According to the Greek Criminal Code, offences (acts or omissions) are classified into two categories depending on the type and severity of the applicable penalties:

• serious crimes; and
• misdemeanours.

The objective constitutive elements of each offence are described in the law, according to the constitutional principle of nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege. Both categories of offences are punished if they are committed intentionally. Misdemeanours shall also be punished if they are committed negligently, but only in cases where this is expressly provided for by law.

Attempted offences are subject to less severe penalties.

Criminal conviction requires proof beyond reasonable doubt. The judicial authorities bear the burden of proving the guilt of the defendant, who is presumed innocent until a final conviction by the competent criminal court. Reasonable doubts on guilt must result in an acquittal (in dubio pro reo principle).

The prosecution of serious crimes is time-barred after 20 years if the penalty prescribed by law is life imprisonment or if the crime is directed against the property of the Greek State. Other serious crimes have a 15-year statute of limitations. The period of limitation begins on the day the offence was committed, is suspended for five years after indictment, and runs again from when it stopped after the end of the five-year suspension.

Misdemeanours have a five-year statute of limitations, with a possible suspension of three years after indictment.

In the case of a continuous offence, the limitation time does not begin until the perpetrator stops committing the offence. For example, the offence of participation in a criminal organisation is a continuous offence and, therefore, the limitation period does not begin until the perpetrator leaves the organisation.

Special criminal statutes may include different provisions in relation to limitation periods.

Greek criminal law is applicable (ie, Greek courts have jurisdiction over the offence) to a serious crime or misdemeanour that was committed in a foreign state by a Greek citizen or by a foreign national against a Greek citizen, subject (in both cases) to the condition of dual criminality, according to which the offence must also be punishable under the law of the state where it was committed, taking into account the specific circumstances of the case.

However, in some cases, Greek criminal law is applicable regardless of the law of the state of commission (principle of universal jurisdiction) – eg, for offences committed by or against Greek public officials, drug trafficking, human trafficking or offences relating to the currency.

Participation in a criminal organisation is punishable under Greek law – regardless of the law of the place of commission – if the offence was committed abroad by a Greek national or against a Greek citizen or a legal person headquartered in Greece or against the Greek State.

Money laundering committed in a foreign state by a Greek citizen is punishable under Greek law regardless of the law of the place of commission. It is also punishable if committed in a foreign state for the benefit of a legal person or entity having its registered office or place of business in Greece.

Greece is party to many bilateral or multilateral extradition treaties, and the European Arrest Warrant and the European Investigation Order are applied in Greece.

The Greek judicial authorities co-operate with foreign judicial authorities and numerous cross-border enforcement authorities, such as Interpol, Europol and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO); notably, Greece is an EPPO member state.

As a rule, according to Greek criminal law, criminal sanctions cannot be imposed against legal persons. On the contrary, natural persons who are in charge of a corporation or responsible for its operation can be criminally liable if they participated in the commission of a crime or, in certain cases, if they failed to exercise supervisory responsibilities (eg, in cases of offences of omission, environmental crimes, antitrust crimes or bribery).

In many cases, administrative penalties or fines may be imposed on legal entities that have gained profit or advantages related to an offence committed by a natural person. This does not preclude the criminal liability of the natural person who committed the offence.

Α successor entity may be held liable for unpaid fines or other administrative penalties that had been imposed on a predecessor company.

In 2024, hybrid criminal liability for legal entities was introduced in relation to corrupt practices (Articles 134–135 of Law 5090/2024). The practical impact of this law cannot yet be assessed.

According to Article 79 of the Greek Penal Code, in order to determine the appropriate sentence within the applicable framework, the court weighs up the facts and circumstances for and against the defendant and takes numerous objective and subjective criteria into consideration, such as:

• the damage caused;
• the nature of the offence;
• the intensity of the dolus or the degree of negligence;
• the personality and motives of the perpetrator;
• other personal circumstances; and
• the perpetrator’s willingness to restore the consequences of the offence.

Article 84 provides for mitigating circumstances, including the fact that the perpetrator:

• lived an honest personal, family, professional and social life until the time of the commission of the offence;
• showed sincere remorse and tried to reduce the consequences of their act; or
• behaved well for a relatively long period after the offence.

