The recently voted no. Law 5255/2025 establishes a major reform in the field of market control and consumer protection establishing the Independent Authority for Market Control and Consumer Protection (hereinafter referred to as the “Authority”). The new Authority comes to consolidate dispersed services, enhance transparency and ensure more effective control mechanisms and enforcement.
Which bodies and which authorities are succeeded by the new Authority
As far as the legal status of the Authority is concerned, Article 3 makes it an independent administrative authority with full administrative and functional autonomy. It is of particular importance, in fact, that the Authority succeeds a series of existing bodies, gathering in a single body responsibility that until now were fragmented. Specifically, the services and bodies integrated into the new Authority are the following:
1. the Interdepartmental Market Control Unit (as per Greek initials “D.I.M.E.A.”), with the exception of the Department of Chemical Analyses,
2. the Consumer Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Development,
3. the Department of Communication and Extroversion of the Directorate of Consumer Policy and Information,
4. the independent authority of the Consumer Ombudsman, which had been in force until now.
By transferring their services and responsibilities to one single authority, the legislator seeks to create a single, coherent supervisory authority, which is expected to speed up procedures, eliminate any duplication and enhance the effectiveness of protection mechanisms.
Mission of the Authority
The mission as well as the individual responsibilities of the Authority are described in Article 4 of the law. The Authority aims to:
a. the strengthening of transparency and the healthy functioning of the market;
b. the fight against illicit trade, both in the physical sale points and digital environments;
c. more effective protection of consumer rights, including vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities;
d. defending the economic interests of consumers;
e. the formation of a healthy consumer culture and consciousness.
Responsibilities of the Authority
In the context of the mission pursued by the Authority, its individual responsibilities concern:
• Control and ensuring the proper functioning of the market: The Authority acquires expanded control powers during the production, storage, distribution and marketing stages of the products in order to deal with illegal trade. It also monitors compliance with the relevant legislation on market regulation and the provision of services (including but not limited to the laws on dealing with counterfeit products, the obligation to inform the consumer). It also prepares together with competent services of the Ministry of Finance, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, the National Strategic Plan and Planning against illegal trade. Furthermore, the Authority sets up inspection teams, mixed or individual, at local, regional level in order to crack down on illegal trade, to supervise the implementation of the rules on the distribution and marketing of products and to control the market. It maintains a digital data management system, conducts studies to capture the current situation in the market, detects violations, prepares relevant audit reports and imposes the prescribed sanctions.
• Monitoring and implementation of consumer protection legislation: Receives and examines consumer complaints and reports related to the violation of the established rules, conducts audits (including sweeps) on online store websites either ex officio or following a complaint and imposes administrative sanctions and/or administrative measures on those who violate the relevant legislation. In addition, the Authority monitors compliance with the relevant legislation for the protection of consumers, develops actions to inform and educate the consumers about their rights and the protection of their interests, participates in working groups of European institutions, while it functions as a Competent Authority and as a Single Liaison Office, regarding the cooperation between the competent authorities of the EU Member States.
• Out-of-court resolution of consumer disputes: Strengthens the pre-existing role of the Consumer Ombudsman by offering faster and more effective dispute resolution mechanisms. In particular, it undertakes the consensual resolution of disputes between suppliers and consumers or consumer associations, ex officio or following a complaint by one of the interested parties, through the application of criteria for prioritizing the complaints that are under control, particularly the Documented. In addition, the Authority supervises the operation of the European Consumer Centre of Greece (ECC-NET).
• Support of consumers by offering legal aid: The authority is entitled to exercise legal remedies for the protection of the collective interests of consumers (representative actions) by participating in proceedings concerning their protection. It accepts applications from consumers if a court decision against them becomes final for their redress or restoration, while it can also impose sanctions in accordance with Law 2251/1994.
• Exercise of any other competence entrusted to the abolished bodies/Authorities.
What does the new law mean for consumers and businesses?
The establishment of the Authority creates a stricter and more coherent compliance framework, of direct interest to all businesses operating in Greece, especially those active in e-commerce, providing digital services or implementing promotional activities. As far as consumers are concerned, the Authority brings stronger protection mechanisms, with the most important development being access to institutional tools for out-of-court dispute resolution through the consensual redress of consumer disputes.