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# AI Cold Calling Laws in Greece
> Is AI cold calling legal in Greece? Law 3471/2006 Art. 11 needs opt-in for automated B2C and B2B calls. The Article 11 registry, recording, and AI disclosure.
export const reviewed_0 = "October 2026"
In Greece, an AI agent may only make marketing calls to people and businesses who expressly agreed to them beforehand. [Article 11(1) of Law 3471/2006](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2019-09/%CE%9D3471_06.PDF) requires prior, express consent for marketing communications without human intervention, and the rule protects companies too. Marketing calls by a human are opt-out instead: you must skip every number on the Article 11 registry that each phone provider keeps. The Hellenic Data Protection Authority (HDPA, ΑΠΔΠΧ) enforces both rules.
This page summarizes the law as of {reviewed_0} to help you plan AI phone calls. It isn't legal advice. Laws and how regulators apply them change, so check your use case with a lawyer before you start a campaign.
## At a glance
| Call | To consumers (B2C) | To businesses (B2B) |
| - | - | - |
| Inbound service call | Allowed. Disclose the AI and the recording. | Allowed. Disclose the AI and the recording. |
| Outbound service call | Allowed. Adding an offer makes it a marketing call. | Allowed |
| Marketing callback the person asked for | Allowed. Keep proof of the request. | Allowed. Keep proof of the request. |
| Marketing call by an AI agent | Consent required. No exception for existing customers. | Consent required. The rule covers companies too. |
| Marketing call by a human | Allowed unless registered on any provider's Article 11 registry. The registries apply to your own customers too. | Allowed unless registered. Companies can register. The registries apply to your own customers too. |
## Is AI cold calling legal in Greece?
Only with prior, express consent. Article 11(1) of Law 3471/2006 covers «μη ζητηθεισών επικοινωνιών με οποιοδήποτε μέσο ηλεκτρονικής επικοινωνίας, χωρίς ανθρώπινη παρέμβαση» for direct marketing. It permits them «μόνο αν ο συνδρομητής συγκατατεθεί εκ των προτέρων ρητώς». In English: unsolicited communications by any electronic means, without human intervention, need the subscriber's prior, express consent. The HDPA quoted this wording in [Decision 7/2026](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2026-07/7_2026%20anonym.pdf) of June 2026. Until September 2011, the rule also required consent for calls by a human. Law 3917/2011 limited opt-in to automated calls.
**No B2B exception.** Article 11(7) extends the rules to subscribers that are legal persons. Sole traders are natural persons, so the rule covers them anyway.
**AI agents most likely count.** The test is whether a human takes part, not whether a recording plays. The HDPA's examples of communication without human intervention include calls with a pre-recorded message and voice messages left on answering machines ([2019 guidelines](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/deltia/kateythyntiries-odigies-tis-arhis-gia-ti-synnomi-epexergasia-prosopikon)). No Greek authority or court has ruled on conversational AI agents. An AI agent that runs the call alone fits the wording, so treat it as automated. A human who only listens in or could take over probably doesn't turn it into a call "with human intervention" under Article 11(2). Only a call that a human leads is clearly opt-out.
**The registry doesn't replace consent.** The HDPA says automated calls need consent even when the number isn't on any registry ([HDPA FAQ](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/faq_proothisi)). In Decision 56/2021, it fined a company EUR 30,000 for automated marketing calls because the company couldn't prove consent for any complaint ([Lawspot](https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-nea/prosopika-dedomena-prostimo-30000-eyro-gia-aytomatopoiimenes-tilefonikes-proothitikes/)).
## Cold calls by a human
Calls by a human are opt-out for consumers and businesses. Under Article 11(2), you may not call a subscriber who told their phone provider they don't want marketing calls. The [HDPA FAQ](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/faq_proothisi) adds these duties:
| Duty | Detail |
| - | - |
| Screen every registry | Get current copies from all providers. Your copy must include registrations made up to 30 days before the call. |
| Keep your own lists | Track everyone who objected to you ([GDPR Art. 21](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj)) and everyone who asked for your calls. |
| Identify yourself | Name your company and anyone calling for you. Never hide or fake the calling number. |
| Keep call logs | Store date, time, and calling and called numbers securely for one year. |
If a call center calls for you, you're the controller. The HDPA expects Article 11 clauses in your contract and regular audits of the call center, and it fines both sides ([Decision 7/2026](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2026-07/7_2026%20anonym.pdf)).
## Existing customers and callback requests
**No soft opt-in for calls.** The existing-customer exception in Article 11(3) covers email only. The HDPA applies the registries to your own customers as well. A human may still call a registered customer who expressly asked you for calls. AI marketing calls to customers need the same express consent as calls to strangers.
