Greek Copyright And Collective Management Laws: Recent Amendments Introduced By Law 5324/2026

On 30 July 2026, the New Law 5324/2026¹ (the Law) was published, which introduces practical and targeted amendments to Greece's two principal statutes governing copyright and collective rights management, i.e. Laws 2121/1993² and 4481/2017³. The amendments are intended to improve the operation of the collective management system, enhance legal certainty and facilitate the administration and distribution of copyright-related revenues in Greece.

Notably, beyond its copyright-related provisions, the Law has a broad scope addressing cultural heritage management, the governance of cultural institutions and other matters falling under the mandate of the Ministry of Culture.

Clearer rules for the provisional determination of equitable remuneration (Article 115): The Law 
clarifies the framework governing the provisional determination of equitable remuneration under Article 49 of Law 2121/1993 in cases where collective management organizations (CMO) and users of copyrighted works cannot reach agreement. The amendment⁴ is intended to eliminate interpretative uncertainty and ensure that the existing mechanism operates consistently with the legislature's original intention. 

Rules on the use of deductions by CMOs for social, cultural and educational services (Article 116): CMOs are now expressly permitted to allocate certain retained amounts to finance social, cultural and educational initiatives. The amendment provides a clearer statutory basis for programs benefiting authors, performers and the wider creative community, while improving transparency regarding the use of such funds.

Amendments to the private use remuneration regime (Articles 117 & 130): The Law simplifies the administration of the private use remuneration regime by replacing the existing process of annual allocation by the Hellenic Copyright Organization (OPI) with a three-year allocation cycle, unless the competent CMOs reach an agreement earlier. As a transitional measure, the allocation adopted for 2025 will continue to apply throughout 2026 and 2027. The reform is expected to reduce administrative burdens while providing greater stability and predictability for rightholders and CMOs.

Stronger institutional framework for OPI (Articles 118, 119 and 129): The Law strengthens the institutional framework of OPI through measures aimed at ensuring its long-term financial sustainability and modernizing its governance. In particular, it updates the rules governing OPI's financial resources and introduces a revised framework for the appointment of its Director, reinforcing the Organization's capacity to perform its regulatory and supervisory functions effectively.

The remuneration of OPI's Board of Directors will now be determined under the standard public-sector framework through a joint Ministerial Decision. The amendment enhances transparency and consistency in the remuneration of the Organization's governing body and aligns OPI with the broader rules applicable to public entities.

Facilitating the distribution of outstanding AEPI royalties (Article 120): Under the new provision, a dedicated mechanism is introduced that facilitates the distribution of royalties that remained undistributed following the revocation of AEPI's license in 2018. By expressly empowering the insolvency administrator to participate in the management and distribution of these funds, the Law seeks to enable the payment of long-outstanding royalties to eligible creators and bring greater legal certainty to a process that has remained unresolved for several years.

Beyond the copyright-specific amendments, the Law introduces broader institutional and regulatory reforms across Greece's cultural and creative sectors. The most notable include: 

1. The establishment of a new private law legal entity, the Organization for the Development and Management of Greek Cultural Heritage SA⁵, tasked with the promotion, management and commercial exploitation of Greece's cultural heritage assets. The establishment of a dedicated vehicle for cultural heritage management reflects the government's broader strategy to develop new institutional models for leveraging Greece's cultural resources for sustainable development and international visibility; 
2. the establishment of the Hellenic Underwater Cultural Heritage⁶, a public law entity responsible for the management, operation, research and promotion of accessible underwater cultural heritage sites, including the development of cooperation initiatives in this field; and 
3. the introduction of measures affecting the governance and operation of cultural institutions supervised by the Ministry of Culture, including museums and archaeological sites, as well as the establishment of a new institutional framework for the development of the audiovisual and creative sector. In particular, the Law strengthens the institutional role of Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center⁷, reorganizes the public funding framework and support schemes and lays the foundation for the implementation of a National Action Plan intended to promote investment, innovation, international competitiveness and the long-term development of Greece's audiovisual industry. 

The Law makes a series of targeted legislative amendments aimed at improving the operation of the existing framework governing copyright and collective rights management.  Although largely technical, these amendments are expected to improve the practical functioning of Greece's copyright and collective management system. The reforms are therefore of interest not only to intellectual property practitioners, but also to creators, collective management organizations and businesses using copyrighted works for communication to the public. 

Footnotes

1 Establishment of a private law legal entity under the name ‘Hellenic Heritage Organization SA’, Reorganization of the Cultural Resources Development and Management Organization (O.D.A.P.) – Strategy for the protection and promotion of Greece’s underwater cultural heritage – Establishment of a Management Body for Accessible Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites – Implementation of the national action plan for the development of the Audiovisual Creative Sector (A.C.S.) – Provisions for the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage – Management and distribution of unallocated copyright royalties – Issues concerning the Hellenic Copyright Organization and other supervised entities of the Ministry of Culture (Official Government Gazette Issue A’ 121/30.07.2026).

2 Copyright, Related Rights and Cultural Matters.

3 Collective management of copyright and related rights, multi-territorial licensing in musical works for online use in the internal market and other issues falling within the scope of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

4 Introduces clarifications to the existing wording of par. 7 of Article 22 Law 4481/2017.

5 Οργανισμός Ανάπτυξης και Διαχείρισης Ελληνικής Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς Α.Ε.

6 Φορέας Διαχείρισης Επισκέψιμων Χώρων Ενάλιας Πολιτιστικής Κληρονομιάς.

7 E.K.K.O.ME.D.