Greece’s Consumer Protection Body Tables New Trade Show Rules

Commercial and international trade fairs will be subject to new regulations according to a bill drawn up by Greece’s General Secretariat of Trade and Consumer Protection.

Under the new framework, which is set to take effect in the beginning of 2018, trade and international exhibitions will be held exclusively in show spaces or exhibition centers as these are clearly defined by the law, which also sets out the conditions for the retail sale of products on the premises.

According to the new rules, a licensed “exhibition space” is defined as a sheltered area measuring at least 500m2 while an “exhibition center” is described as a licensed area with a permanent sheltered space measuring at least 2,000m2.

Under the new framework, retail products may be sold in specially designated areas within the exhibition center or exhibition space during the operation of trade fairs or international exhibitions. The event organizer will be required two days ahead of the show to provide the relevant tax authority a list containing the names and titles, registered addresses, VAT numbers, tax offices as well as the general commercial registry numbers (GEMI) of the legal persons or individual enterprises selling at the event.

In the meantime, organizers will have to notify the relevant municipality or region of the event providing the necessary documentation at least one month ahead of the scheduled date of the trade fair with municipal/regional services being required to file within 15 working days a copy of the premises’ suitability.

Violations will be penalised with fines of up to 15,000 euros imposed by local council decision against the exhibition organizer.