Victims of a white-collar offence may claim compensation for their loss before civil courts.

In parallel, the injured party has the right to participate in criminal (pre-trial and trial) proceedings against the perpetrator as a party in support of the charges.

Class actions are not available for white-collar offences in Greece.

As a rule, the Public Prosecutor has the power to conduct a preliminary investigation and to prosecute a person for a white-collar offence. If the Public Prosecutor considers the evidence to be sufficient after the preliminary investigation, he/she orders a formal investigation to be carried out by the Investigating Judge in cases of serious crimes.

The special Department of the Financial Crime Prosecutor’s Office is responsible for the prosecution of financial crimes, while the investigation and prosecution of crimes affecting the European Union’s financial interests falls under the jurisdiction of the EPPO.

During investigations, the judicial authorities are supported by police units – eg, the Financial Police.

All administrative authorities must co-operate with judicial authorities. In certain cases, administrative authorities – such as the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (in relation to market abuse), the Environmental Inspectors (in relation to environmental crimes) or the Anti-Money Laundering Authority – collect evidence within the scope of their administrative powers, which they then submit to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Anti-Money Laundering authority has the power to freeze assets, even before a preliminary investigation.

According to the Greek Code of Criminal Procedure, criminal proceedings are opened by an order of the Public Prosecutor, after receiving any kind of information that a criminal offence has been committed. In practice, the opening of criminal proceedings does not require serious indications that an offence has been committed; even thin evidence suffices to open a preliminary investigation.

In flagrant crimes and other urgent cases, evidence must be secured by the Police or other investigating officers with no prior order from the Public Prosecutor.

For certain misdemeanours, a criminal complaint by the alleged victim (within three months after they came to know of the offence and the perpetrator) is required in order to start criminal proceedings.

The investigative authorities have the power to conduct all necessary investigating acts in relation to the offence under (preliminary or formal) investigation, such as examination of witnesses (eg, directors or employees of a company), inspection of places and searches (eg, at the headquarters of a company), expert opinions, seizure of documents, digital evidence or items, freezing of assets, etc. The investigative authorities may also interview suspects.

The seizure of digital data related to a crime under investigation is expressly regulated in Article 265 of the Greek Code of Criminal Procedure.

In applying the above-mentioned investigating acts, the investigative authorities must respect the procedural rights of suspects and third parties, and the principle of proportionality.

The use of ΑΙ or other advanced digital tools, such as predictive analytics, big data review or blockchain analysis, is not explicitly regulated in the Greek Code of Criminal Procedure. However, any lawfully acquired evidence is, in principle, admissible in criminal proceedings and can be adduced by the investigating authorities or the parties (the defendant and the injured party).

It is not prohibited for enforcement authorities and experts to make use of modern tools in a supportive manner, if there is appropriate scientific documentation and the procedural rights of the parties are not violated. For example, the Greek tax and anti-money laundering authorities use digital tools to detect and combat tax evasion and money laundering.

Communication surveillance is regulated in Law 5002/2022 and requires an order by the competent judicial authorities based on serious indications that specific offences have been committed.

Internal investigations are not mandatory under Greek criminal law. The company itself decides whether an internal investigation should be carried out to examine the relevant facts, and whether to co-operate with the judicial authorities.

During an internal investigation, Law 4624/2019 regarding data protection is applicable. The Greek legislation is based on the European General Data Protection Regulation.

Under labour law, employees have a duty of loyalty to their employer and a duty to co-operate, which also covers internal investigations. However, from a criminal law point of view, the general principle of nemo tenetur se ipsum accusare should be considered, and the attorney-client privilege must be respected.

Companies are not obliged to share the findings of internal investigations with enforcement authorities. However, the judicial authorities have the power to:

• interview directors, officers and employees;
• carry out inspections and searches; and
• seize documents in relation to a criminal offence under investigation.

In this context, investigating authorities are, in principle, not allowed to seize documents or digital data (eg, electronic correspondence) covered by the attorney-client privilege, which is strongly protected in Greece.

