Greek ePrivacy Law
Law 3471/2006 on the Protection of Personal Data and Privacy in Electronic Communications
Key Facts
Effective Date
January 1, 2006
Enacted
January 1, 2006
Enforcing Authority
HDPA (Hellenic Data Protection Authority)
Consent Model
Opt-in
Applies To
Any entity storing or accessing information on terminal equipment of users in Greece
Overview
Greece implements the ePrivacy Directive through Law 3471/2006, with the HDPA (Hellenic Data Protection Authority) issuing detailed Recommendation 1/2020 that provides concrete best and worst practice examples for cookie consent. Greece has notably granular per-cookie information requirements.
What This Means for Your Website
- Prior informed consent via a clear positive opt-in action is required for non-essential cookies
- Scrolling is explicitly NOT valid consent
- Pre-ticked boxes are invalid
- You must provide detailed information for each cookie separately: purpose, duration, controller identity, and data recipients
- Complete information must be provided before consent is obtained
Key Requirements
The HDPA enforces cookie requirements with fines up to EUR 150,000 under Law 3471/2006, plus additional penalties including warnings and compensation for moral damage. GDPR fines also apply. HDPA Recommendation 1/2020 provides detailed guidance on acceptable and unacceptable cookie consent practices, making it one of the more prescriptive national implementations.
How ConsentStack Handles This
ConsentStack provides Greek visitors with detailed per-cookie information covering purpose, duration, and data recipients before obtaining consent. No scrolling-based or pre-ticked consent — only clear positive opt-in actions are accepted.
Penalties
Up to EUR 150,000 under Law 3471/2006. Additional penalties include warnings, license removal, and compensation for moral damage. GDPR penalties also apply.
Maximum Fine
EUR150,000 per violation
Key Requirements
- Prior informed consent via clear positive opt-in action
- Scrolling is NOT valid consent
- Pre-ticked boxes are explicitly invalid
- Information must include purpose, duration, controller, and recipients per cookie
- Consent must be obtained after providing complete information
Notable Provisions
- HDPA Recommendation 1/2020 with detailed best/worst practice guidance
- Comprehensive per-cookie information requirements
- Active enforcement of marketing-related cookie violations
Other ePrivacy Directive Related Regulations
Loi Informatique et LibertésFrance
France has the most actively enforced cookie regime in Europe. CNIL issued 259 corrective decisions in 2025, with cookie-specific fines totaling EUR 486.8 million including EUR 325M against Google. A Refuse all button or Continue without accepting must appear on the first layer.TDDDGGermany
Germany implements the ePrivacy Directive through Section 25 of TDDDG (renamed from TTDSG in May 2024). A Consent Management Ordinance (EinwV) became effective April 2025, establishing a voluntary framework for recognized consent management services. Cookie banners must not obscure website content.SI 336/2011Ireland
Ireland implements the ePrivacy Directive through SI 336/2011. The DPC is the lead supervisory authority for major tech companies headquartered in Ireland including Meta, Google, Apple, and Microsoft. Uniquely, cookie consent is limited to 6 months and must then be refreshed.Italian Privacy CodeItaly
Italy implements the ePrivacy Directive through Article 122 of the Privacy Code with detailed Garante cookie guidelines effective January 2022. Only technically necessary cookies may load by default. Scrolling is not valid consent, and closing a banner with "X" closes it without granting consent.LSSISpain
Spain implements the ePrivacy Directive through Article 22 of the LSSI. Cookie violations are classified as slight offenses with EUR 30,000 fines per URL, but multiple URLs multiply penalties. AEPD allows consent-exempt analytics under privacy-friendly configurations, similar to CNIL.Dutch Telecom ActNetherlands
The Netherlands implements the ePrivacy Directive through Article 11.7a of the Telecommunications Act. The AP launched a major enforcement sweep in April 2025, warning 50 organizations for misleading cookie banners or placing tracking cookies without consent. Cookie walls are not permitted.Danish Cookie OrderDenmark
