Summary
Details
- Greece
Binding for project developers, public authorities and EIA assessors.
Developers must:
Screen projects and submit Environmental Impact Studies where required.
Obtain environmental permits before construction and operation.
Comply with permit conditions and monitoring obligations.
Authorities must:
Classify projects in the correct impact category.
Process EIAs within the legal deadlines.
Publish and manage EIA documentation via the electronic registry.
Certified assessors must follow professional and ethical standards when reviewing EIAs.
Exceptions:
Small-scale or low-impact projects may be exempt from full EIA or follow a simplified assessment.
Certain activities regulated under separate sectoral regimes (e.g. some agricultural or defence projects) may have adapted procedures.
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What’s Required
Law 4014/2011 reforms Greece’s environmental permitting and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system. It replaces large parts of the older framework (notably Law 1650/1986) for project-level environmental approvals.
The law:
Establishes new categories of projects and activities based on environmental impact.
Defines streamlined procedures and timelines for issuing environmental permits.
Introduces a National Electronic Environmental Registry for digital submission and tracking of EIA files.
Sets the content, consultation, and disclosure requirements for Environmental Impact Studies.
Creates a registry of certified assessors for EIAs and clarifies the roles of environmental authorities.
Important Deadlines
The law entered into force in 2011, with progressive implementation of electronic systems in the 2010s.
Transitional provisions allowed older permits to remain valid until renewal or modification.
Current Status
Law 4014/2011 remains the backbone of Greece’s EIA system, although some elements (particularly full digitalisation) have faced delays. Later legislation refines categories and procedures but continues to rely on this law’s structure.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Administrative fines for constructing or operating without valid environmental permits.
Suspension or revocation of permits for serious or repeated violations.
Potential criminal liability in severe pollution or damage cases.
Examples of Known Violations
Cases where projects started without permits or exceeded permit conditions.
EU infringement procedures and court cases referencing shortcomings in EIA implementation and permit enforcement.
Resources
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