The right to prosecute a person for a criminal offence falls under the competence of the Public Prosecutor. According to the principle of legality, the Prosecutor has a duty to prosecute if there is sufficient incriminating evidence after the completion of the preliminary investigation. For serious crimes, the Prosecutor orders a formal investigation, while for misdemeanours he/she refers the defendant to a criminal court.

However, there are some exceptions to the principle of legality, as follows.

• Before prosecution, the Public Prosecutor has the power to dismiss the case due to lack of evidence or on legal grounds.
• In limited circumstances, he/she may refrain from prosecuting a minor misdemeanour. He/she may also, exceptionally, refrain from prosecuting an offence in cases of extortion or fraud against the alleged perpetrator of the offence in question, if (in both cases) the latter is of minor importance and the public interest does not require prosecution.
• Whistle-blowers may also be protected from criminal prosecution under certain conditions, in cases of corruption.
• A conditional refrainment from prosecution is permitted for specific misdemeanours, if the suspect agrees to fulfil certain obligations, such as the payment of an amount to a charity or public benefit organisation or the full compensation of the victim.
• For certain serious financial crimes, such as embezzlement, fraud or breach of trust, the Prosecutor may also refrain from prosecution if the suspect agrees to fully compensate the victim, etc.

Deferred prosecution agreements and non-prosecution agreements are not available under Greek law. However, the Public Prosecutor may refrain from prosecution in certain circumstances (see 2.6 Prosecution).

Important white-collar offences related to companies include the following.

Fraud (Article 386 of the Greek Penal Code)

Fraud is committed when a person knowingly represents untrue facts as being true, or unlawfully conceals or suppresses true facts, and in this way persuades another to act, omit or tolerate, thus damaging a person’s property, in order to gain an illegal financial advantage for themselves or others.

Fraud is punished by imprisonment of up to five years; if the damage caused is major, the sanction is imprisonment of at least three months (up to five years) and a monetary penalty. If the pecuniary damage exceeds EUR120,000, imprisonment of up to ten years and a monetary penalty shall be imposed.

If the fraud is directed directly against the Greek State, legal entities governed by public law or municipal authorities, and the damage exceeds EUR120,000, imprisonment of between ten and 20 years and a monetary penalty shall be imposed.

Embezzlement (Article 375 of the Greek Penal Code)

Embezzlement is the unlawful appropriation of another person’s movable property that came into the offender’s possession in any way. In such cases, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment of up to two years; if the movable property is of particularly high value, the sanction is imprisonment of at least three months (up to five years) and a monetary penalty.

If the movable property has been entrusted to the perpetrator out of necessity or because of their capacity as an agent, trustee, guardian or administrator of another person’s property, the perpetrator shall be punished with imprisonment of between one and five years and a monetary penalty. If the value of the movable property exceeds EUR120,000, imprisonment of up to ten years and a monetary penalty shall be imposed.

If the embezzlement is directed directly against the Greek State, legal entities governed by public law or municipal authorities, and the value of the movable property exceeds EUR120,000, imprisonment of between ten and 20 years and a monetary penalty shall be imposed.

Fraud by using computers (Article 386A) and fraud in relation to grants or subsidies (Article 386B) are also recognised.

Breach of Trust (Article 390 of the Greek Penal Code)

Breach of trust is committed when a person, in violation of the rules of diligent management, knowingly causes damage to the property of another, of which he/she has custody or management (in whole or in part, or only for a specific act).

Breach of trust is punished with imprisonment of up to five years; if the damage caused is major, the sanction is imprisonment of at least three months (up to five years) and a monetary penalty. If the damage caused exceeds EUR120,000, imprisonment of up to ten years and a monetary penalty shall be imposed.

If the breach of trust is directed directly against the Greek State, legal entities governed by public law or municipal authorities, and the value of the damage exceeds EUR120,000, imprisonment of between ten and 20 years and a monetary penalty shall be imposed.

Bribery/influence peddling offences in Greece include the following.