**Callbacks.** Article 11 covers only unsolicited ("μη ζητηθείσες") communications, so a call the person asked for falls outside it. Keep proof. In Decision 7/2026, the HDPA rejected PPC's claim that a call followed the complainant's request, because the call list and the recording didn't back it up. Stay within the topic they asked about. A landing page where people leave their number and agree to a call from your AI agent works, if the form says an AI agent will call.
## Do-not-call register: Article 11 registry (Μητρώο 11)
| | |
| - | - |
| Legal basis | Article 11(2) of Law 3471/2006 |
| Run by | Each phone provider keeps its own registry. Greece has no central list or website. |
| Who registers | Landline and mobile subscribers, people and companies, free of charge |
| Your duty | Get current copies from all providers before you call. In Decision 56/2021, the HDPA said to refresh them monthly. |
| Official information | [HDPA page on calls with human intervention](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/thlefwnikes_kliseis_proothisi) |
For AI calls, still screen the registries. A registration made after the consent date suggests the person changed their mind. botBrains doesn't screen lists for you.
**Reform is under discussion.** In November 2025, the energy suppliers' association ESPEN asked the government for a single registry run by an independent body, with online sign-up ([ESPEN letter](https://www.powergame.gr/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/espen-10.11.2025.pdf)). We found no bill as of October 2026.
## Consent for AI calls
| Requirement | What it means |
| - | - |
| Prior and express | Article 11(1) asks for consent «εκ των προτέρων ρητώς». Use an unticked checkbox or a clear written or spoken yes. |
| Specific and informed | Name your company, say that an AI agent will call, and state the purpose ([GDPR Art. 4(11) and 7](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj)). |
| Provable | You carry the burden of proof (GDPR Art. 7(1)). Keep the consent text, form version, timestamp, and phone number for each contact. |
| Revocable | Explain how to withdraw, and stop calling at once when someone does. |
Greek law sets no expiry date for consent and no retention period for consent records. Keep the evidence while you rely on it and long enough to answer complaints and lawsuits.
**Purchased lists.** The EDPB says a consent form must name every company that relies on it ([Guidelines 05/2020](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/our-work-tools/our-documents/guidelines/guidelines-052020-consent-under-regulation-2016679_en), para. 65). A generic "partners" opt-in doesn't cover AI calls from you. Ask any data vendor for the exact consent text, the collection method, and evidence per contact.
**Calls for a partner.** The company whose products you promote sets the purpose, so the HDPA treats it as the controller and the calling company as its processor. The HDPA can fine both (Decision 7/2026).
Before you start, read [what botBrains needs for outbound campaigns](/concepts/phone/countries#before-you-start-outbound-campaigns).
## Tell callers they're talking to an AI
Since August 2, 2026, [Article 50 of the EU AI Act](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401689#art_50) requires that people know they're talking to an AI system, at the latest when the conversation starts. This applies to inbound and outbound calls, to consumers and to business contacts, and you can't count on the exception for obvious cases when your AI agent sounds human. The [default introduction](/concepts/phone#introductions) already says that your AI agent is an AI, so keep that statement first when you edit it. When you call a consumer to sell something, the [Consumer Rights Directive](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/83/oj/eng) also requires you to name your company, anyone you call for, and the commercial purpose at the start.
Greek law adds rules for the opening of the call:
| Rule | Applies to |
| - | - |
| State your identity, the company you call for, and the commercial purpose at the start ([Law 2251/1994 Art. 3δ(5)](https://www.taxheaven.gr/law/5317/2026/arthro/83)) | Calls to consumers to conclude a distance contract |
| State your identity, the commercial nature of the call, and that you record or may record it ([Art. 3ιδ(2)](https://www.taxheaven.gr/law/5317/2026/arthro/70), since July 2026) | Financial services sold at a distance |
| Identify your company and any representative ([HDPA FAQ](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/faq_proothisi)) | All marketing calls |
A recommended [introduction](/concepts/phone#introductions) in Greek for outbound marketing calls:
```text theme={null}
Γεια σας. Εδώ {agent_name}, πράκτορας τεχνητής νοημοσύνης της εταιρείας {project_name}. Σας καλούμε επειδή συμφωνήσατε να επικοινωνήσουμε μαζί σας για [σκοπός της κλήσης]. Η κλήση καταγράφεται για να τεκμηριώνεται η συνομιλία μας. Αν δεν συμφωνείτε, πατήστε τον αστερίσκο οποιαδήποτε στιγμή. Αν δεν θέλετε να σας ξανακαλέσουμε, απλώς πείτε το μου.
