
Works of joint authorship IP/NI1/GRC/CI 1 
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Copyright over works of joint auhtorship shall continue to apply for the lifetime of the 
last surviving authors and for seventy years after his death. computed from the end of 
the year of death. 
Article 3 I 
Special commencemen~ of the duration 
I. Copyright over works published anonymously or pseudonymously shall continue to 
apply for seventy years. computed from the end of the year in which the work was 
lawfully published for the first time. unless the author discloses his identity before the 
expiry of that period. in which case the general rules shall apply. 
1. Copyright over works. published after the death of their authors by third persons 
possesing them. shall continue to apply for seventy years, computed from the end of the 
year in which the work was lawfully published for the first time. 
SECTION VI 
RULES RELATING TO EXPLOITATION CONTRA.CTS AND LICENCES 
Article 32 
Percentage fee 
1. The fee payable to the author by the other contracting party to legal agreements 
relating to the transfer of the economic right or of powers deriving there from. to the 
granting of the exploitation or to the exploitation licence shall be obligatorily 
detennined as a percentage agreed freely between the parties. The computation of the 
percentage shall be based on all. without exception, of the gross revenues or the gross 
expenditure or on the combined gross revenues and expenditure realised from the 
activity of the other contracting party in the cource of effecting the exploitation of the 
work. By way of exception. in the following circumstances, the fee may be agreed as a 
particular sum: a) when it is practically impossible to establish the basis for the 
computation of a percentage fee or when there are no means of monitoring the 
implementation of apercentage arrangement; b) when the expenditure required for the 
computation and the monitoring is likely to be out of reasonable p~o.portion to the fee 
to be collected: c) when the nature or the conditions of the exploitation make the 
implementation of a percentage impossible. notably when the author' s contribution is 
not an essential element in the intellectual creation as a whole or when the use of the 
work is secondary in relation to the object of the exploitation. IP/N/lIGRC/C/l 
Page 14 
2. The obligatory percentage arrangement of the fee prescribed in paragraph I above all 
shall be implemented in all circumstances provided that this Law does not stipulate 
otherwise and provided it does not concern works created by employees in the 
execution of the employment contract, computer programs and advertisement in any 
fonn. 
Article 33 
Rules relating to contracts of printed edition and translator's rights 
I. The fee payable by the publisher of a printed edition to the author for the 
reproduction and putting into circulation of the work or of copies of the work shall be 
agreed as a particular percentage of the retail sale price of all of the copies sold. When 
the contract of printed edition refers to a literary work, such as a short story, a short 
novel. a novel. a poem, an essay, a critical essay, a theatrical work, a travel work or a 
biography, which is being published in book fonn in its original language, excluding 
pocket book editions, the fee payable to the author by the publisher after the sale of 
one thousand (1000) copies cannot be less than 10% of the retail sale price of all of the 
copies sold. 
2. By way of exception to the provision of paragraph I above, the fee payable to the 
author may be agreed as a particular sum when the work is any of the following: 
a) collective works; b) encyclopaedias, dictionaries or anthologies of works of others: 
c) school books: d) albums, calendars. agendas, instructional books, printed games 
and educational items such as maps or atlases: e) prefaces, comments, introductions, 
presentations : f) illustrations or photographic material of printed editions: g) non­
literary picture books for children: h) luxury editions of a limited number of copies: i) 
magazines or newspapers. 
3. Where a work has more than one author, and in the absence of an agreement to the 
contrary, the percentage fee shall be distributed among the various authors 
proportionately according to the extent of their contributions. Where one or more of 
the authors are unprotected by the copyright provisions of the laws. those of the 
authors who do enjoy copyright protection shall be paid the percentage fee agreed or 
that percentage to which they would have been entitled under paragraph 1. of the 
present article if all of them had been protected. 
4. Where copies of a work are the object of a rental or lending arrangement involving 
third parties, the fee payable for the granting of the necessary licence shall be shared 
equally between the author and the publisher. 
5. In a case where the author's fee is fixed as a percentage or retail sales, and unless 
some other method of monitoring is agreed, each of the copies to be sold shall be signed 
by the author. An alternative method of monitoring the number of copies sold shall be 
fixed in a presidential decree to be promulgated within six months of the entry into 
force of this Law on the recommendation of the Minister of Cultur~ after consultation 
with the interested professional branches. 
6. The fee payble by the publisher of-a printed edition to the translator of a work with 
respect to the transaltion. reproduction and distribution of the work shall be agreed as a 
percentage of the retail sale price of all of the copies sold. The provisions of paragraphs 
2. 4 and 5 of this Article shall apply by analogy. IP/NIlIGRC/C/l 
Page 15 
7. The translator's name shall be indicated obligatorily and on the main title page of the 
work. If the publisher agrees. the translator's name may be also indicated on the outer 
cover of the work. 
Article 34 
Rules relating to audiovisual production contract 
I. A .. contract dealing with the creation of an audiovisual work between a producer and 
an intellectual author shall specify the powers attaching to the economic right which are 
to be transferred to the producer. If the a(orementioned provision is not met. the 
contract shall be deemed to transfer to the producer all powers under the economic 
right. which are necessary to the exploitation of the audiovisual work. pursuant to the 
purposes of the contract. When the model from which copies for exploitation are to be 
made. is approved by the intellectual author. the audiovisual work shall be deemed to 
be accomplished. No alteration. abridgement or other modification shall be made to the 
definitive form of the audiovisual work. as the latter has been approved by the 
intellectual author. without his prior consent. Authors of individual contributions to an 
audiovisual work may exercise their moral right only in relation to the definitive form 
of the work. as approved by the intellectual author. 
2. The contract between the producer of an audiovisual work and the creators of 
individual contributions incorporated in the work. shall specify the particular powers 
attaching to the economic right. which are to be transferred to the producer. If the 
aforementioned provision is not met. the contract between the producer and the 
authors of individual contributions. other than the composers of music and writers of 
lyrics. shall be deemed to transfer to the producer those powers under the economic 
right. which are necessary to the exploitation of the audiovisual work. pursuant to the 
purpose of the contract. Where the contributions to an audiovisual work are capable of 
separate use. the economic right in relation to other uses shall remain with their 
authors. 
3. The intellectual author of an audiovisual work shall retain the right to a separate fee 
for each form of exploitation of the work. The aforementioned fee shall be agreed as a 
percentage. specified in the relative contract. The computation of the percentage shall 
be based on all. without exception. of the gross revenues or the gross expenditure or on 
the combined gross revenues and expenditure. realized in the course of the exploitation 
of the work. The producer of the audiovisual work is obliged once a year to give the 
intellectual author of the work in writing all pieces of information. concerning the 
exploitation of the work. showing him also all relevant documents. Short advertising 
films shall be exempt from the provisions of this paragraph. 
4. When visual or sound and visual recordings carrying a fixation of an audiovisual 
work are the object of a rental arrangement. the intellectual author shall in all cases 
retain the right to an equitable remuneration. This provision shall apply also in case of 
a rental arrangement relating to sound recordings. IP/NIl/GRCICI 1 
Page 16 
Article 35 
Rules relating to broadcasting by radio and television 
1. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, the rebroadcasting of a work by radio 
or television means shall require no consent from the author additional to that granted 
for the first broadcasting. However. when a broadcasting oragnization rebroadcasts a 
work it shall pay an additional fee to the author. For the first rebroadcast the fee 
payable shall be at least 500/0 of the initial fee agreed for the first broadcast and for each 
subsequent broadcast the additional fee shall be 20% of the initial fee. This provision 
shall not apply to the arrangements between collecting societies and users referred to in 
Article 56 of this Law. 
2. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, the contract between an author and 
a broadcasting organization shall not empower the broadcasting organization to permit 
third parties to broadcast or rebroadcast to the public the work which is the object of 
the contract by wireless waves or by other material wires or by any other means. in 
parallel to the surface of the earth or by satellite. 
3. The broadcasting of a work via a satellite offering reception over the whole of a 
substantial part of Greece shall be lawful only when the broadcasting organization. 
\vhence the anode beam is released has aquired the power or has been granted the 
licence to trasmit broadcasts by radio and television in Greece. 
Article 36 
Theatrical performance fee. 
I. The rights of playwrights shall be determined as a percentage of gross receipts after 
deduction of the public entenainments tax. 
2. The fee shall be based on the gross receipts for the whole of the programme of a 
performance with original works or translations or adaptations of ancient or more 
recent classical works the minimum fee shall be 220/0 for performances in state theatres 
and 10(% for perfonnances in private theatres. For the translation of modern works of 
the contemporary international repenory the minimum fee shall be 50/0. Where a 
programme contains works by more than one playright the fee shall be shared among 
them in proportion to the duration of each playwright's work. 