Bribery

A public official who requests or receives any unlawful benefit, directly or through a third party, for themselves or for another person, or accepts the promise of such a benefit, for an action or omission related to or against their duties commits passive bribery according to Article 235 of the Greek Penal Code.

Active bribery is committed by any person who promises or gives to a public official, directly or through a third party, any illegal benefit for an action or omission by the official related to or against their duties (Article 236 of the Greek Penal Code).

Bribery in the public sector is punishable by imprisonment of between one and 20 years and a monetary penalty, depending on the special circumstances of each case.

The provisions may also apply in the case of bribery of foreign public officials.

Bribery of Judges

Active and passive bribery of judges is provided for by Article 237 of the Greek Penal Code. The offence is punishable by imprisonment of between five and 20 years and a monetary penalty, depending on the circumstances of each case.

Bribery of Political Officials

Bribery of political officials (Articles 159 and 159A of the Greek Penal Code) is punishable by imprisonment for between five and 20 years and a monetary penalty, depending on the circumstances of each case.

Bribery in the Private Sector

According to Article 396 of the Greek Penal Code, (active and passive) bribery in the private sector is punishable if it is committed in exchange for an action or omission in breach of one’s duties. Imprisonment of between one and five years and a monetary penalty can be imposed.

Influence Peddling

Exerting improper influence over officials is punishable under Article 237A of the Greek Penal Code. Imprisonment of up to five years and a monetary penalty can be imposed, depending on the circumstances of each case.

An obligation to implement specific compliance procedures and anti-corruption measures exists in certain areas (eg, the banking sector), for governmental authorities and other entities governed by public law.

Moreover, private companies are also obliged to establish – as appropriate for each case – compliance programmes according to specific legislation (eg, Law 4706/2020 on Corporate Governance) or the general principles of commercial law, such as the legality principle, duty of care, duty of diligence, duty of loyalty, etc.

Regulatory bodies (eg, the Bank of Greece, the Hellenic Financial Intelligence Unit, the Capital Market Commission) have also issued relevant guidelines, which may be applicable to certain regulated entities.

It should be noted that heads of departments, inspectors or persons with decision-making or supervisory powers in the public sector, as well as directors of private entities or other persons with decision-making or supervisory powers in a company, may be criminally liable if they fail, through negligence, in their duties to prevent bribery (Articles 159A par. 3, 235 par. 4, 236 par. 3, 237 par. 3 of the Greek Penal Code).

Public officials are obliged to report bribery to the authorities if they become aware of it in the course of their duties (Article 38 of the Greek Code of Criminal Procedure). The breach of this duty is punishable as a criminal offence.

Monitoring and reporting are also obligatory in other areas (eg, the banking sector) according to regulatory provisions and the anti-money laundering legislation (Law 4557/2018).

Insider Trading and Relevant Offences

Intentional insider trading can be committed by specific persons that use inside information either to acquire or dispose of financial instruments or to cancel or amend existing orders in relation to financial instruments, and is punishable, under special conditions, according to Article 28 of Law 4443/2016, by imprisonment of between one and 20 years.

Moreover, Articles 29 and 30 of Law 4443/2016 provide for criminal liability for:

• an intentional recommendation on the conduct of financial transactions by using inside information; and
• an illegal disclosure of inside information.

Market Manipulation

Intentional market manipulation – which can be committed, inter alia, by executing a transaction or sending an order to execute a transaction or by disseminating misleading information in relation to financial instruments – is punishable by imprisonment of between one and 20 years under special conditions, according to Article 31 of Law 4443/2016.

Law 4443/2016 is based on the terms and provisions of the European market abuse legislation.

Criminal Banking Law

In practice, one of the most important offences regarding banking business is a breach of trust (Article 390 of the Greek Penal Code; see 3.1 Criminal Company Law and Corporate Fraud).

Intentional tax evasion, which can be committed by concealing income, etc, is punishable according to Article 79 of Law 5104/2024, if the tax evaded each year exceeds EUR100,000. In cases of intentional VAT evasion (eg, by not paying VAT or by receiving a VAT return through fraud), this limit is reduced to EUR50,000.

Issuing and accepting counterfeit or fictitious tax records and similar acts are also considered tax offences.

