Incorporation of EU Whistleblowing Directive in Greece

Law 4990/2022 (Official Govt Gazette A’ 210/11.11.2022) incorporated in Greece the provisions of the EU Whistleblowing Directive 2019/1937, imposing an obligation on companies to set up an internal reporting system for EU law breaches, including appointing an officer responsible for receiving and monitoring reports.

As part of the whistleblowing mechanism, private sector companies with over 249 employees must untill 11 May 2023 appoint an officer responsible to receive and monitor internal reports, while for companies with a number of employees from 50 to 249 the deadline expires on 17 December 2023.

In both cases, the appointment of the monitoring officer must be notified to the Labor Inspectorate within two (2) months from designation (meaning in practice that for companies that have to comply by 11 May 2023, the deadline to notify the Labor Inspectorate is until 11 July 2023).

Private sector entities operating in the fields of financial services, transport, and the environment, as well as those operating under a decision approving environmental conditions, or whose activities may, by their nature, pose a risk to the environment and public health, must designate a monitoring officer regardless of the number of their employees.

This Briefing is intended to provide general information and is not meant to constitute a comprehensive analysis of the matters set out herein or to be relied upon as legal advice. It is not meant to create a lawyer-client relationship. Legal and other professional advice should be sought before applying any of the information in this Briefing to a specific situation.
Bernitsas Law Firm is a partnership of attorneys regulated by Presidential Decree 81/2005 and Law 4194/2013, as currently in force, with its registered address at 5 Lykavittou Street, Athens 106 72, Greece.

 

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Whistleblowing

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