Article 37 
Musical accompaniment of films 
The minimum fee payable to the composers of musical and song ~accompaniment to 
films shown to the public in cinema halls or other spaces shall be 1 % of gross receipts 
after deduction of the public entertainments tax. Article 38 
Photographers' rights IP/N/1/GRC/C/I 
Page 17 
1. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, the transfer of the economic right or 
the exploitation contract and licence dealing with the publication of a photograph in a 
ne\vspaper. periodical or other mass media instrument shall refer only to the 
publication of the photograph in the particular newspaper. periodical or mass media 
instrument specified in the transfer or exploitation contract or licence and to the 
archiving of the photograph. Every subsequent act of publication shall be subject to 
payment of a fee equal to half the current fee. The publication of a transferred 
photograph from the archive of a newspaper. periodical or other mass media instrument 
shall be pennitted only when accompanied by a reference to the title of the newspaper 
or of the periodical or to the name of the mass media instrument. into whose archive 
the photograph was initially and lawfully placed. 
2. Where the publication of a photograph is facilitated by the surrender of the 
photographic negative. use shall be made of the negative. in the absence of an 
agreement to the contrary, only for the first publication of the photograph. after which 
the negative shall be returned to the photographer. 
3. The photographer shall retain the right to search and request the return to him of 
photographs of his. which have been the object of exploitation contract or licence 
arrangement with a particular newspaper. periodical or other mass media instrument 
and which have remained unpublished three months after the date of the exploitation 
contract or licence. 
4. Each act of publication of a photograph shall be accompanied by mention of the 
photographer's name. This shall apply likewise when the archive of a newspaper or of a 
periodical or of another mass media instrument is transferred. 
5. The owner of a newspaper or of a periodical shall not be entitled to publish a 
photograph created by a photographer in his employ in a book or album publication 
without the employee's consent. This shall apply likewise to the lending of a 
photograph. 
Article 39 
Nullity of contrary agreements 
Except where provided for elsewhere in law, any agreement which lays down conditions 
contrary to the provisions of the articles of this Section. or which imposes a fee level 
lower than that presribed in this Section. shall be null and void to the extent of those of 
its clauses which are deleterious to the authors. IP/N/1/GRCIC/1 
Page 18 
SECfION VII 
SPECIAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING COMPUTER PROGRAMS 
Article 40 
Programs created by employees 
The economic right in a computer program created by an employee in the execution of 
the employment contract or following instructions given by his employer. shall be 
transferred ipso jure to the employer. unless otherwise provided by contract. 
Article 41 
Exhaustion of a right 
The first sale in European Community of a copy of a program by the author or with his 
consent shall exhaust the distribution right within the Community of that copy. with 
the exception of the right to control further rental of the program or of a copy thereof. 
Article 42 
Restrictions 
1. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, the reproduction. translation .. 
adaptation, arrangement or any other alteration of a computer program shall not 
require authorization by the author or necessitate payrnent of a fee, where the said acts 
are necessary for the use of the program by the lawful acquirer in accordance with its 
intended purpose, and for corrections of error. 
2. Reproduction which is necessary for the purposes of loading, displaying, running, or 
storage of the computer program shall not fall under the restrictrion of the previous 
paragraph and shall be subject to authorization by the author. 
3. The making of a back up copy by a person having a right to use the computer 
program may not be prevented by contract insofar as it is necessary for the use of the 
program and shall not necessitate an authorization by the author or the payment of a 
fee. 
4. The person having a right to use a copy of the computer program shall be entitled. 
without the authorization of the author and without payment of a fee. to observe, study 
or test the functioning of the program in order to determine the idea and principles 
which undrelie any element of the program. if he does so while perfonning any of the 
acts. which he is entitled to do. Any agreement to the contrary shall ~e .. prohibited. 
5. Reproduction of a computer program for private use other than in the circumstances 
specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 above shall be prohibited. Article 43 
Decompilation IP/NIl/GRC/CI 1 
Page 19 
1. The person having the right to use a copy of the computer program shall be entitled 
to carry out the acts referred to in Article 42 (1) (2) without the authorization of the 
author and without the payment of a fee when such acts are indispensable to obtain the 
infonnation necessary to achieve the interoperability of an independently created 
computer program with other programs. provided that the infonnation necessary to 
achieve interoperability has not previously been easily and readily available to the 
person having the right to use the computer program and provided these acts are 
confined to parts of the original program. which are necessary to achieve the said 
interoperability. 
2. The provisions of paragraph I shall not permit the information obtained through 
their application: a) to be used for goals other than to achieve the interoperability of the 
independently created computer program; b) to be communicated to other persons. 
except where necessary for the interoperability of the independently created computer 
program: c) to be used for the development. production or marketing of a computer 
program substantially similar in its expression to the initial program. or for any other 
act which infringes the copyright. 
3. The provisions of this Article may not be interpreted in such a way as to allow their 
application to be used in a manner which would hann the normal exploitation of the 
computer program or would provoke unjust harm to the author's legitimate interests. 
Article 44 
Duration of protection 
Protection shall be granted for the life of the author of the computer program and for 
fifty years after his death computed from the end of the year of the author's death. 
Article 45 
Validity of other provisions and agreements 
1. The provisions of this Section shall be without prejudice to other legal provisions. 
relating notably to patent rights. trade marks, unfair competition, trade secrets. 
protection of semi-conductor products or the Law of contract. 
2. Agreements contrary to the provisions of Article 42 (3) (4) and Article 43 of this Law 
shall be null and void. IP/NIlIGRCICIl 
Page 20 
SECIlON VIII 
REL.ATED RIGHTS 
Article 46 
Licence by perfonners 
1. The term «performers» shall designate persons \vho act or perform in any way created 
works.such as actors. musicians. singers. chorus singers. dancers. puppeteers. shadow 
theatre artists. variety performers or circus artists. 
2. Performers shall have the right to authorize or prohibit : a) fixations of their live 
performance on a visual or sound or visual and sound recording; b) the direct or 
indirect reproduction of fixations of their perfonnances as well as the distribution of the 
recording via a transfer of ownership. a rental arrangement or public lending; c) the 
radio or television broadcasting by any means such as wireless waves. satellite. cables. as 
well as the presentation to the public of the recording with the illegal fixation of their 
performances: d) the radio or television broadcasting by any means. such as wireless 
waves. satellite. cables of their live performances. except where the said broadcasting is 
a rebroadcasting of a lawful broadcasting: e) the communication of their live 
performances to the public by any means other than radio or television transmission. 
3. Subject to contractual clauses to the contrary explicitly specifying those acts which 
are authorized. the acts listed in paragraph 2 above shall be presumed to be authorized 
in a circumstance where the performer enters with a party operating such acts into an 
employment contract having as object the operation of those particular acts. The 
performer shall at all times retain the right to remuneration for the operation of each of 
the acts listed in paragraph 2 above. whatever the form of exploitation of his 
performance. In particular. the performer shall retain the right to an equitable 
remuneration for rental. without being able to \vave this right. if he has given to the 
producer of sound or visual or sound and visual recordings. the authorization for the 
rental of the recordings carrying the fixation of his performance. 
4. Where a performance is effected by an ensemble. I the performers making up the 
ensemble shall elect and appoint in writing one representative to exercise the rights 
listed in paragraph 2 above. This presentation shall not encompass orchestral 
conductors. choir conductors. soloists. main role personages and principal directors. If 
the performers making up an ensemble fail to appoint a representative. the rights listed 
in paragraph 2 above shall be exercised by the director of the ensemble. 
5. It is prohibited to transfer during the lifetime of the performer and to waive the rights 
referred to in paragraph 2 above. The administration and protection of the 
aforementioned rights may be entrusted to a collecting society pursuant to Articles 54 
to 58 of this Law. Article 47 IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
Page 21 
Licence by producers of sound and visual recordings 
I. Producers of sound or visual or sound and visual recordings shall have the right to 
authorize or prohibit the direct or indirect reproduction and the distribution via a 
transfer of ownership, a rental arrangement or public lending of the recordings they 
have produced. They shall also have the right to prohibit the import of recordings 
produced in a foreign country without their consent or, where the right over imports is 
retained in contract by the producer. the right to prohibit the import of recordings from 
any country outside the European Community. 
2. The term «producer of sound recordings» shall designate any natural or legal person 
who initiates and bears responsibility for the realisation of a first fixation of a series of 
sounds only. The term <<producer of visual or sound and visual recordings» shall 
designate any natural or legal person who initiates and bears responsibility for the 
realisation of a first fixation of a series of images without sound. 
Article 48 
Licence from radio or television organisations 
I. Radio or television organisations shall have the right to authorize or prohibit: a) The 
retransmission of their broadcasts by any means such as wireless waves, satellite, cables: 
b) the communication to the public of their broadcasts in places accessible to the public 
on payment of an entrance fee: c) the fixation of their broadcasts on sound or visual or 
sound and visual recordings regardeless of whether the broadcasts are transmitted by 
wire or by the air. including by cable or satellite: d) the direct or indirect reproduction 
of fixations of their broadcasts as well as the distribution of recordings carrying the 
fixation of their broadcasts via a transfer of ownership, a rental arrangement or public 
lending. 
