INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN GREECE

The Law No. 4679/2020 forms the legal basis for trademark protection and registration in Greece.
For getting a trademark registered in Greece, an application has to be filed with the Directorate of Trademarks of the Ministry of Development and Investments in Athens, which administers the entire trademark registration process.
It follows a 'first-to-file' system, which means that trademark registration is mandatory for protection.
Greece follows the 11th edition of Nice Classification. Multi-class trademark applications are possible.
The opposition period is three (03) months from the next date of the electronic publication of the decision by virtue of which the trademark application was approved.
In Greece, registered trademarks have a validity of ten (10) years from the date of application, which can be further renewed indefinitely for successive periods of ten (10) years each.
The grace period to renew a trademark after the date of expiry is six (06) months.
The term for cancellation of a registered trademark based on non-use is five (05) years from the date of registration.

Greece is a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
Law 1733/87 deals with the mechanism of patent protection in Greece.
For seeking patent protection in Greece, an application has to be filed with the Greek Patent Office, which administers the entire process of patent grant.
In Greece, an invention which is new, involves an inventive step, and susceptible of industrial application, subjects to patentability. Process patent and product patent are the two types of patents that can be protected.
The types of patent applications that can be filed include Non-Convention Application and Convention Application.
As there is no substantive examination performed before the Greek Patent Office, there are no provisions for oppositions.
Patents in Greece last for twenty (20) years starting the day following the date of the filing of the patent application. Annuities must be paid each year up to the last day of the month corresponding to the date on which the application was filed. Annuities are also due for pending applications, beginning from the third year. Payment in accumulated manner is possible.

Law 100/1975 - governs and deals with the mechanism of protection and registration of industrial designs in Greece.
For getting an industrial design registered in Greece, an application has to be filed with the Greek Patent Office, which administers the entire process of registration.
The types of industrial design applications that can be filed in Greece include Non-Convention Application and Convention Application.
Opposition against an industrial design application cannot be raised In Greece.
The total duration of industrial design registration in Greece is twenty-five (25) years from the date of application. The initial registration term is five (05) years, which is further extendible for four (04) terms of five (05) years each upon payment of the renewal fee.
The time frame for payment of the renewal fee before the due date is six (06) months.
Late renewal is available up to six (06) months along with a surcharge.

Greece is a signatory to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
Law 2121/1993 on Copyright, Related Rights, and Cultural Matters is the basic legislation governing copyright protection in Greece.
In Greece, copyright comes into existence as soon as the work is created. No mandatory procedure for copyright registration exists.
The protection lasts for the whole of the author's life plus seventy (70) years after this death (calculated from 1st January of the year after death).
Coming to joint works, copyright protection lasts throughout the life of the last surviving co-author plus seventy (70) years after his death.
For pseudonymous and anonymous works), the commencement of the seventy (70) year term is otherwise stipulated by law.