Extension of market regulation measures | Draft bill published for consultation

Τhe draft bill concerning the extension of market regulation measures has been published and will be open for consultation until 11 November.

Pursuant to Article 48 of the draft bill, the measure concerning the obligation to announce product price increases (Article 15 of Law 5055/2023), as well as the measure imposing a three-month prohibition on promotional activities for products whose prices have been increased (Article 38 of Law 5082/2024), are extended until 30 June 2026. The same extension is also provided for the validity of Article 17 of Law 5055/2023, which concerns the obligation of supermarkets to announce indicative retail prices for fruit and vegetable products.

Finally, the draft bill sets out provisions regarding the establishment and operation of the Independent Authority for Market Supervision and Consumer Protection. Among other things, it provides that, from the commencement of the Authority’s operation, the following services are abolished, with all of their rights and obligations transferred to the Authority, which becomes their universal successor, namely:

• the Interagency Market Control Unit of the Ministry of Development, with the exception of the Chemical Analyses Department,

• the Consumer Protection Directorate, which falls under the General Directorate of Market and Consumer Protection of the General Secretariat of Commerce of the Ministry of Development, and
  the independent authority “Consumer Ombudsman.”