2. The radio or television organisations shall not have the right provided for in 
paragraph 1 (c) above. where they merely retamsmit by cable the broadcasts of radio or 
television organisations. . 
Article 49 
Right to equitable remuneration 
I. When a sound or visual or sound and visual recordings used for a radio or television 
broadcasting by any means, such as wireless waves, satellite, cables, or for 
communication to the public. the user shall pay a single and equitable remuneration to 
the performers. whose performance is carried on the fixation and t9 ... the producers of 
the recordings. This remuneration shall be payable obligatorily to collecting societies of 
the rights. The said collecting societies shall be responsible for negotiating and agreeing 
the remuneration levels. raising the relative claims for the payment and collecting the 
relative remuneration from the users. Where there is dispute between the users and the 
collecting societies. the level of the reasonable remuneration and the tenns of payment 
shall be detennined by the single-member court of first instance pursuant to the IP/NIlIGRC/C/1 
Page 22 
cautionary measures procedure. The final judgement concerning the remuneration shall 
be rendered by the competent court. 
2. Without prejudice to the obligatory assignment of the administration of rights and 
the collection of remuneration by the collecting societies operating according to articles 
54 to 58 of this Law. the right of performers to the reasonable remuneration prescribed 
under paragraph I above shall not be assignable. 
3. The collected remuneration shall be distributed in the order of 50% to the performers 
and 50% to the producers of the recordings. The distribution of the collected 
remuneration among the various performers and, among the various producers, shall be 
effected pursuant to the agreements among them, that are contained in the rules of each 
collecting society. . 
4. Performers shall have the right to an equitable remuneration in respect of any radio 
or television rebroadcast of their performance transmitted by radio or television. 
Without prejudice to the possibility assigning the administration of rights and the 
collection of remuneration to the collecting societies according to the provisions of 
articles 54 to 58 of this Law an equitable remuneration prescribed in this paragraph 
shall not be assignable. 
Article 50 
Moral right 
I. Performers shall have the right for the whole of their lifetimes to full 
acknowledgement and mention of their authorship of their performance and to prohibit 
any fonn of alteration of their performances. 
2. After the death of a performer that persons moral right shall pass to his heirs. 
3. The provisions of Article 12 (2) and Article 16 of this Law shall be applicable by 
analogy to the moral right of performers. 
Article 51 
Rights of publishers 
Publishers of printed matters shall have the right to authorize or prohibit the 
reproduction by photocoping, electronic or any other means of the type-setting and 
pagination format of the works. they have published, if the said reproduction is made 
for exploitation purposes. 
Article 52 
Form of the licence. limitations and duration of the rights 
The rights prescribed in Articles 46 to 51 of this Law shall be subject to the following 
rules: a) agreements concerning those rights shall be valid legal agreements only when IP/N/1/GRC/C/1 
Page 23 
concluded in writing; b) The limitations applicable to the economic right attaching to 
copyright shall be likewise applicable by anlogy to those rights; c) protection of the 
rights of performers prescribed in Articles 46 to 49 of this Law shall be granted for fifty 
years from the end of the year in which the perfonnance occurs, but shall in no case 
expire before the death of the performer; d) protection of the rights of producers of 
recordings. of radio or television organisations and of publishers prescribed in Articles 
47 to 49 and Article 51 of this Law shall be granted for fifty years from the end of the 
year in which the original production the recording or the first radio or television 
broadcast occurs or in which the last edition of the work is published. 
Article 53 
Copyright protection 
The protection provided under Articles 46 to 52 of this Law shall leave integral the 
copyright protection and shall in no case affect it. In no circumstance shall any of the 
provisions of the aforementioned Articles be interpreted in such a manner as to lessen 
that protection. Where the performers, the producers of sound or visual or sound and 
visual recordings. the radio or television organisations and the publishers acquire the 
right of copyright over a work in addition to the related right. the right of copyright 
and the related right shall apply in parallel with each other and shall confer the powers. 
deriving from each right. 
SECfION IX 
ADMINISTRATION BY COLLECTING SOCIETIES 
Article 54 
Assignation of administration 
I. Authors may assign the administration and protecti~n of their rights to a collecting 
society established exclusively to engage in the functions of administering and 
protecting the economic right or the powers deriving from this right. Collecting societies 
may perform those functions likewise for a person to whom the author grants a right as 
a gift. for an all-embracing proxy, for an heir and for a foundation proposed by an 
author. A collecting society may have any form of company status. Where a collecting 
society is registered as an incorporated company all of its shares shall be nominal. All 
other matters pertaining to the company status of collecting societies shall be regulated 
pursuant to Articles 24 (2) (4) of Law 1746/1 988. The notification provided for under 
Article 24 (4) of Law 174611988 shall be issued only by the Ministry of Culture. A 
collecting society may have the status of an urban cooperative .. pursuant to Law 
166711986. Where a collecting society has the status of an urban cooperative the 
following provisions shall apply: a) wherever, in Law 1667/1986, competence is granted 
to the Ministry for the National Economy, that competence shall be transferred to the 
Ministry for Culture; b) by way of derogation from the principle of locality, the 
cooperative may be established and function on a nationwide basis: c) legal persons 
may participate in the cooperative: d) subject to the promulgation of a presidential IP/N/1/GRC/CIl 
Page 24 
decree issued on the recommendation of the Minister of Culture. matters pertaining to 
the cooperative's shares may be regulated in a manner other than that prescribed in 
La \V 1667/1 986. 
2. In cases of secondary transmissions of intact and unaltered radio and television 
programs by cable or other physical means. it shall be obligatory for the rights of 
authors to be administered by collecting societies. 
3. The assignation may be effected by a transfer of the economic right or powers 
deriving from this right for which administration and protection are sought or by 
granting appropriate power of attorney. The assignation shall be concluded in writing 
and shall be for a specified period which shall never be longer than three years. The 
agreement authorizing the assignation shall specify precisely which of the works of the 
author are to be included under the assignation as suitable for exploitation. Where any 
ambiguity exists. it shall be presumed that the agreement embraces all of the author's 
works. including any works which he may produce during the period of the agreement 
which shall in no case be longer than three years. 
4. Before commencing operations. a collecting society which has undertaken or 
proposes to undertake the administration or protection of rights stemming from the 
economic right of authors shall lodge a statement to that effect with the Ministry of 
Culture together with a copy of its rules providing at least the following information: 
a) the amount of the society'S share capital: b) if the society has company status. its 
articles of association or deed of association: c) the name of the responsible spokesman 
of the society and the names of the persons responsible for its administration. all of 
whom shall be of proven professional repute and without convictions for felony or 
misdemeanour against ownership or property; d) the number of authors who have 
assigned to the society the administration of rights stemming from their economic right: 
e) the legal fonn via which the assignation of administration has been effected: f) in 
each case. duration of the assignation: g) the principles governing the distribution of 
remunerations to rightholders and the proposed dates and manner of distribution: 
h) the level of management expences as well as every element necessary to secure the 
viability of the collecting society and the efficiency of its operations. The Ministry of 
Culture shall check the statement and rules lodged by the collecting society and. 
provided that the information therein contained demonstrates compliance with the 
requirements of this Law. grant approval for the society's operations. Any subsequent 
alteration to the collecting society's rules shall be subm'itted to the Ministry of Culture 
for approval. No alteration to a society's rules shall be valid without the approval of the 
Ministry for Culture. and in a case where such approval is either not sought or not 
granted the rules as initially approved shall continue to apply in their entirety. 
5. The Ministry for Culture shall monitor the operations of collecting societies to 
ensure that they comply with the provisions of this Law and adhere to their rules. Each 
collecting society shall. when requested. surrender its accounts to the competent 
department of the Ministry for Culture for inspection and submit any other 
information which is necessary to the effective monitoring of its operations. Except 
when a .collecting society is non-profit making, its accounts spall be subject to 
inspection by sworn auditors regardless of its company status. 
6. Where a collecting society is found to have perpetrated a serious violation of the Law 
or of its rules, or continues to perpetrate such a violation despite being warned by the 
Ministry for Culture to desist. the Minister for Culture may impose on the collecting 
society. without prejudice to the applicability of other penalties. an administrative fine JP IN /1 IGRC/C/1 
Page 25 
of from 500.000 to 10.000.000 drachmas. Matters pertaining to monitoring, the 
interviewing of alleged perpetrators of violations. the procedure for the imposition of 
fines and adjustments to the above financial amounts shall be detennined by 
presidential decrees issued on the recommendation of the Minister for Culture. 
7. Wherever the term «rules» appears in this Law it shall have the meaning of the tenn 
as it is used in paragraph 4 of this Article. 
