Greece

LAW NO. 4994 (ΝΟΜΟΣ ΥΠ’ ΑΡΙΘΜ. 4994), Greece’s digital accessibility regulation, is governed by the Ministries of Finance, Development and Investments, Environment and Energy and Digital Governancе.

What it includes

The regulation mandates that a range of digital content and services must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, this includes:

• Physical IT systems
• Self-service terminals
• Payment terminals
• Terminals intended for specific services, including:

• Automatic cash registers
• Ticket machines
• Ticket control devices
• Terminals providing information (excluding certain integral transport vehicles)

• Consumer terminal equipment with interactive computing capabilities used to provide electronic communications services
• Consumer Terminal Equipment with interactive computing capability used to access audiovisual media services
• E-book readers
• Electronic Communications Services (excluding services only for machine communication)
• Audio-visual media services
• Passenger transport services
• Air, bus, rail, and watercraft services, focusing on urban, suburban, and regional transport
• Electronic tickets and ticketing services
• Transport information
• Banking, e-books and hardware
• E-commerce services
• Emergency communication (for emergency number 112 from June 2027)

Exceptions

The regulation outlines exceptions to accessibility requirements for specific digital contexts:

• Content not applicable if before certain dates:
• Pre-recorded media before June 28, 2025
• Office file formats before June 28, 2025

Specific Content:

• Online maps (unless navigation information in digital form)
• Third-party content not financed or controlled by the economic entity
• Content on websites or mobile apps classified as files not updated after June 28, 2025

Intellectual Property Provisions:

• Exemptions regarding protected works and objects for the benefit of visually impaired individuals, following specific regulations

Fines and penalties

In Greece, the supervisory authority holds the power to enforce compliance with accessibility requirements.

In instances where products are found non-compliant, the market surveillance authority is empowered to enforce corrective measures, potentially including commitments to temporary remedies, or, more severely, the prohibition of market availability. For electronic communications services, the National Telecommunications and Posts Commission is the designated body to impose sanctions, acting within the remit of specific telecommunications laws. Similarly, the National Radio and Television Council is responsible for penalizing media service providers that fail to meet their regulatory obligations. Additionally, the act provides transitional provisions which articulate the conditions under which service providers must operate and fulfill contracts, extending all the way to the year 2030.

Reporting

Greece follows the EU-wide mandate for accessibility statements on public sector websites and digital services. These statements are essential for maintaining transparency and accountability.

This statement must be publicly available on their websites and provide clear information on the accessibility status of their digital services, such as whether they meet the required standards or outline existing accessibility issues. The statement should also detail the measures taken to improve accessibility, including any ongoing efforts or plans for remediation. Additionally, the accessibility statement must specify how users can report accessibility problems and request assistance, ensuring that organizations remain accountable and transparent in their commitment to accessible digital experiences.

For the latest and most accurate information on digital accessibility requirements, please refer to the official documentation provided by the Greek government.