Denmark implements the ePrivacy Directive through the Cookie Order (Cookiebekendtgørelsen), administered by the Danish Business Authority. Cookie consent is a declared 2026 enforcement priority for Datatilsynet, which will examine whether Danish websites give users a genuine choice.Norwegian E-Com ActNorway
Norway's January 2025 amendment to Ekomloven marked a major shift from tolerating passive consent to strict opt-in. Pre-ticked boxes and browser settings are now explicitly invalid. Accept and reject options must have equal prominence. Datatilsynet sanctioned 6 websites for tracking pixel violations.Belgian E-Communications ActBelgium
Belgium enforces strict cookie consent with one of the EU's most active DPAs. Cookie walls are prohibited, and a Reject all button must appear on the first layer with equal prominence to Accept all. Dark patterns in cookie banners are actively enforced against.Polish Telecommunications LawPoland
Poland implements the ePrivacy Directive through Articles 173-174 of the Telecommunications Law. While Article 173(2) technically permits consent via browser settings, PUODO recommends active consent. Since 2019, Article 174 requires cookie consent to meet full GDPR standards.Portuguese ePrivacy LawPortugal
Portugal implements the ePrivacy Directive through Law 41/2004, with a distinctive tiered penalty structure distinguishing between large companies, SMEs, and natural persons. The CNPD issued 90 fines totaling EUR 559,950 in 2023, demonstrating active enforcement.LEKSweden
Sweden implements the ePrivacy Directive through Chapter 9 Section 28 of LEK. In April 2025, IMY issued a landmark reprimand against Aller Media for dark patterns in cookie banners. Less than 25% of Swedish users accept cookies, reflecting strong privacy awareness.Other Europe Regulations
GDPREuropean Union + EEA
The GDPR sets the global standard for data protection, requiring explicit opt-in consent before processing personal data of EU/EEA residents. For websites, non-essential cookies must be blocked until visitors actively consent. Pre-ticked boxes and implied consent are invalid.PECRUnited Kingdom
PECR is the UK's cookie-specific law, requiring consent before storing or accessing cookies. The DUAA 2025 significantly increased penalties from GBP 500,000 to GBP 17.5 million and introduced analytics exceptions on an opt-out basis. Only strictly necessary cookies are exempt.ePrivacy DirectiveEuropean Union + EEA
Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive is the primary EU legal basis requiring cookie consent. It mandates prior informed consent before storing or accessing any information on a user's device, with narrow exceptions only for transmission necessity and explicitly requested services.Loi Informatique et LibertésFrance
France has the most actively enforced cookie regime in Europe. CNIL issued 259 corrective decisions in 2025, with cookie-specific fines totaling EUR 486.8 million including EUR 325M against Google. A Refuse all button or Continue without accepting must appear on the first layer.UK GDPRUnited Kingdom
The UK GDPR is the retained EU GDPR post-Brexit, with consent standards identical to the EU version. The UK adequacy decision was renewed December 2025, valid until December 2031. Combined with PECR, it forms the legal framework for cookie consent in the UK.TDDDGGermany
Germany implements the ePrivacy Directive through Section 25 of TDDDG (renamed from TTDSG in May 2024). A Consent Management Ordinance (EinwV) became effective April 2025, establishing a voluntary framework for recognized consent management services. Cookie banners must not obscure website content.Frequently Asked Questions
Is scrolling valid cookie consent in Greece?
No. The HDPA has explicitly ruled that scrolling does not constitute valid consent. Only a clear positive opt-in action is accepted.
What information must cookies disclose in Greece?
Greece requires per-cookie disclosure of purpose, duration, controller identity, and data recipients. This must be provided before consent is obtained.
What are the cookie penalties in Greece?
Fines can reach EUR 150,000 under Law 3471/2006, plus warnings, license removal, and compensation for moral damage. GDPR penalties also apply.
Stay compliant with Greek ePrivacy Law
ConsentStack helps you implement Opt-in consent for Greece automatically.