Article 55 
The competence of collecting societies 
I. Collecting societies shall have competence for the following functions: a) concluding 
contracts with users specifying the terms of exploitation of works and the renumeration 
payable: b) securing for authors the percentage fee referred to in Article 32 (1) of this 
Law: c) collecting renumerations and distributing them among authors as necessary; d) 
collecting and allocating among creators the remuneration referred to in Article 18 (3) 
of this Law: e) effecting all administrative. judicial and extrajudicial tasks necessary to 
secure lawful protection of the rights of authors and rightholders, notably the taking of 
legal steps and the raising of court actions. the lodging of complaints and the serving of 
writs. appearing as civil plaintiffs. seeking the prohibition of acts deemed to infringe 
rights whose protection is assigned to them and requesting the seizure of unlawful 
copies pursuant to Article 64 of this Law: f) obtaining from users all infonnation 
needed for the computation. collection and allocation of renumerations: g) carrying 
out. in collaboration with public authorities or pursuant to the procedure referred to in 
Article 64 of this Law. all necessary checks at outlets for the sale. rental and lending of 
copies of works under their protection. and at public presentations of works. in order to 
guard against infringements of the rights of authors and other rightholders. 
2. A collecting society shall be presumed to have competence for the administration 
and/or protection of the related rights in all of the works or in respect of all of the 
intellectual authors concerning which or whom a declaration of transfer to the society 
has been effected in writing or for which it has been granted power of attorney. 
Regardless of whether its authorization rests on a transfer of rights or on power of 
attorney. a collecting society shall in all circumstances be entitled to initiate judicial or 
extrajudicial action in its own name and to exercise in full legitimacy all of the rights 
transferred to it or for which it holds power of attorney. 
3. When seeking the protection of the courts for works or authors under its protection a 
collecting society shall not be required to provide an exhaustive list of all of the works 
which have been the object of the unlicensed exploitation and may lodge only a sample 
list. 
4. If a rightholder disputes a collecting society's competence over a work which is 
assumed to be included under the declaration referred to in paragraph 2 above and 
which has ensuingly. on the basis of that declaration. been incll!ded in a contract 
concluded by the collecting society with a user. the collecting society shall defend the 
case of the user and offer all possible assistance in any court action which may follow. If 
the collecting society is adjudjed not to have competence over the work. it shall. in 
addition to any penalty imposed upon it. be liable for the payment of compensation to 
the user with which it signed the contract. the amount of which shall be detennined 
pursuant to the special safeguarding measures. IP/N/1/GRCIC/l 
Page 26 
Article 56 
Relations with users 
1. When granting users the facility to make use of works assigned to it. a collecting 
society shall demand from the users payment of the percentage fee specified in Article 
32 (1) of this La\v. The exceptions provided for in Article 32 (2) of this Law with respect 
to the percentage fee shall not apply in these circumstances. 
2. A collecting society may not refuse to conclude a contract with a user, as referred to 
in Article 55 (1) (a) , without good reason. If an aspiring user is of the opinion that the 
remuneration demanded by a collecting society is clearly in excess of that usually 
payable in similar circumstances. the aspiring user shall pay to the collecting society, in 
advance of any use. either the remuneration demanded or an amount detennined, upon 
request. by a court of the first instance as being equal to the remuneration usually 
payable in similar circumstances. pursuant to the safeguarding measures. The final 
judgement concerning the remuneration shall be rendered by the competent court. 
3. Organizations representing users may together with collecting societies decide by 
written agreement to appoint an arbiter, specifically by name or position, to determine 
the amount of remuneration to be paid by a user before disagreement arises. Before 
finally deciding on the renumeration due to the arbiter may order the user to lodge a 
down payment. An arbiter thus appointed shall have exclusive competence for the 
settling of disagreements. The decisions of an arbiter shall be equitable. The Minister 
for Culture may himself decide to appoint an arbiter. In such a case. recourse to that 
arbiter by the parties to a dispute shall be voluntary and by agreement. Collecting 
societies shall draw up lists of the remuneration payable by users (remuneration tariffs) 
and shall promulgate the said lists in not less than three daily journals. one of which 
shall be a financial journal. When drawing up and implementing their remuneration 
tariffs. collecting societies shall refrain from inconsistency and discrimination. 
4. In order to facilitate the actions referred to in circumstances a), b), c) and d) of 
Article 55 (I). users shall without delay make available to collecting societies lists of the 
works of which they are producing, selling, renting or lending copies, together with the 
exact numbers of copies produced or distributed. and'likewise lists of the works they 
are performing publicly. together with a statement of the frequency of those 
performances. 
Article 57 
Relations with authors 
I. A collecting society may not without good reason refuse to ~undertake for any 
particular author the administration and/or protection of the rights stemming from the 
economic right of that author. 
2. A collecting society shall consult annually with the authors whose rights are assigned 
to it in order that the authors may express their views concerning the 'rules used to 
determine levels of remuneration. the methods used for the collection and distribution IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
Page 27 
of remunerations and any other matter pertinent to the administration and/or 
protection of their rights. 
3. Authors who assign the administration and/or protection of their rights to a 
collecting society, together with the societies which represent them. shall be entitled to 
all relevant infonnation concerning the activities of the collecting society. 
4. Where the author assigns all of his works to a collecting society for administration 
and/or protection he shall give the society full information in writing about the 
publication of those works and shall inform the society whenever he publishes a ne\v 
work after the date of the assignation of his rights. 
5. Collecting societies shall draw up rules for the distribution of remunerations to 
authors. Distribution shall be effected at least once annually and to the maximum 
extent possible shall be proportionate to the actual use made of works. 
6. For each general category of author and each form of exploitation coHecting societies 
shall fix a percentage of remunerations collected to cover their expenditure. Authors 
shall be infonned of the relevant percentage before they transfer or grant power of 
attorney over their rights. The fixed percentage may be increased only with the consent 
of the author or after advance warning of one year. 
7. An author or a collecting society shall be entitled to abrogate the agreement assigning 
rights stemming from the economic right where irrefutably good grounds exist for such 
action. Provided not less than three months' notice is given the abrogation shall take 
effect from the end of the calendar year in which it is notified. If less than three months' 
notice is given the abrogation shall take effect from the end of the following calendar 
year. 
Article 58 
Application to related rights 
The prOVISions of Articles 54 to 57 shall be applicable as appropriate to the 
administration and/or protection of the related rights regulated by the provisions of 
Section VIII of this Law. :. ' 
SECTION X 
MEASURES TO PREVENT INFRINGEMENTS 
Article 59 
Imposition of and adherence to specifications 
Presidential decrees may be issued, on the reccomendation of the Ministry for Culture. 
laying down specifications for the equipment and other materials used in the making of 
reproduction of works with a view to preventing or limiting the use of such equipment IP/N/l/GRCIC/l 
Page 28 
and materials for purposes which infringe the normal exploitation of copyright and 
related rights. 
Article 60 
Use of control systems 
Presidential decrees may be issued on the recommendation of the Minister for Culture. 
making compulsory the use of equipment or systems which permit the designastion of 
reproduced or used works and the extent and frequency of the reproduction in use. 
subject to such methods not causing unjustifiable harm to the lawful interests of users. 
Article 61 
Control labeling 
Presidential decrees may be issued. on the recommendation of the Minister for Culture. 
stipulating that phonograms and films may circulate only when they carry on their 
outer casing or in another prominent position a special mark or control label of any 
type supplied by the competent collecting society indicating that their distribution on 
the market or their circulation in some other manner does not constitute an 
infringement of the rights of the producer. 
Article 62 
Prohibition of decoding 
The distribution. use and the possession with intent to use or distribute of decoding 
apparatus shall be prohibited without the permission of the broadcasting organizations 
which transmit codified programs by wire or over the air. including by cable or satellite. 
Article 63 
Stopping an infringement or its continuation 
1. Where a potential infringement of copyright is identified. such as where there is a 
clear intention to offer an unlawful public performance of a theatrical cinematographic 
or musical work. the competent local police authority shall prohibit the infringing act 
when requested to do so by the author or rightholder. When requested. the prosecuting 
authorities shall grant the police authority any necessary mandate. The same shall apply 
when the public presentation of a work has been in progress for more than two days 
without payment of due remuneration. 
2. The granting of a police licence permitting the use of musical instruments or 
certifying the suitability of premises. or of any other licence required in law for the use 
of prernises for the performance of musical or other works whose administration is 
entrusted to a collecting society competent to authorize the public performance of 
works. shall be conditional on the deposition by the applicant of written authorization 
for the performance issued by that collecting society. JP IN I lIGRCICIl 
Page 29 
3. Where there is reason to believe that an infringement of copyright is occuring or may 
occur. a single-member court of the first instance shall be empowered to invoke the 
safeguarding measures and to issue a prohibition order without the necessity of 
specifically designating the works thereby protected. 
Paragraphs I, 2 and 3 of this Article shall apply also. as appropriate, to infringements 
of the related rights referred to in Articles 46. 47 and 48 of this Law. 
