2. Are there specific criteria for access to MAP? 

Medical reasons:

a. Infertility:

For a heterosexual couple? Yes; For women not living in a heterosexual couple? Yes

b. Risk of transmission of a disease

For a heterosexual couple? Yes; For women not living in a heterosexual couple? No

c. Other NA

Cryopreservation of gametes/zygotes for social reasons, and not only for medical reasons, is now explicitly permitted (Law 4958/2022)

Access to minors (<18 years old) only exceptionally, in cases of very serious illness that threatens fertility (e.g. chemotherapy), mainly for cryopreservation purposes.

6. Is donation of sperm/oocytes/embryos permitted in your country? Yes. Donation of gametes (sperm and oocytes) and fertilized ova (only supernumerary fertilized ova) is allowed only with consent of the donors.

7. Are there specific compensation arrangements for donations of sperm/oocytes/embryos? Yes. 

According to Law 3305/05, (Art 8, para 1) “Reward or compensation for donation of gametes and fertilized ova are prohibited. However, medical, nursing or laboratory expenses travel and accommodation expenses as well as compensation for absence from work are possible.”

The National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction with a subsequent Decision (Decision No 36, State Journal 670 B’ 16.4.2008) provides for compensation of medical, laboratory and nursing expenses occurring before and after donation. It also provides for accommodation and transportation expenses. This amount must not exceed 200E for sperm donation and 600 E for oocyte donation. Compensation is also provided for absence from work. 

8. Are there specific criteria for donation of sperm/oocytes/embryos? Yes. 

Donor age:

• sperm donors: up to approximately 40 years old,
• egg donors: 18–35 years old,
• embryo donors: up to 40 years old. Eugonia+2Amoiridis Greek Law Firm+2

Medical and psychological screening: mandatory screening for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, etc., as well as psychological assessment.

Limitation on number of donations / children per donor: maximum number of donation cycles and births from the same donor, for reasons of incest prevention.

9. Are there specific non-medical criteria for selection of gametes/embryos to be used for MAP? Yes. According to the Law the selection of the donor is the responsibility of the MAR Unit. During this selection other criteria like blood group (Rhesus) as well as phenotypic characteristics are taken into consideration. The same criteria apply to fertilized ova donation.

10. Are there special measures for the prevention of consanguinity? Yes. 

Key measures:

• National Registry of Donors and Recipients, with mandatory data recording for traceability.
• Limitation of the number of births per donor and the number of donation cycles

11. In a homosexual couple, is a legal relationship possible between a child and the partner of the legal parent?  YES, after 2024. With Law 5089/2024 (same-sex marriage), the following are recognized:

• marriage of same-sex couples,
• joint adoption,
• adoption of the spouse's child (second-parent adoption).
• Thus, in a same-sex couple, it is now possible to create a direct legal bond with the partner of the biological/legal parent, through adoption or recognition of parental relationship, provided that the general conditions for adoption are met.

19. Is there an important current debate in your country on these or related issues? No process of revision is currently foreseen for this Law.

20. Delegations are invited to provide information, in this section, on particular cases encountered in their country, and especially their case-law. NA

1. Is access to medically assisted procreation (MAP)

a. restricted to heterosexual couples? Yes

b. possible for women not living in a heterosexual couple? No

Access is permitted to single/unmarried women who provide a notarized consent deed. If they are in a relationship, consent of the partner as a future legal parent may be required.​​​​​​​

Greece is a civil law jurisdiction, surrogacy is regulated by the following laws

(a) Article 1458 – Civil Code

The transfer into the body of another woman of fertilised ova that are not her own, and the gestation of these by her, is permitted only with a court authorisation granted prior to the transfer, provided that there is a written and non-remunerated agreement between the persons seeking to have a child and the woman who will carry the pregnancy, as well as her husband if she is married.

The court authorisation is granted upon application by the woman who wishes to have a child, provided it is proven that it is medically impossible for her to carry a pregnancy, and that the woman who offers to carry it is, in view of her health condition, suitable for gestation.

(b) Law No. 3089/2002 – Government Gazette A 327/23.12.2002

(c) Law No. 3305/2005 – Government Gazette A 17/27.1.2005

(d) Law No. 4958/2022 – Government Gazette A 142/21.7.2022

3. Are MAP procedures covered by the social security system? Yes. 

The Greek public health system (EOPYY) covers costs for IVF cycles under the following conditions:

• up to 4 complete IVF attempts,

• for women up to 50 years of age (maximum limit for compensation, lower than the general legal limit of 54 years),

Infertility is essentially recognized as a health issue (medical necessity according to article 1445 of the Greek Civil Code and Law 3305/2005

4. Are there specific criteria for such coverage? Yes. 

Age limit: up to 50 years for IVF cost reimbursement.

Number of attempts: up to 4 completed IVF cycles.

Medical indication of infertility: medical documentation and IVF committee decision required.

5. Is the financial coverage limited to a number of MAP procedures? Yes. In the Opinion submitted by the National Authority it was proposed to cover 4 IVF/GIFT/ZIFT attempts. The Opinion also included a variety of medical criteria and age limits. As far as sperm injection is concerned the Opinion proposed for financial coverage of 6 attempts.

16. Is donation of sperm/oocytes/embryos anonymous? Yes. 

After Law 4958/2022, donors can choose to be anonymous, or named / “open”, or to provide that the identity can be disclosed to the child upon his or her adulthood, upon his or her request. The basic principle remains that the identity of the child and the parents is not disclosed to third-party donors. Anonymity remains the rule (article 9 Law 3305/2005). Law 4958/2022 exceptionally allowed “open” donations with a declaration of consent from the donor.

17. Is it possible to obtain information about the biological origin of a child born after gametes of embryo donation? 

i. For the child him or herself Yes; ii. For the parents Yes; iii. For a court Yes

The child and his legal representative may have access only to medical data which are kept in secrecy and in a codified form in Cryopreservation Banks.

Law 2472/1997 on the “Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data” qualifies health data as “sensitive” kind of information and stipulates special permission of the Data Protection Authority (Article 7).

According to Art 20, para 3 of Law 3305, access to the National Registry of Donors and Receivers is permitted only to the child and for reasons related to his health, with the permission of the Data Protection Authority and as long as the conditions of Law 2472/1997 regarding protection of personal data are fulfilled. The parents may have access to information only when they act as representatives of the child. The Court may order access.

a. Identity of the donor(s)

i. For the child him or herself Yes/No; ii. For the parents No; iii. For a court Yes/No

The law adopts the principle of anonymity regarding any donation, therefore, the identity of the donor cannot be revealed under any circumstances.  The child and his legal representative may have access only to medical data which are kept in secrecy and in a codified form in Cryopreservation Banks.

b. Certain health information concerning the donor(s)

i. For the child him or herself Yes; ii. For the parents Yes; iii. For a court Yes

The child or the parents (acting as representatives of the child) can have access to health information which are kept in secrecy and in a codified form in Cryopreservation Banks but not to the identity of the donor. The Court also may authorize access to health information. 

c. Other information

i. For the child him or herself Yes; ii. For the parents Yes; iii. For a court Yes

18. Is it possible to contest maternity and paternity of children born utilising MAP and under which conditions? YES, but with strict restrictions.

Surrogacy: According to article 1464 of the Civil Code, in the case of a child from surrogacy, the mother is considered the woman who received the court permission, not the pregnant woman, unless a timely action for challenge is filed. Bioethics

Paternity after MAP: The husband of the mother who has consented in writing to the MAP cannot challenge paternity. The rights of third parties to challenge are limited and subject to time limits, according to articles 1465 et seq. of the Civil Code.