In relation to these tax offences, imprisonment for up to 20 years can be imposed, depending on the circumstances of each case.

False registrations in accounting books, as well as relevant omissions, are punishable according to Law 5104/2024 (see 3.5 Tax Fraud).

Inaccurate or false record keeping or making inaccurate/false statements on the financial status of a company, etc, can also be a criminal offence under special provisions of commercial law (eg, under Law 4548/2018 regarding the Greek Société Anonyme or Law 4738/2020 on Bankruptcy).

The level of sanctions (eg, imprisonment) varies, depending on the applicable law.

Αnti-Competitive Practices

Greek Law 3959/2011 on competition is based on the European antitrust legislation and provides for both administrative and criminal sanctions in case of anti-competitive practices or abuse of a dominant market position.

According to Article 44 of Law 3959/2011, which describes the relevant criminal offences, intentional antitrust acts are punishable by a monetary penalty of up to EUR1 million and/or imprisonment.

In this context, the Hellenic Competition Commission co-operates with the judicial authorities.

Unfair Competition

Law 146/1914 provides for offences related to violations of the fair competition duty, such as spreading false information against a business, unlawful disclosure of business secrets, etc.

Consumer protection is regulated by Law 2251/1994, which provides, inter alia, for administrative sanctions such as fines in case of consumer law violations (Article 13a).

In case of defective products that caused homicide or bodily harm, the perpetrator may be criminally liable under Chapter XV of the Greek Penal Code (offences against human life and the embryo) or Chapter XVI of the Greek Penal Code (offences against physical integrity).

Computer Fraud (Article 386A of the Greek Penal Code)

Computer fraud is committed when a person causes pecuniary damage to foreign property by influencing the outcome of a computer data processing operation in order to obtain unlawful financial benefit for themselves or for another person by:

• improperly configuring a computer program;
• unauthorised interference with an information system;
• using incorrect or incomplete computer digital data, particularly identity recognition data;
• the unauthorised introduction, alteration, deletion, transmission or elimination of correct computer digital data, particularly digital identity data; or
• the unauthorised use of software intended for the transfer of money or monetary value.

The manufacture, distribution or possession of a program or information system intended for the commission of the above-mentioned offence is also punishable. Imprisonment of up to 20 years and a monetary penalty can be imposed, depending on the circumstances of each case.

Other Cybercrimes

Further cybercrime offences include:

• the intentional obstruction of the operation of information systems (Article 292B of the Greek Penal Code);
• unlawful access to an information system or data (Article 370B of the Greek Penal Code);
• the unauthorised copying or use of computer programs (Article 370D of the Greek Penal Code);
• the unlawful monitoring or recording of non-public data transmissions or electromagnetic emissions with technical means (Article 370E of the Greek Penal Code);
• the destruction of digital data (Article 379 of the Greek Penal Code), etc.

Protection of Company Secrets

There are several provisions that protect company secrets, such as Articles 370B and 370C of the Greek Penal Code regarding company secrets in computer systems, or Article 16 of Law 146/1914 regarding an intentional breach of business secrets. Sanctions include imprisonment and/or monetary penalty.

Following the decisions of international or European bodies on an ad hoc basis, certain sanctions regimes may be applicable in Greece (measures against foreign states with a focus on trade, the financial and transport sector, the oil and gas industry, etc).

According to Article 142A of the Greek Penal Code, the intentional violation of sanctions or restrictive measures imposed by European Union regulations on states, entities, organisations and natural or legal persons is punishable by imprisonment of up to two years, unless another special provision provides for a more severe penalty.

There are various offences relating to “concealment”, such as:

• intentionally harbouring/sheltering persons accused of having committed criminal acts as well as other acts of obstructing justice, destroying evidence, etc (Article 231 of the Greek Penal Code); and
• intentionally accepting and disposing of proceeds derived from criminal acts (Article 394 of the Greek Penal Code).

These offences are punishable by imprisonment of up to five years and a monetary penalty, depending on the circumstances of each case.