SECTION X 
PENALTIES 
Article 64 
Seizure 
Where therers,:reason to believe that an infringement of copyright or of the related 
rights referred to in A.rrficles 46 ·to 48 .and 5H .ofthe present Jaw is occuring or may occur. 
a single-,mem:ber cDunt'of the 'first ;instanceshall i.order. as a ·cautionary measure. the 
'consenratory,Seizure of a~y .item in the possession :ofthe defendant which is manifestly a 
m<eans to the :effecting of the .infringement or .aproductCiJf ,or evidence of the 
·infringement. Instead of conservatorys.eizurethe court may:order that a detailed 
inventory and photographic record to 'be made of items. Eacb of '.the aforementioned 
actions shall be effected in accordance with Articles 687 {il;}·oftbe(Civil Procedure Code 
and a provisionary order shall be obligatorily issued pursuant to Article 691 (2) of the 
Ci viI Procedure Code. 
Article 65 
Civil penalties 
t. In all cases of infringement of copyright or of 'a related right the author or 
rigthholder shall be entitled to demand recognition of his right the suppression of the 
infringement and the omission of the infringement in the future. 
2. A person who culpably infringes copyright or a related right of another person shall 
make reparation for the moral damage caused and be liable for the payment of damages 
of not less than twice the legally required or normally payable remuneration for the 
form of exploitation which the infringing party has effected without licence. 
3. Instead of seeking damages, and regardless of whether the infringement was 
commited culpably, the author or the rightholder of the related ,right may demand 
either the payment of the sum accrued by the infringing party from the unlicenced 
exploitation of a work or of the object of the related right, pursuant to Articles 46 to 48 
and 51 of this Law, or the amount of the profit gained by the infringing party from such 
an exploitation. IP/N/lIGRCIC/l 
Page 30 
4. For each act of omission contributing to an infringement the court may impose a fine 
of from three hundred thousand to one million drachmas payable to the author or to 
the rightholder of the related rights referred to Articles 46 to 48 and 51 of this Law and 
imprisonment of up to one year. The same shall apply when the conviction is effected 
pursuant to the procedure under the safeguarding measures. All other matters shall be 
regulated pursuant to Article 947 of the Civil Procedure Code. 
Article 66 
Criminal penalties 
1. Any person who. in contravention of the provisions of this Law or of the provisions 
of lawfully ratified international conventions on the protection of copyright. unlawfully 
makes a fixation of a work or reproduces an original or a translation or an adaptation 
of a work. or distributes a work or possesses a work with the intent of distributing it, or 
infringes restrictions on the use of work. or presents a work to the public. or effects a 
public performance of a work. or broadcasts a work by any radio or television means. 
or in any general way exploits a work which is the object of copyright, or who imports 
copies of a work or organizes a public performance of a work or acts against the right 
of the intellectual author to decide freely on the presentation of his work to the public 
without additions or deletions. shall be liable to imprisonment of not less than one year 
and to a fine of from 1 to 5 million drachmas. 
2. The penalties listed in paragraph I above shall be applicable to any person who, in 
contravention of this Law. as it refers to related rights. or of the provisions of lawfylIy 
ratified international conventions. as they refer to related rights: a) makes a fixation of 
sound or visual or sound and visual recording, or broadcasts by any means or presents 
to the public a live performance without the consent of the performer: b) effects a 
rebroadcast of a radio or television broadcast by any means or makes a fixation of a 
radio or television broadcast or presents to the public on payment of an admission fee. 
a radio or television broadcast without the consent of the broadcasting organization 
which is the rightholder in respect of the broadcast: c) reproduces or distributes. or 
possesses with intent to distribute. sound or visual recording bearing a fixation of a 
performance without the consent of the producer and of the performer: d) presents a 
performance to the public by any means other than by ~ radio or television transmission 
without the consent of the performer: e) reproduces, "distributes or uses in any manner 
a fixation of a broadcast without the consent of the broadcasting organization which is 
the rightholder: f) imports sound or visual recordings produced in a foreign country 
without the consent of the producer or imports sound or visual recordings whose 
import is not permitted under the licence. 
3. If the financial gain sought or the damage caused by the perpetration of an act listed 
in paragraphs 1 and 2 above is particularly great. the penalty shall be not less than two 
years imprisonment anf a fine of from 2 to 10 million drachmas. If the guilty party has 
perpetrated any of the aforementioned acts by way of standard practice or if the 
circumstances surrounding the perpetration of the act indicate that the guilty party 
poses a serious threat to the protection of copyright or related rights, the penalty shall 
be imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of from 5 to 10 million drachmas. together 
with withdrawal of the trading licence of the undertaking which has served as the 
vehicle for the act. The act shall be likewise deemed to have been perpetrated by way of 
standard practice if the guilty party has on aprevious accasion been convicted of a 
contravention pursuant to the provisions of this Article or for a violation of the JP IN I lIGRC/C/l 
Page 31 
preceding copyright legislation and sentenced to a non-redeemable period of 
imprisonment. 
4. The penalties specified in paragraph I above shall be applicable likewise to any 
person who: a) uses or distributes, or possesses with the intent to distribute, any system 
or means whose sole purpose is to facilitate the unpermitted removal or neutralization 
of a technical system used to protect a computer program; b) manufacturers or imports 
or distributes. or possesses with intrent to distribute, equipment and other materials 
utilizanble for the reproduction of a work which do not conform to the specifications 
determined pursuant to Article 59 of this Law~ c) manufactures or imports or 
distributes. or possesses with intent to distribute, objects which can thwart the efficasy 
of the above-mentioned specifications. or engages in an act which can have that result; 
d) reproduces or uses a work a work without utilizing the equipment or without 
applying the systems specified pursuant to Articles 60 of this Law; e) distributes. or 
pessesses with intent to distribute. a phonogram or film without the special mark or 
control label specified pursuant to Article 61 of this Law. 
5. Where a sentence of imprisonment is imposed with the option of redeemability, the 
sum payable for the redemption shall be ten times the sum specified as per the case in 
the Penal Code. 
6. Where mitigating circumstances exist. the fine imposed s.hall not 'be less than ,half of 
the minimoum fine imposable as per the case under this Law. 
7. In all cases of conviction the court may order the publication of·:an abstract of the 
verdict at the convicted person's expense. 
SECfION XII 
FINAL AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS 
Article 67 
Applicable legislation 
1. Copyright over a published work shall be governed by the legislation of the state in 
which the work is first made lawfully accessible to the public. Copyright over an 
unpublished work shall be govenred by the legislation of the state in which the author is 
a national. 
2. Related rights shall be governed by the legislation of the state in which the 
performance is realized. or in which the sound or visual or sound and visual recording 
is produced, or in which the radio or television broadcast is transmitted or in which the 
printed publication is effected. 
3. In all cases the determination of the subject, object, content and duration of the right 
shall be governed by the legislation applicable pursuant to paragraphs I and 2 above. 
With the exception of any exploitation licence arrangement impossible without the 
consent of the rightholder. the determination of the limitations of the right shall IP/N/1/GRCICIl 
Page 32 
likewise be governed by that legislation. The protection of that shall be subject to the 
legislation of the state in which the protection is sought. 
4. Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above shall carry force except where they run contrary to any 
interational convention ratified by Greece. In the case of states not conjoint with 
Greece through the ratification of a particular international convention concerning the 
protection of copyright or of a particualr object of copyright or of a particular related 
right. paragraphs I, 2 and 3 above shall be applicable provided that the legislation of 
the relevant state offers adequate copyright protection to works first made accessible to 
the public in Greece and to related rights stemming from acts effected in Greece. 
Article 68 
Law not retroactive 
1. Works whose duration of protection has expired prior to the entry into force of this 
Law shall remain without copyright protection. 
2. The protection prescribed under Article 2 (3) and Articles 40 to 53 shall become 
applicable to computer programs created in the past and to related rights stemming 
from acts effected in the past from the date of the entry into force of this Law. 
3. Contracts concluded before the entry into force of this Law shall be governed by the 
preceding legislation for one year from the date of the entry into force of this Law. 
Article 69 
Establishment of the Copyright Organization 
1. A legal entity in private law under the jurisdiction of the ministry for Culture shall be 
established at a registered address in Athens under the title «The Copyright 
Organization». The purpose of the copyright Organization shall be the protection of 
intellectual authors and of rightholders of related rights. the supervision of the 
collecting societies. the implementation of this La~ and of related international 
conventions. the effecting of preparatory legal studies of matters pertaining to copyright 
and related rights and the presentation of Greece in dealings with all of the competent 
international oragnizations and with the institutions of the European Community. The 
Copyright Organization may in addition convene seminars of any type for the purposes 
of providing information and training to judges. lawyers. administrators, intellectual 
creators. rightholders of related rights. students and other interested parties on matters 
pertaining to copyright and related rights. In no circumstance shall the Copyright 
Organization have as its purpose the administration of rights pursuant to Articles 54 to 
58 of this Law. 
