Greece

Greece Information Region Europe Population 11216708 GDP (millions USD) 314,615 National Policies Eggs for assisted reproduction commercial prohibited Eggs for research commercial prohibited Inheritable genetic modification PROHIBITED Preimplantation genetic diagnosis social uses prohibited Reproductive cloning PROHIBITED Research cloning PROHIBITED Sex selection Social uses prohibited Surrogacy commercial prohibited International Agreements 1997 COE Biomedicine Convention RATIFIED 1998 COE Cloning Convention RATIFIED 2005 UN Cloning Vote no vote 2005 UNESCO Sports Doping Convention RATIFIED 2007 Treaty of Lisbon signed

Key laws and policies

• Medically Assisted Human Reproduction, Law 3089 (2002)

• Application of Medically Assisted Reproduction, Law 3305 (2005)

Prohibited practices

Cloning

• The Law on Medically Assisted Reproduction prohibits reproductive cloning.

Commercial Surrogacy

• Commercial surrogacy is prohibited.

Note Article 26. Criminal Sanctions. 1-8: Whoever participates in a surrogacy procedure where the requirements of Art. 1458 of Greek Civil Law, Art. 8 of Law 3089/2002, and Art. 13 of this law are not met is liable to imprisonment for a term of at least two (2) years and a fine of at least €1.500.

The same sanction applies to:

• Whoever publicly, with the circulation of documents, images, or representations, introduces, draws attention to, or advertises (even covertly) the procuration of a child through a surrogate mother,
• or who provides professional services as a middleman for any kind of financial consideration
• or who offers, in the same way, his/her services or the services of another for the attainment of this goal.

Sex Selection

• Sex selection is explicitly prohibited under the 2002 law, "unless a severe hereditary sex-linked disease is to be avoided."

Frozen embryos are tightly regulated and any that are stored must be used in an IVF cycle before a fresh cycle can be done.

Permitted and regulated practices

Altruistic Surrogacy

Surrogacy is permitted provided that:

• The surrogate is not genetically related to the child
• The commissioning mother can prove that she is unable to carry the child to term (and she cannot be over 50 years old)
• The surrogate can prove to the court that she is medically and mentally fit
• The surrogate's partner (if any) consents to her acting as a surrogate
• Both the couple (or single woman or couple in partnership with signed notary deed) and surrogate have to reside in Greece (Law 4272 (11.07.2014), paragraph 17)

Note: The agreement could allow for compensation of expenses (including loss of wages), but the payment for services any kind of financial benefit is generally prohibited.

Contracts are recognized, and parental rights are awarded to the intended parents.

Egg Donation for Assisted Reproduction and Research

• Providing eggs for assisted reproduction or research is permitted, provided there is no compensation. Reimbursement for expenses is permitted.

Regulatory activities

The Hellenic National Bioethics Commission issued a report in 2007 recommending further legislation on preimplantation genetic diagnosis.