Moreover, concealing the truth in relation to the nature, source, disposal, movement or use of assets, or the place in which they are located, or their ownership, while knowing that such property came from (participation in) criminal activity, may constitute money laundering, according to Article 2 par. 1b and Article 39 of Law 4557/2018.

Criminal liability for the predicate offence does not exclude criminal liability for money laundering, provided that the objective elements of money laundering are not identical with the predicate offence. The maximum sentence for money laundering is imprisonment of up to 20 years and a monetary penalty.

Article 45 of the Greek Penal Code defines co-principals as persons who intentionally co-execute an offence (strictly with regard to the constitutive elements of the offence).

Instigators are criminally liable for the same sanctions as principles, according to Article 46 of the Greek Penal Code.

The same applies for direct accessories, who intentionally provide decisive assistance during the execution of the offence. Simple accessories, who provide any other kind of assistance before or during the execution of the offence, shall be punished with a reduced sentence (Article 47 of the Greek Penal Code).

Law 4557/2018 is based on the relevant European legislation and contains the following main offences in relation to money laundering:

• knowingly converting or transferring assets that come from (participation in) criminal activity with the purpose of concealing or disguising their illegal source, or of assisting any person involved in this activity to avoid the consequences of their actions;
• concealing the truth in relation to the nature, source, disposal, movement or use of assets, or the place in which they are located, or their ownership, while knowing that such property comes from (participation in) criminal activity;
• acquiring, possessing or using assets, knowing that such property comes from (participation in) criminal activity; and
• using the financial sector by placing or transferring proceeds of criminal activities so as to appear they have a legitimate origin (Article 2 of Law 4557/2018).

Article 4 of Law 4557/2018 describes predicate offences (participation in a criminal organisation, bribery etc) and provides that every offence that is punishable by a sentence of at least three months and from which a pecuniary benefit derives constitutes a predicate offence. Prosecution for the predicate offence is not necessary for a conviction on money laundering charges.

The level of the sanctions (eg, imprisonment) varies, depending on the predicate offence and the circumstances of each case. The maximum sentence for money laundering is imprisonment of up to 20 years and a monetary penalty.

It should be noted that certain legal persons (eg, banks and other financial services institutions) and professionals are obliged to fulfil specific monitoring and reporting duties in relation to money laundering. They may be held liable if they fail to comply with these obligations (eg, if they intentionally fail to report suspicious transactions). Natural persons may also be held criminally liable for such failures. Administrative sanctions can also be imposed, such as fines.

The Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority collects evidence within the scope of its administrative powers, which is then forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Environmental Criminal Law

Greek environmental criminal law is based on the relevant European Directives. Article 28 of Law 1650/1986 criminalises:

• an intentional environmental degradation through the exercise of an activity or business without a licence or approval, or in excess of the limits of the licence or approval; and
• other forms of unlawful environmental pollution or degradation through act or omission.

Environmental pollution or degradation are also punishable if committed negligently.

It should be noted that persons who have a leading position within a legal person may be criminally liable if they fail in their duties to prevent environmental crimes (Article 28 par. 5.1 and 5.2 of Law 1650/1986).

Depending on the circumstances of each case, imprisonment of up to 20 years and a monetary penalty can be imposed for environmental crimes.

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a serious crime according to Article 323A of the Greek Penal Code, which criminalises, inter alia, the use or threat of violence, other coercive means or abuse of power to recruit, kidnap, transport, illegally detain, deliver or receive a third person for the purpose of exploiting such person. Article 323A covers all forms of “modern slavery” and similar acts of “exploitation” against adults or children.

The maximum sentence for trafficking in human beings is life imprisonment and a monetary penalty, depending on each case.

Compliance Programmes

Environmental protection and human rights protection are part of modern compliance programmes (see also 3.3 Anti-Bribery Regulation).

The Greek Penal Code contains several provisions in relation to fraud, computer fraud, cybercrime offences, etc (see 3.1 Criminal Company Law and Corporate Fraud and 3.9 Cybercrimes, Computer Fraud and Protection of Company Secrets) that may apply in cases of the misuse of AI or other modern technical tools to commit an offence.