2. The Copyright Organization shall receive, by way of grant financing, a percentage, 
not greater than 5%, of the gross sums collected by the collected societies. The exact 
percentage and the manner of its payment shall be determined by presidential decree 
issued on the recommendation of the Minister of Culture. The Copyright Organization 
may also receive grant financing from international organisations and the institutions 
of the European Community, gifts and bequests, grants from any third party and the IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
Page 33 
revenues due to it for the rendering of services. As commencement finance The 
Copyright Organization shall receive a one-ofT grant of twenty million (20.000.000) 
drachmas from the budjet of the Ministry for Culture. 
3. Matters pertaining to the main focus and detailed field of competence of the 
Copyright Organization within the framework of its overall purpose, the exact manner 
of its overall purpose, the exact manner of its powers and the procedure relating to its 
exercise of them, its management and the supervision of its administration, its 
internalstructure and personnel, the fees it charges for services which may, as required., 
adjusted by decision of the Minister for Culture, the detennination of its scientific, 
management and ancillary staffing requirement, the remuneration of its and every other 
detail shall be detennined by presidential Decree* issued on the joint recommendation 
of the Minister for Culture, the Minister to the Office of the Prime Minister and the 
Minister of Finance. 
* Presidential Decree 31111994 (Official Journal of the State Republic of Greec~ First Issu~ Number 165 
October 6th 1994) 
Article 70 
Collecting societies already functioning 
1. Collecting societies which are already functioning at the date of the promulgation of 
this Law shall within twelve months of the entry into force of this Law lodge with the 
Ministry for Culture the statement and copy of their rules required under Article 54(4) 
of this Law and generally shall carry out all other actions necessary to compliance with 
this Law. 
2. Societies of intellectual authors which at the date of the promulagtion of this Law are 
carrying on the administrative activity referred to in Article 5 of Law 4301119:29 and 
Article 43 of law 1597/1986 may continue to carry on that activity for twenty-four 
months from the date of the entry into force of this Law. 
Article 71 
Implementation of directives of the European Community. 
I. Articles 2 (3) and 40 to 45 of this Law shall constitute implementation of Council 
Directive 911250/EEC of 14 May 1991 on the legal protection of computer programs. 
2. Articles 3 (1 ) (d), 9, 34, 46, 47, 48, 49, 52 and 53 of this Law shall constitute 
implementation of Council directive 921100/EEC of 19 November on rental right and 
lending right and on certain rights related to copyright in the field of intellectual 
property. IP/N/1/GRCIC/l 
Page 34 
Article 72 
Repeal of provisions and regulation of other matters 
1. From the date of the entry into force of this Law every provision which runs counter 
to this Law or deals with matters which are regulated by this Law shall be repealed. 
Specifically, the following laws and parts of laws shall be repealed: GYPG/I 909 and 
2387/1920. Legislative Decree 12115 of June 1926, Laws 4186/1929, 430111929 and 
4489/1 930, Article 2 (1) of legislative Decree 61911941, Legislative Decree 217911943, 
Laws 763/1943. 113611944 and 56/1944, Article 12 of Law 3188/1 995, Legislative Decree 
426411962, Article 4 of Law 1064/1980. Articles 5 and 10 to 22 of Law 107511980, 
Article 19 of Law 1348/1983 and Articles 3,40. 43 and 46 of law 1597/1 986. 
2. Law 98811943 shall remain in force. 
3. Collecting societies established and functioning pursuant to Articles 54 to 58 of this 
Law shall have the right to organize conferences on matters pertaining to copyright and 
related rights and to participate in such conferences. Articles 54 to 58 of this Law shall 
not prevent the concluding of reciprocal contracts between -collecting societies 
established in other countries and collecting societies established in Greece. 
4. Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Articles 49 of this Law shall not be applicable to 
phonograms used for presentations to the public in cafes and communes with 
populations of less than 5.000 inhabitants until 1 July 1994. 
5. Article 38 (4) (a) of this law shall apply to the publication of any photograph 
whatsoever. 
SECfION XIII 
CULTURAL MATTERS AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS 
• Articles 72 and 75-76 are not reproduced because they do not concern copyright or related rights 
Article 74 
The positions of managing director. director general, manager, <;hainnan and vice­
chainnan of a non-profit -making collecting society shall not be deemed out of keeping 
with the calling of lawyer and shallnot be grounds for removing from a register of 
lawyers the name of any lawyer holding such a position or for downgarding the status 
of any such lawyer. SECTION XIV 
ENTRY INTO FORCE 
Article 77 IP/NIlIGRCIC/l 
Page 35 
With the exception of Article 69. this Law shall enter into force from the date of its 
promulgation in the Government Gazette. Article 69 of this Law shall enter into force 
six months after the date of the promulgation of this Law in the Official Journal. 
We command the promulgation of this Law in the Official Journal and its 
implementation as a law of the State. 
Athens. 3 March 1993 IP/N/1/GRC/C/1 
Page 36 
OrFIC1A~TRANSLATION 
Official Journal of the State 
Republic of Greece 
First Issue 
Issue number 208 
16 December 1993 
CONTENTS 
LAWS ~o.l62795 
2173. Reform of the ~ ational Radio & Television CounciL Establishment of 
the ~ational Committee for Electronic Communication Media and other 
provlslons 
Article 4 
A paragraph marked "6" is added to article 72 of Law 212111993 
"Copyright~ related rights and cultural matters" as follows: 
"6. From the time this law is entered into force and until the 
beginning of operation of one or more collective management organisations 
that can make decisions concerning donations, the provisions of paragraphs 1 
and 2 of article 5 of this law will not be applied in the event that the beholden 
of paragraph:; of the same article donate at least part of their fees paid by the 
retailer, provided that: a) for this donation, the laws applicable each time 
provides for an exemption from the donation tax, b) the sum of the donation 
has been deposited in an account opened for this purpose by the recipient of 
the donation at the Loans and Consignments Fund or at a Bank lawfully 
operating in Greece, and c) the receipt of the deposit includes: aa) the 
particulars of the donor and the recipient of the donation, b b) the sum of the 
donation, cc) the date of deposit and dd) the signature of the recipient of the 
donation or his lawful representative". 
HELLENIC REPUBLIC -MINISTR Y OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
TRANSLATIONS SER VICE -ATHENS OFPICLA..i, TRANSLATION 
Official1ournal of the State 
Republic of Greece 
First Issue 
Issue number 90 
13 1une 1994 
CONTENTS 
LAW No. 2218 IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
Page 37 
Establishment of prefectural administration7 amendment of provisions 
concerning the primary administration and the region and other provisions 
Article S9 
Supplementation of the legislation on copyright 
1. The subparagraphs c) and d) of paragraph 1, article 54 of Law 
2121/1993 "Copyright, related rights and cultural matters" (Official Journal 25 
A) are substituted as follows: 
"c) all members of the cooperative may be legal entities, d) the 
articles of association of these cooperatives may provide for the following: aa) 
terms~ internal procedures and bodies that will decide on the entry, withdrawal 
or exclusion of a partner, in deviation of the terms, procedures and bodies 
provided for by paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of article 2 of Law 1667/1986, bb) 
that. in the event of withdrawal or exclusion of a partner or non acquisition of 
the capacity of partner by the heirs, there is no claim of the partner or the 
heirs for the return of their cooperative shares or for payment of the value 
thereof or that there is claim for return of the par value of the shares only, cc) 
the possibility to acquire an unlimited number of elective shares by the 
partners, dd) that cooperative shares cannot be transferred in life, ee) 
categories of partners either without a voting right or with a number of votes 
HELLENIC REPUBLIC -MINISTRY OF FORBIGN APPAIRS 
TRANSLATIDNSSBRVICB -ATHENS IP/N/lIGRC/C/l 
Page 38 
. OFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
:' ~ . ',' 
:,' .: ...... ", ...... :..-
" .. '~ \ . 
'. ·.:~·';,\P~~t; partner which is independent of the number of compulsory or elective 
..... -~ .' ~ "''1'''' . 
I '. ~ ~\\ ,.-; I 111 .,. • 
":·.~;·:~i?~~!es of each partner, ff) the restriction of the right of subparagraph b' of 
··'I'·.v.·~/ / .' 
~:-'::._/' paragraph :2, article 4 of Law 1667/1986 for the protection of the lawful ---':,:. ... -. 
interests of the collective management organisations, gg) that, apart from the 
sum of their shares, the new partners have no obligation of payment and 
contribution proportional to the net assets of the cooperative or that they have 
such obligation for a limited time after the establishment of the cooperative". 
.., _. After subparagraph d) of part 7 of paragraph 1, article 54 of Law 
:21:2111993 "Copyright, related rights and cultural matters" (Official Journal :25 
A), the new subparagraphs e) and f) are added as follows: 
"e) These cooperatives are always of limited liability and the partners 
are not personally liable for the debts of the cooperatives. 
f) A presidential decree issued on suggestion of the Minister of 
Culture may regulate the matters of articles 5, 6, 7 and 8 of Law 1667/1986, as 
well as all matters of internal relations of these cooperatives, in accordance 
with the provisions applicable in the member states of the European Union 
concerning the collective management organisations operating in a respective 
or similar form". 