```
For inbound calls:
```text theme={null}
Γεια σας. Εδώ {agent_name}, πράκτορας τεχνητής νοημοσύνης της εταιρείας {project_name}. Η κλήση καταγράφεται για να τεκμηριώνεται η συνομιλία μας. Αν δεν συμφωνείτε, πατήστε τον αστερίσκο οποιαδήποτε στιγμή. Πώς μπορώ να σας βοηθήσω;
```
When someone says they don't want more calls, add them to your objection list. Use [guidance](/concepts/guidance) to tell the agent how to handle objections, and a [Unitool](/concepts/unitools) to write the objection to your CRM.
## Call recording
[Article 4(3) of Law 3471/2006](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2019-09/%CE%9D3471_06.PDF) allows recording calls in lawful business practice as evidence of a commercial transaction or other business communication. The text mentions consent from both parties after prior information. The HDPA reads it, in line with the [ePrivacy Directive](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2002/58/oj), as requiring prior information only, and a recorded notice before the conversation is enough ([HDPA recording FAQ](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/electronikesepikoinwnies/katagrafitilefwnikwn/faq_katagrafh)).
The exception is narrow ([HDPA guidance](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/electronikesepikoinwnies/katagrafitilefwnikwn/epexergasia_dedomenwn_katagrafh)):
| Purpose | HDPA view |
| - | - |
| Proof of an order, request, or agreement | Allowed |
| "Secure and quality service" | Not covered |
| Recording a sample of calls for staff training | Rejected |
Also publish the GDPR Art. 13 details (purpose, retention, recipients) on your website, and give people their recordings on request.
The botBrains introduction tells the caller about the recording, and the star key stops the recording and discards it. The transcript stays. In your introduction, name a concrete evidence purpose instead of quality. No Greek source says whether a transcript counts as a recording, so limit it to the same purpose. Recording a voice isn't biometric processing unless you use it to identify the person ([GDPR Art. 4(14) and Art. 9](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj)).
## Caller ID and calling hours
The HDPA says you may not hide or falsify the calling number ([HDPA FAQ](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/faq_proothisi)). The caller sees your botBrains phone number, and botBrains provides Greek numbers on request. We found no Greek rule on calling hours, call frequency, or a special prefix for marketing calls. botBrains doesn't enforce calling hours, so pick reasonable times yourself.
On voicemail, the agent hangs up without leaving a message. That matters, because the HDPA counts voice messages left on answering machines as communication without human intervention.
## Sector rules
| Sector | Rule |
| - | - |
| Energy | The HDPA's largest recent fines hit energy suppliers and their call centers. "Information" or survey calls that pitch a cheaper plan count as marketing ([Decision 7/2026](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2026-07/7_2026%20anonym.pdf)). |
| Telecoms | In 2018, the HDPA fined Wind, Vodafone, OTE, and Cosmote EUR 150,000 each for calling registered numbers ([press release](https://www.dpa.gr/en/enimerwtiko/press-releases/fines-data-controllers-telephony-service-providers-unsolicited-phone-calls)). |
| Financial services | State your identity, the commercial purpose, and the recording at the start of every call ([Art. 3ιδ(2)](https://www.taxheaven.gr/law/5317/2026/arthro/70)). |
| Consumer service contracts by phone | The consumer only becomes bound after signing your offer or sending written consent. You confirm on a durable medium ([Art. 3δ(6)](https://www.taxheaven.gr/law/5317/2026/arthro/83)). An AI agent can't close a binding consumer service contract on the call alone. |
| Debt collection | Not marketing, so Article 11 doesn't apply. Debt collectors follow their own legal framework ([HDPA FAQ](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/faq_proothisi)). |
## Fines and enforcement
The [HDPA](https://www.dpa.gr) enforces Law 3471/2006 and the GDPR. In Decision 7/2026, it fined Article 11 breaches under its GDPR powers ([Art. 58 and 83](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj)). These reach EUR 20 million or 4% of worldwide turnover. People can also sue. [Article 14(2) of Law 3471/2006](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2019-09/%CE%9D3471_06.PDF) sets damages for non-material harm at a minimum of EUR 10,000 per breach, unless the plaintiff asks for less.
