Copyright law · Greece
Find a copyright lawyer in Greece who takes your work seriously
When a photograph, text, recording, design or piece of software is copied, resold or used without a licence in Greece, the practical question is what Greek law and Greek courts can actually do for you. We match you, free of charge, with a copyright lawyer in Greece who handles these files every day.
- Specialists in copyright, licensing and unauthorised digital use
- Greek procedure, time limits and costs explained in plain language
- Free matching, with a first response within 24–48 hours
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The situation
Why a copyright lawyer in Greece makes the difference
Copyright disputes in Greece rarely turn on one dramatic event. They build slowly: a work appears online without your consent, a licence is read differently from how you intended it, a former collaborator claims authorship, or a platform ignores a takedown request. Because Greece follows the continental civil-law model, your case is assessed against codified statutes rather than binding precedent, and procedure matters as much as principle. A copyright lawyer in Greece can map the realistic options — negotiation, licensing, civil claims or other routes — and explain what evidence a Greek court will expect. Through our platform you describe the situation once, free of charge, and we match you with a lawyer who handles copyright work connected to Greece. There is no obligation to instruct anyone.
Greece in practice
How copyright matters work in the Greek legal system
Copyright work in Greece sits inside a legal system built on codified statutes and a three-branch court structure. Before you instruct anyone, it helps to know who may represent you, which time limits apply and what a Greek court will expect. The table below collects the deadlines published by the Greek authorities.
How Greek courts are organised
Greece follows the continental civil-law model: codified statutes, not binding precedent, decide cases. Civil courts hear disputes between private parties, appeals go to the Courts of Appeal, and the Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos) reviews only the legal correctness of lower decisions without re-examining the facts. Proceedings are conducted in Greek.
Who is entitled to act for you
Membership of a Bar Association is compulsory in order to practise law in Greece. Under Article 4 of the Code of Lawyers (Law 4194/2013), a lawyer qualifies after passing the nationwide bar examinations, receiving the ministerial appointment decision, taking the statutory oath and being entered in a Bar register. Article 1 describes the lawyer as a public functionary bound by professional secrecy.
Time limits around a copyright claim
Deadlines depend on how a claim is framed. General civil claims in Greece carry a twenty-year limitation period, commercial and periodic claims five years, and tort (delict) claims five years with a twenty-year absolute ceiling. Because characterisation drives the period, a lawyer should assess your file early rather than assume the longest one applies.
What proceedings cost in Greece
Court fees are set by statute and include a proportional judicial stamp duty of 4 or 8 per mille on the value of civil claims, plus a 30% surcharge allocated to the TAXDIK fund; legal-aid recipients are exempt. A lawyer’s fee is freely agreed in writing under Article 58 of the Code of Lawyers, or otherwise follows the statutory scale, and carries 24% VAT.
Legal aid and the language of the courts
Free legal aid in civil, commercial and criminal cases is available under Law 3226/2004 to low-income applicants whose annual family income does not exceed two thirds of the minimum annual personal income set by the National General Collective Labour Agreement. EU citizens and lawfully resident third-country nationals may also qualify. Greek is the language of the courts, so pleadings and documents are filed in Greek.
All country information on this page is drawn from official Greek and European sources — the Greek Ministry of Justice, the Greek Bar Associations and the European e-Justice Portal — as published at the time of writing.
Common problems
What brings clients to us
Three situations come up again and again in copyright matters connected with Greece.
Your work is used without a licence
An image, text, recording, design or software product you created turns up on a Greek website, in an advertisement or inside goods sold in Greece, and nobody asked your permission or paid you.
You are accused of infringing someone else’s rights
A rights holder or a competitor says that your website, campaign, product or app reproduces protected material, and you need a clear view of your position before you answer.
The dispute crosses borders
You are based outside Greece, but the infringing use, the other party or their assets are in Greece, and you need someone who can act before Greek authorities and courts in Greek.
How matching works
What you get from europeanlawyerfinder.com
A short, honest route from your problem to a lawyer who actually handles this kind of work.
Matched on expertise, not advertising
We look at the subject matter of your file — copyright, licensing, digital use, cross-border enforcement — and connect you with lawyers whose practice covers it in Greece.
One clear picture of your options
The lawyer explains which route fits your situation in Greece, what evidence is likely to matter and what the realistic timetable looks like, without promising results.
You stay in control of the cost
Fees in Greece are agreed in writing between you and the lawyer, so you can discuss scope and budget directly before deciding whether to proceed.
Communication in your language
Greek is the language of the courts, but your first conversations about the file do not have to be. Tell us your preferred language and we take it into account.
Europe-wide
Where else we can match you
Cross-border copyright problems often involve more than one jurisdiction. Alongside Greece, we match clients with specialists in these European countries.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a copyright lawyer in Greece for an online infringement?
Describe what was copied, where it appeared and what outcome you want. We then match you free of charge with a lawyer who handles copyright matters connected to Greece. There is no obligation to instruct anyone, and your details are shared only with the lawyer you choose.
Which Greek court deals with a copyright dispute?
Disputes between private parties normally start before the civil courts, with appeals heard by the Courts of Appeal. The Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos) reviews legal correctness only and does not re-examine the facts. Criminal or administrative angles follow separate branches, so the right forum has to be checked case by case.
How long do I have to bring a claim in Greece?
It depends on how the claim is characterised. General civil claims carry a twenty-year limitation period, commercial and periodic claims five years, and tort (delict) claims five years with a twenty-year absolute ceiling. A lawyer can identify which period applies to your file and whether time has already started running.
Does my lawyer in Greece have to belong to a Bar Association?
Yes, practising law in Greece requires membership of one of the country’s Bar Associations. A lawyer must also have passed the nationwide bar examinations, received the ministerial appointment decision, taken the statutory oath and been entered in a Bar register. The Code of Lawyers describes the lawyer as a public functionary.
Can I obtain legal aid in Greece for a copyright matter?
Free legal aid covering civil, commercial and criminal cases is provided under Law 3226/2004. Low-income applicants qualify where annual family income does not exceed two thirds of the minimum annual personal income under the National General Collective Labour Agreement. EU citizens and lawfully resident third-country nationals may also be eligible, and a disability of 67% or more qualifies regardless of income.
How are a copyright lawyer’s fees set in Greece?
Fees are freely agreed in writing between you and the lawyer under Article 58 of the Code of Lawyers and may cover the whole case, part of it or individual acts. Where there is no written agreement, the statutory scale based on the value of the matter applies. Fees attract 24% VAT.
Next step
Tell us what happened — we will find the right lawyer
One short description is enough. We review it, match you with a copyright lawyer in Greece who handles files like yours, and you decide whether to go further. No matching fees, no obligation and no pressure.