A new Independent Administrative Authority is set to be established by the Greek government, following a decision by the Cabinet on Wednesday morning. The new body, modeled after the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) and inspired by systems in countries like Sweden and Italy, aims to radically reform market oversight and effectively protect consumers.

A Structural Reform with Broad Impact

This reform seeks to eliminate overlapping responsibilities, administrative confusion, and inadequate inspections currently prevalent in market regulation.

According to the plan presented by Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos, the new Authority will consolidate functions of the Consumer Ombudsman, the Interagency Market Control Unit (DIMEA), and key departments of the General Secretariat for Commerce. While similar in structure to AADE, the new Authority will have a strong consumer-focused and socially-oriented character.

Expanded Powers

The new Authority will operate under five main pillars:

• Inspection: Market checks on pricing violations, poor labeling, unfair commercial practices, and issues like shrinkflation (product downsizing without price reduction).
• Sanctioning: Imposing fines and administrative penalties, acting on both complaints and proactive investigations.
• Mediation: Out-of-court dispute resolution between consumers and businesses.
• Advisory: Policy proposals to the Ministry of Development regarding consumer protection.
• Supportive: Promoting consumer awareness, supporting consumer organizations, and taking special actions for vulnerable groups.

Organizational Structure

Leadership will include:

• Governor: Responsible for the Authority’s strategic direction, operations, and institutional representation.
• Three Deputy Governors, each with distinct responsibilities:
  • Deputy Governor for Market Oversight & Consumer Protection
  • Deputy Governor acting as Consumer Ombudsman
  • Deputy Governor for Financial & Administrative Services

All top officials will serve full-time for five-year terms.

Staffing

The Authority will be staffed through:

• Transfer of existing personnel from current institutions
• Creation of new roles for expert advisors and associates
• Internal and external mobility, potentially bypassing standard civil service rules
• Open selection of managers, including candidates from outside the public sector, via modified ASEP procedures

The aim is rapid, competent staffing to ensure full operational capability from the outset.

Funding

Funding sources will include:

• State budget
• European programs (e.g., the Consumer Programme)
• Percentage of collected fines
• Fees for complaint submissions, when deemed appropriate

This funding structure ensures functional independence without placing a heavy burden on taxpayers.

Transparency and Accountability

Like AADE, the Authority will be subject to parliamentary oversight and will be required to:

• Submit annual reports to the Hellenic Parliament
• Publish all administrative acts on the “Diavgeia” platform
• Operate with an independent internal auditor
• Leverage digital tools to enhance transparency and public trust

The Goal

The government’s objective with this new Authority is to restore balance in consumer-business relations, address public uncertainty, and elevate the credibility of the state’s market oversight mechanism.