Our Intellectual Property Law Briefing, provides an overview of recent developments in intellectual property legislation, including:
A. Introduction
B. Key Amendments to Copyright Law
C. Key Amendments to Collective Management Law
D. Conclusion
A. Introduction
1. Law 5179/2025 (the Law) has made key amendments to both copyright law and collective management law. The Law’s provisions strengthen the enforcement options for online breaches of copyright law and improve the process for reporting and handling intellectual property infringements.
B. Key Amendments to Copyright Law
1. The Law introduces a wider scope for reporting violations to copyright and speed tracks the blocking of infringing content1:
a. online intellectual property infringements can now be reported by absolute and special successors of original rights holders and sports event organizers2;
b. dynamic blocking measures are introduced which allow for infringing content to be blocked quickly and prevent piracy networks from circumventing these blocks by using different internet protocol addresses or domain names;
c. the scope of dynamic blocking measures has been broadened beyond live sports events to cover a wider range of audiovisual content including on-demand content; and
d. rights can now be enforced against intermediaries such as content distribution networks and hosting services that may contribute to the distribution of pirated content, as well as internet service providers (ISPs).
2. The Law also introduces administrative fines3 for individuals who use illegal equipment such as decoders or software to access audiovisual content without proper authorization.
3. Fines range from €750 to €5,000 depending on the severity and frequency of the infringement and can be increased in the event of repetitive breaches. They are now enforced by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue and other enforcement authorities.
C. Key Amendments to Collective Management Law
1. The Law streamlines the process for notifications and filing fees4:
a. responsibility for examining intellectual property violation reports now rests with the Hellenic Copyright Organization (OPI) with a view to speeding up the response rate; and
b. filing fees for violation notifications are introduced to discourage frivolous or abusive claims and reduce unnecessary filings.
2. The Law5 also refines the process for inspecting and sanctioning collective management organizations such as copyright collecting societies and other entities which violate intellectual property law.
3. The OPI is given a more central role in overseeing violations and determining penalties for infringements.
D. Conclusion
1. The Law is expected to significantly enhance the speed, efficiency and effectiveness of addressing intellectual property infringements.
2. The introduction of fines which target end-users who unlawfully access audiovisual content using illegal equipment or software will undoubtedly strengthen the protection available for copyright holders and should act as a deterrent for piracy.
Download our Intellectual Property Law Briefing.