True copy certified by Anthi Pelleni, lawyer of Athens 
t 5 DEe 1995 /'1' Athens.. ......... ...... (~r, 
Accurate t~ansiatlon from" .. ~f\gek 
The translator Elenl 01 ~; nou 
\ j 
J /: 
HELLBNIC REPUBLIC -MINISTR Y OP POREIGN .AFFAIRS 
TP.A M.~T . ..A TTnM.~ .~Rl1VTrR _ A 77:rRN.~ IP IN /l IGRC/C/l 
Page 39 
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE STATE 
REPUBLIC OF GREECE 
Frrst issue 
Issue No 165 
6 October 1994 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 311 
Articles of Association of the «Copyright Organisation» 
The President of the Greek Republic 
Considering 
1. The provisions of Article 69 of Law 212111993 «Copyright, Related rights and 
cultural matters» ( Official Journal A 25) 
2. The provisions of Article 27 of Law 2081192 (Official Journal A 154) which added 
a new article, article 29A, to Law 1558/85 (Official journal A 137) 
3. The fact that the provisions of this presidential Decree incur expenses to the budget 
of the private law legal entity «Copyright Organisation» amounting to 38.507.110 
drachmas for the current fiscal year, which has been provided for in the ordinary budget 
of the Ministry of Culture by transferring funds to KAE 2599 and 50.323.086 drachmas 
for the other fiscal years. 
4. The opinion no 486/19.8.94 of the Council of State, following a proposal made by 
the Minister of govennent Presidency, The Minister of Culture and the Minister of 
Finance. we hereby resolve: 
Article I 
Name -Form -Registered Office 
a) The «Copyright Organisation», established by article 69 of Law 2121/1993 
«Copyright. Related rights and cultural matters» (Official Journal A 25) is a private law 
legal entity, with registered offices at Athens. supervised by the Minister of Culture. 
b) This Organisation will hereafter be called «Copyright Organisation». 
Article 2 
Purposes 
The purposes of Copyright Organisation are the following: 
a) To protect intellectual authors and rightholders of related rights. 
b) To see to the application of Law 2121/1993 and the related contract issues; in 
particular: 
To submit proposals to the Ministry of Culture concerning the legality of statement 
and the regulation of the Collecting Societies and other elements provided for in 
paragraph 4 and 5, article 54, law 212111993. IP/N/l/GRCIC/l 
Page 40 
To submit proposals every six months to the Ministry of Culture on issues 
concerning the supervision of the Collecting Societies. 
To effect law drafting work on issues of copyright and related rights. in cooperation 
with the Office of the Legal Councillor of the Ministry of Culture and the Office of 
Legislative Coordination of the Ministry of Culture. 
To represent Greece in competent international organisations as weB as institutions 
of the European Community. 
To organise seminars of any kind for the training and updating of judges, lawyers, 
administrative employees, authors, rightholders of related rights and students on issues 
of copyright and related rights. 
To provide information concerning issues of copyright and related rights. 
Article 3 
Board of Directors 
Composition -Function -Duties 
1. The Copyright Organisation is administered by a five-member Board of Directors. 
The members of the Board should have a university degree, mainly in Legal and 
Economic Sciences. and have special knowledge or experience in issues of copyright. 
2. The Board of the Copyright Organisation is appointed by resolution of the 
Ministry of Culture for a three-year term of office. The same resolution also appoints 
the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Board. The term of office of the 
members of the Board may be renewed. 
3. A Copyright Organisation employee acts as Secretary of the Board; he is appointed 
by resolution of the Chairman of the Board along with his substitute. 
4. The Board holds meetings by invitation of the Chairman. regularly once a month 
and. in special occasions. if requested by the chainnan and the majority of its members. 
In the latter case. the Chairman should convene the members of the Board within five 
days from the written notice made by the majority. The notice also includes the issues of 
the agenda. 
5. The Board is in quorum when at least three members are present, including the 
Chairman or the Deputy Chainnan of the Board. The resolutions are made by absolute 
majority of the members present: in the event of equal votes. the vote of the Chairman 
is prevailing. 
6. The Director of the Copyright Organisation acts as reporter. 
7. The proceedings of the Board are signed by the Chairman, the members and the 
Secretary. 
8. The Board has the folowing duties: 
a) It decides on the annual budget and its necessary and submits it for approval to 
the Minister of Culture by 15 October of each year. IP/N/1/GRC/C/1 
Page 41 
b) It draws up the annual balance sheet and report of the Copyright Organisation 
and submits it to the ·Minister of Culture by the end of February of each year. 
c) It appoints the personnel of Copyright Organisation in particular posts under article 
13 of this presidential decree. The salary of the personnel is detennined under Law 
1505/84 (Official Journal A' 114), as was supplemented by Law 1810/88 (A' 223). 
d) Following a suggestion of the Director of Copyright Organisation, it assigns to 
organisations, special scientists or legal entities by employment contract the duty to 
implement studies. research and tasks related to the achievement of the purposes of 
Copyright Organisation, under the provisions on task assignment applicable each time. 
e) It approves the trips of the Chairman and members of the Board. as well as the 
trips of the personnel of Copyright Organisation in and out of Greece. The provisions 
on trips of civil servants are applied to the compensation for the trips. 
f) By resolution, it may assign for a particular period of time the exercise of a specific 
duty or duties to one of its members. 
g) It may transfer in writing the exercise of the duties of the Chainnan to the Deputy 
Chairman or to other members of the Board or to the Director of the Copyright 
Organisation. following a suggestion of the Chainnan of the Board. 
Article 4 
Duties of the Chainnan of the Board 
The Chairman of the Board has the following duties: 
a) He represents the Copyrigtht Organisation in and out of court. binds it with his 
signature nad may assign the representation to a member of the Board or the Director 
of the Copyright Organisation. 
b) He convenes the Board of the Copyright Organisation, presides over its meetings 
and determines the issues of the agenda, without prejudice to paragraph 5 of the 
previous article. 
c) In case the Chairman is absent or unavailable, he is substituted by the Deputy 
Chairman. 
Article 5 
Director 
1. The Director of the Copyright Organisation is appointed by resolution of the 
Minister of Culture for a three-year term of office which may be renewed by proposal of 
the Board of the Copyright Organisation. He should have a university degree, an 
acknowledged doctor's degree and special knowledge or experience in copyright issues. 
2. The duties of the Director of the Copyright Organisation are the following: 
a) He is entrusted with the scientific and administrative management of the 
Copyright Organisation. 
b) He supervises the services and employed personnel of the Copyright Organisation 
and sees to their smooth and effective operation. IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
Page 42 
c) He applies the resolutions of the Board. 
d) He performs all duties provided for in this presidential decree or assigned by the 
Board. 
Article 6 
Funds of the Copyright Organisation 
1. For the beginning of its operation, the Copyright Organisation is subsidised with 
a lump sum as special financing from the state Budget of the Ministry of Culture 
amounting to twenty million (20.000.000) drachmas. 
2. The funds of the Copyright Organisation arise from: 
a) 1 % of the groos revenue of the Collecting Societies for the previous year. The sum 
is paid in two periodical instalments, namely in I st March and 1 st September. under the 
procedure provided for in article 19 of this presidential decree. 
b) Subsidies -grants of the European Community and the International 
Organisations. 
c) Donations, legacies. 
d) Private funding and any type of contributions by natural persons or legal entities. 
e) Revenue from the provision of services. 
Article 7 
Fiscal year 
The fiscal year begins on 1 st January and ends on 31 st December of each calendar year. 
The fiscal year is the period of time within which acts are effected concerning the 
management of money, materials and other assets of the Copyright Organisation. In 
particular, the first fiscal year begins with the publication of this presidential decree in 
the Official Journal of the State and ends on 31.12.1994. 
Article 8 
Budget 
1. The budget is an act of the Board of the Copyright Organisation which includes 
the foreseen income from ordinary and extraordinary funds of the Copyright 
Organisation as well as the foreseen expenses of the year along with their justification. 
Any annual surplus of the Copyright Organisation is carried forward to the next 
year. 
2. In the annual budget. the total income is available for covering the overall 
expenses. The distribution of the accounts is determined by resolution of the Board of 
Copyright Organisation. 
3. The Director of the Copyright Organisation submits to the Board a quarterly 
report of the execution of the budget and any transfer of provided sums from article to 
article or from fund to fund, up to 105 of the total budget. Any transfers beyond this 
persentage are ~ecided by the Board. IP/NI 1 IGRC/C/l 
Page 43 
4. The Director of the Copyright Organisation prepares and presents to the Board a 
draft budget. drawn up in accordance with the estimates and data of all Directorates of 
the Copyright Organisation and submitted four (4) months before the expiry of the time 
limit referred to in paragraph 6 of this article. The draft budget contains the income and 
expenses, classified by type and divided in titles, chapters and articles. 