| Year | Case | Result |
| - | - | - |
| 2018 | Wind, Vodafone, OTE, Cosmote | EUR 150,000 each, then the legal maximum |
| 2021 | HDPA 56/2021, automated calls without proof of consent | EUR 30,000 |
| 2022 | Athens court 277/2022, five calls to a registered lawyer | EUR 50,000, EUR 10,000 per call ([Lawspot](https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-nea/hrimatiki-ikanopoiisi-50000-eyro-se-syndromitria-toy-mitrooy-arthroy-11-gia-mi/)) |
| 2024 | Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) 564/2024 | Upheld the EUR 10,000 minimum ([Ta Nea](https://www.tanea.gr/2026/03/12/economy/apozimiosi-10-000-eyro-gia-anepithymites-tilefonikes-kliseis-pos-na-tin-diekdikiseis/)) |
| 2025 | HDPA 43/2025, energy supplier Heron and two call centers | EUR 165,000 in total ([Lawspot](https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-nea/prostima-165000-euro-apo-ten-apdpkh-gia-paranomes-proothetikes-kleseis-apo-parokho-uperesion-energeias-apdpkh-432025/)) |
| 2026 | HDPA 7/2026, PPC (ΔΕΗ) and four call centers | EUR 880,000 in total, EUR 230,000 of it for PPC's Article 11 breach |
| 2026 | Piraeus Court of Appeal, repeated calls to a registered person | EUR 50,000 ([ERT](https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/mitroo-11-pos-oi-polites-mporoun-na-apozimiothoun-otan-dexontai-diafimistikes-kliseis-xoris-na-to-epithymoun/)) |
The civil minimum is the bigger risk for campaigns, because courts have counted each call as a separate breach. We found no published Greek decision about AI voice agents.
## Sources
* [Law 3471/2006, consolidated text hosted by the HDPA](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2019-09/%CE%9D3471_06.PDF), Art. 4(3), 11, 13, and 14
* [Law 5317/2026, Art. 70](https://www.taxheaven.gr/law/5317/2026/arthro/70) (new Art. 3ιδ of Law 2251/1994) and [Art. 83](https://www.taxheaven.gr/law/5317/2026/arthro/83) (Art. 3δ of Law 2251/1994), Government Gazette A 108/10.07.2026
* [HDPA Decision 7/2026](https://www.dpa.gr/sites/default/files/2026-07/7_2026%20anonym.pdf) and its [summary](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/prakseisArxis/exetasi-kataggelion-se-shesi-me-tilefonikes-kliseis-gia-proothisi-0)
* [HDPA, calls with human intervention](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/thlefwnikes_kliseis_proothisi) and [FAQ on marketing calls](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/proothisiproiontwn/faq_proothisi)
* [HDPA, FAQ on call recording](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/electronikesepikoinwnies/katagrafitilefwnikwn/faq_katagrafh) and [recording purposes](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/thematikes_enotites/electronikesepikoinwnies/katagrafitilefwnikwn/epexergasia_dedomenwn_katagrafh)
* [HDPA, 2019 guidelines on political communication](https://www.dpa.gr/el/enimerwtiko/deltia/kateythyntiries-odigies-tis-arhis-gia-ti-synnomi-epexergasia-prosopikon)
* [HDPA, 2018 fines on telephony providers](https://www.dpa.gr/en/enimerwtiko/press-releases/fines-data-controllers-telephony-service-providers-unsolicited-phone-calls)
* [GDPR (Regulation 2016/679)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj), Art. 4, 7, 9, 13, 21, 58, and 83
* [ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2002/58/oj), Art. 5 and 13
* [EDPB Guidelines 05/2020 on consent](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/our-work-tools/our-documents/guidelines/guidelines-052020-consent-under-regulation-2016679_en)
* [ESPEN letter on reforming the Article 11 registry](https://www.powergame.gr/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/espen-10.11.2025.pdf), November 2025
* Case reports: Lawspot on [HDPA 56/2021](https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-nea/prosopika-dedomena-prostimo-30000-eyro-gia-aytomatopoiimenes-tilefonikes-proothitikes/), [43/2025](https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-nea/prostima-165000-euro-apo-ten-apdpkh-gia-paranomes-proothetikes-kleseis-apo-parokho-uperesion-energeias-apdpkh-432025/), [7/2026](https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-nea/prostima-880000-euro-se-dee-kai-telephonika-kentra-gia-proothetikes-kleseis-kai-parabaseis-tou-gkpd-apdpkh-72026/), and [Athens 277/2022](https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-nea/hrimatiki-ikanopoiisi-50000-eyro-se-syndromitria-toy-mitrooy-arthroy-11-gia-mi/); [Ta Nea on Areios Pagos 564/2024](https://www.tanea.gr/2026/03/12/economy/apozimiosi-10-000-eyro-gia-anepithymites-tilefonikes-kliseis-pos-na-tin-diekdikiseis/); [ERT on the Piraeus appeal ruling](https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/mitroo-11-pos-oi-polites-mporoun-na-apozimiothoun-otan-dexontai-diafimistikes-kliseis-xoris-na-to-epithymoun/)
## Next steps
Set up your phone line, introductions, and outbound calls.
Compare consent rules for AI calls across the EU, the UK, and the US.
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