For example, in some cases, “deepfakes” are already being used to commit fraud, which is punishable under Article 386 of the Greek Penal Code.

In 2025, a system of regulatory enforcement in relation to crypto-assets was introduced through Law 5193/2025. The Greek legislation is based on the European legal framework (Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 on markets in crypto-assets).

The Hellenic Capital Market Commission and the Bank of Greece have extensive administrative responsibilities in this sector, including supervisory powers and powers to impose corrective measures, to carry out investigations, to impose fines or other administrative sanctions, etc.

Under Article 107 of Law 5193/2025, intentionally providing professional crypto services without the licence required by Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 is recognised as a criminal offence, which is punishable by imprisonment of between one and five years. If the services are provided by legal entities, criminal sanctions shall be imposed on the person who exercises the administration or management of the legal entity.

Greek legislation also contains several other provisions in relation to fraud, computer fraud, cybercrime offences, tax evasion, money laundering, etc (see 3.1 Criminal Company Law and Corporate Fraud, 3.9 Cybercrimes, Computer Fraud and Protection of Company Secrets and 3.13 Money Laundering) that may apply in relation to criminal activities that involve crypto-assets, blockchain-based assets or digital currencies. In this context, the Anti-Money Laundering Authority and the judicial authorities also have the power to freeze assets.

As a rule, judicial authorities must collect all incriminating and exonerating evidence as well as any element concerning the defendant’s personality.

The defendant and his/her counsel are free to organise an appropriate defence strategy against white-collar crime charges, depending on the stage of the criminal proceedings. This includes the right to request access to the case documents and to receive copies, to file motions asking the authorities to carry out specific investigative measures, to challenge certain investigation measures and/or the evidence presented, etc.

The existence of an effective compliance programme may be considered when assessing (administrative or criminal) sanctions.

As a rule, in Greece there are neither de minimis exceptions nor exempt industries or sectors in relation to white-collar offences.

Under the Greek Code of Criminal Procedure, a criminal conciliation between the perpetrator and the victim is possible under certain conditions (Articles 301 and 302 of the Code of Criminal Procedure). A defendant who successfully negotiates with the victim may receive a reduced sentence from the court.

Since 2019, plea bargaining is also recognised in Article 303 of the Greek Code of Criminal Procedure as an alternative procedure for certain offences (the smuggling of immigrants, narcotics etc). A defendant who successfully negotiates with the prosecutor may receive a reduced sentence from the court, which confirms the agreement.

There is no general provision for leniency measures, but special provisions may be applicable in certain cases. For example, Article 263A of the Greek Penal Code provides, inter alia, for leniency measures (such as a reduced sentence or suspension of criminal proceedings) for individuals who have participated in active bribery, breach of trust committed by public officials or other offences committed by public officials, if they report the criminal conduct to the authorities and make substantial disclosures as to the official’s criminal acts.

Provisions related to whistle-blower protection have been introduced by Law 4990/2022 on the transposition of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law. According to Article 2, the purpose of this law is to establish a system for internal and external reporting of violations of Union law, to protect persons who report such violations, to regulate the process for submitting, receiving and following up on reports, and to provide for sanctions.

Protection measures include the prohibition of retaliation against whistle-blowers, measures of support, measures for protection against retaliation and measures for the protection of persons concerned, which are mainly based on the protection measures outlined in Directive (EU) 2019/1937.

Defence lawyers are faced with new challenges in relation to complex cross-border investigations, transnational access to electronic evidence, etc. Cross-border defence strategies require familiarity with different legal systems, timely and effective co-operation between defence counsel in the relevant jurisdictions, and the co-ordinated exercise of defence rights within a holistic defence strategy.

In this context, the European legal framework (eg, on EAW, EIO, EPPO, E-evidence access) and the applicable international legal tools are of great importance.

Greek legislation has undergone numerous changes in the past few years to comply with international and European standards.

Legislation promoted in the field of criminal law over recent years in Greece tends to tighten the legislative framework and expand the powers of enforcement and judicial authorities. In some instances, the legislator’s piecemeal approach lacks clarity and has the potential to create conflicts with other applicable laws. This trend is expected to continue in the coming year.