5. The draft budget is accompanied by: 
a) A report on the course of income and expenses of the Copyright Organisation 
compared to the previous year. 
b) Planning of the income and expenses of the Copyright Organisation per year for 
the coming five years. classified by type and divided in titles, chapters and articles. 
c) A list of the employed personnel of the Copyright Organisation, classified by 
category and organisational units. 
d) A list of the requirements of the Copyright Organisation in personnel along with 
the justification. 
e) A list of equipment and estates along with redemption value. 
f) Suggestions of the Director of the Copyright Organisation on new investment 
expenses or improvements, accompanied by justification of their financial expediency. 
6. Three months before the end of each fiscal year, the Board of the Copyright 
Organisation formulates the contents of the budget and submits it for approval to the 
Minister of Culture by 15 October of each year. 
7. The execution of the budget may be extended for three months both for the 
collection of the income of the closing fiscal year and the payment of expenses for 
obligations under taken up to the end of the fiscal year by resolution of the Board of 
the Copyright Organisation submitted for approval to the Minister of Culture. 
8. Following this approval. the budget may be amended concerning the distribution 
of the provided sums under paragraph 3 of this article. 
9. If the budget is not approved at the beginning of the calendar year, the Director 
of the Copyright Organisation may make payments for expenses in accordance with the 
estimates of the last approved budget up to the sum cortesponding to one third of the 
approved expenses. The expenses concerning the salary of the personnel are paid 
regularly. 
Article 9 
Income -Expenses -Management Audit 
1. The income of the budget is: 
a) The income provided for during the fiscal year to which the budget refers. 
b) The income that was not collected in previous fiscal years or that is paid in 
advance for coming years. IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
Page 44 
2. The income of the Copyright Organisation is collected by: 
a) The Treasurer of the Copyright Organisation, by issuing a receipt of the 
accounting department. 
b) The Banks cooperating with the Copyright Organisation. 
3. An employee of the financial service of the Copyright Organisation is appointed 
Treasurer of the Copyright Organisation by deed of the Director. 
4. The expenses of the budget are the expenditure provided for during the fiscal year 
to which the budget refers, without taking into accont the period of time when the 
obligation for payment was undertaken. 
5. A payment order should be issued for the payment of the expenses of the 
Copyright Organisation, which is drawn up by the Administrative -Financial 
Departement and signed by the Director of the Copyright Organisation. 
6. Without prejudice to observing the procedures concerning the supplies of the 
Copyright Organisation. the payments for approved activities of the Copyright 
Organisation in with no restrictions as to the amount of the payable sum, provided that 
there is a written order of the Director of the Copyright Organisation in the framework 
of his powers. 
7. The payments of the Copyright Organisation are made by bank cheques to the 
order of the beneficiary or in cash. 
8. The Treasurer and the Director of the Copyright Organisation are responsible for 
the lavvful and smooth inflow and outflow of money in the Copyright Organisation. 
9. The supply of any type of material (consumable or not) of the Copyright 
Organisation is effected if there is a respective provision and credit in the budget of the 
Copyright Organisation, by order of the Director of the Copyright Organisation. 
10. The audit of the financial management and the annual balance sheet of the 
Copyright Organisation is made by certified auditors who regularly draw up reports 
addresed to the Board of the Copyright Organisation concerning the management of 
the Copyright Organisation as well as a report on the annual balance sheet. 
11. Within a reasonable time after the submission of the reports of the certified 
auditors. the Board of the Copyright Organisation may order the settlement of the 
deficits in accordance with their observations. 
12. The Director of the Copyright Organisation effects a biannual control of the 
financial management of the Copyright Organisation. The results of the control are 
submitted for updating to the Board. Article 10 
Financial report -Balance sheet IP/N/lIGRCIC/l 
Page 45 
I. In January of each year, the Board of the Copyright Organisation draws up the 
balance sheet with the profit and loss account and the report of 31 st December of the 
previous year. 
2. Copies of the report and the balance sheet are forwarded to the certified auditors. 
3. The balance sheet and the report of the Copyright Organisation are notified by the 
Board to the Minister of Culture by the end of February of each year. 
4. The report on the income and expenses of the Copyright Organisation reflects the 
results of the execution of the budget of the respective year and includes the following, 
in accordance with the diagram used for the drawing of the budget: 
a. the foreseen income and expenses 
b. the effecte income and expenses 
5. The balance sheet is drawn up in accordance with the applicable laws and. in 
general terms, follows the General Accounting Plan. 
6. The accounts of the Copyright Organisation are drawn up in groups and 
subgroups depending on the financial activity of the Copyright Organisation each time. 
Article 11 
Organisational strusture of the Copyright Organisation 
1. The services of the Copyright Organisation constitute a Directorate composed of 
the following organisatiopnal units (Departements): 
a. Departement of Legislative Coordination 
b. . Departement of Information and Seminar Organisation 
c. Departement of Administration -Finance 
2. The Directorate functions under the supervision of the Director of the Copyright 
Organisation. Its duties are distributed to the Departement as follows: 
a. Departement of Legislative Coordination: Application of Law 212111993 and 
the related international conventions. Law drafting work on issues of copyright and 
related rights. Legal studies and publication of related editions. Processing of legal 
affairs of the Copyright Organisation. Representation of Greece in the institutions of 
the European Community and Interantional Organisations on issues of copyright and 
realted rigths. 
b. Departement of Information and Seminar Organisation: Collection, classification 
and maintenance of the documentation material. Organisation and operation of a 
library. Provision of information on issues of copyright and related rights. Organisation 
of seminars for training and updating of judges, lawyers, administrative employees, 
authors, rightholders of related rigths and students. IP/N/1/GRC/C/l 
Page 46 
c. Departement of administration and Finance: Handling of the affairs of the 
personnel of the Copyright Organisation. Dispatch of correspondence, typing and 
reproduction of documents and editions. Preparation of the draft budget. the balance 
sheet and the annual report of the Copyright Organisation. Management of all 
expenses, payment of salary and compensation to the personnel as well as the collection 
of all income. Supply of machinery, materials, supplies or any other assets and the 
perfonnance of tasks. Management of service material. guarding and cleaning of the 
office of the Organisation. 
Article) 2 
Personnel positions -qualifications 
I. The Copyright Organisation personnel positions are seventeen as follows: 
a) One (1) position of Director, as provided for in Article 5, paragraph I hereof. 
b) Two (2) positions of special scientific personnel, specialised in copyright. The 
required qualifications are those provided for in Article 25, paragraph 2 of Law 1943/91 
(Official Journal A 50). 
c) Four (4) positions of the branch PE Jurists. The qualifications for appointement 
are a Law degree in Greece or an· equivalent degree in another country as well as 
excellent knowledge of at least one of the following languages: English. French or 
Gennan. 
d) Four positions of the branch PE Administration -Finance. one which is the 
position of the Treasurer. 
e) One (I) positionofthe branch TE Library Officer. 
f) One (I) position of the branch DE Librarian. 
g) Two (2) positions of the branch DE Personnel, with the specialisation of 
computer user. The required qualifications are those provided for in articles 14 and 18 
of the presidential decree 194/88 (Official Journal A 84). In particular. for appointement 
in one of the two positions. the excellent knowledge of English or' French or Gennan is 
required as additional qualification. 
h) One (I) position of the branch DE Typist -stenographer. 
i) One (I) position of the branch YE Cleaning personnel. 
2. The provisions of the presidential decree 194/88 ( Official Journal A 84) 
concerning the respective branches of pennanent personnel are applied for all the 
aforesaid branches where no appointement qualifications are stated. 
3. The provisions of Article 5 of the presidential decree 172192. as amended by 
presidential decree 368/92 are applied for providing the excellent knowledge of a foreign 
language. IP/NIl/GRCICI 1 
Page 47 
Article] 3 
Appointement of the personnel 
The personnel of the Copyright Organisation is appointed by a private law 
contract for a definite or indefinite period of time, in accordance with the general 
provisions on appointement applicable each time. The personnel is placed in particular 
positions by resolution of the Board of the Copyright Organisation following a 
proposal of the Director of the Copyright Organisation. 
Article 14 
Heads of Services 
I. The Heads of the Departements of the Copyright Organisation are appointed by 
resolution of the Board of the Copyright Organisation following a proposal of the 
Director of the Copyright Organisation. 
2. The Director is the Head of the Directorate of the Copyright Organisation. The 
Director is sustituted by the Heads of Departements, as stated in article I I of this 
presidential decree by order of priority. 
Article 15 
Beginning of validity 
The validity of this presidential decree begins with its publication in the Official 
Journal of the State. 
The Minister of Culture is assigned with the publication and execution of this 
Presidential Decree. 
Athens. 28 September 1994 
The President of the Greek Republic 
Konstantinos Karamanlis 
The Minister of Government Presidency 
Anastasios Peponis 
The Minister of Culture 
Athanasios Mikroutsikos The Minister of Finance 
Alex. Papadopoulos 