Greece - SEPOX

ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΠΟΛΕΟΔΟΜΩΝ & ΧΩΡΟΤΑΚΤΩΝ

Greece

  
ECTP-CEU member since: 1991
Amount of own members: 100
President: Sofia Avgerinou-Kolonia
Delegate(s): Sofia Avgerinou-Kolonia, Anna Nikolaou, Elias Beriatos
Contacts: Secretariat
Nikis 4,
GR - 10563, Athens
Tel. + 30-210-382.00.76
Fax. + 30-210-382.00.76
e-mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  

Annual GPA reports to ECTP-CEU

 

Greece’s projects presented by the GPA to the ECTP-CEU European and Regional Planning Awards:

 
None

 Country Factsheet for Greece (.gr)

 ECTP-CEU Study Profession qualification Recognition - Stage II document - Appendix 4 Draft Directory (2012-12-21)
General Country Information
Capital City Athens
Population 10.816.286
Area (km2) 131.957
Population Density 85 per km2
EU Membership Greece joined what is now known as the EU in 1981.
Greece is a unitary parliamentary republic, composed of thirteen regions, one autonomous area, and 332 municipalities; the spatial planning competence is shared by the State, the regional administrations and the local authorities.

Greece’s Ministry contacts:

 ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑΣ (Ministry of Environment and Energy) 
Deputy Minister of Spatial Planning and Urban Environment
General Secretariat for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment:
17 Amaliados Str.
115 23
Athens
Phone: +30 210 6475 169 
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
 

Planning as a Regulated Profession in Greece

Professional Title:
The common professional name is : Urban and Regional planner “Poleodomos chorotaktis” 
 
EU Database Status:
The profession of Urban and Regional planner “Poleodomos chorotaktis” in Greece is not included in the EU Database of Regulated Professions.
 
National Regulation:
The access to the profession is regulated mainly by the Presidential Decree 71/2019 “Registers for the production of public and private projects, studies, technical and other related scientific services (ΜΗ.Τ.Ε)”.
 
Regional regulation:
None.

 Universities with approved trainings in Greece

 
The courses leading to the profession of Urban and Regional planner “Poleodomos chorotaktis”, are Undergraduate and Postgraduate Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. 
 
Those undergraduate courses are provided, in Greece, by:
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Spatial Planning and Development Engineering, School of Engineering
• University of Thessaly, Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Regional Development, Faculty of Engineering
• Panteion University, Department of Economic and Regional Development 
• Ηarokopio University, Department of Geography
• University of Aegean, Department of Geography 
 
Postgraduate studies  
• National Technical University of Athens, School of Architecture, Postgraduate Programme: “Urban and Regional Planning”.
• University of Thessaly, Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Regional Development, Faculty of Engineering, Several Postgraduate Programmes
• Panteion University, Department of Economic and Regional Development, Postgraduate Programme “Applied Economics and Regional Development”, Specialization: II. Urban and Regional Development 
• University of Aegean, “Applied Geoinformatics in Human Geography and Spatial Planning”
• Ηαrokopio University, Postgraduate  “Applied Geography and Spatial Planning”
 

 Town Planning Press of Greece

The most important are:
o Αειχώρος
o Sakkoulas Publications
o Propobos Publications 
o Kritiki Publications
o Vivliorama Publications
o University Publications of Crete
o University Publications of Thessaly 
o Newsletter TEE
o https://ecopress.gr/ 
 

 Country regulation:

Discussions regarding the reform of the spatial planning system of Greece are taking place over time and more intensely in recent years. Τhe final version of the spatial planning reform was included in L. 4269/14, as amended by the L. 4447/16 and L. 4759/2020. 
Briefly, regarding the structure of the planning system introduced via these reforms, includes the following: 
The previously existing National Plan was replaced by the National Spatial Strategy (a Policy Document providing guiding (planning) principles for the whole country). 
The Special/Sectoral (National) Spatial Frameworks which were enriched in thematic context, in order to cover a wide variety of sectoral policies (concerning the most important economic activities of the country). Greece has elaborated Sectoral National Spatial Frameworks, for aquaculture, tourism, industry and renewable energy. 
At this strategic planning level, Regional Spatial Frameworks shall be found too.
Below this strategic planning level, local planning is implemented through Local Spatial Plans and Special Spatial Plans of equivalent status and importance, defining land uses and general standards. The structural spatial planning is completed through Urban Development Plans and Implementation Plans.
 

COMPETENT BODIES: 

• Parliament; Governmental Committee; Ministry of Environment and Energy; Regions; Mayors.
 

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNICATION

Information, consultation and dialogue
The involvement of citizens and organizations in the process of making Local Spatial Plans for example, is ensured by legislation. The public participation must take place before the approval of the plans, with public hearings, open office or any other system providing to citizens the possibility to express themselves on the draft. Once it is approved, it still can be challenged at the Council of State.
The same goes for other plans, such as Implementation Plans, where interested parties can comment and criticize the draft plan displayed in the Town Hall. Opinions from those parties and from the municipal council are sent to the Ministry of Environment and Energy which has the final word.
 
 

PLANNING LEGISLATION

Main Planning legislation
The first town planning legislation came into force in 1923 (Law Decree of 17 July 1923) and was applied for over 50 years. On the contrary, national and regional planning legislation is more recent. In fact, it is within the Greek Constitution of 1975 (art. 24) and the L.360/1976 that the first legal provisions for the supra-urban spatial planning were introduced.
Today, apart from the constitutional provisions, the main body of general planning law consists of the following major legislative acts: L. 2742/1999, which concerns the territorial spatial planning in the national and regional levels as amended by L. 4030/2011 art. 41, L. 4269/14, L. 4447/16 and L. 4759/2020, and L. 2508/1997 concerned with sustainable urban planning. 
In addition, for the implementation of the Maritime Spatial Planning in Greece, the L. 4546/2018 “Maritime Spatial Planning. Harmonization with the Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014” has been designated too. 
Also, a major distinction established within Greek planning legislation is between the within-the-plan areas, on one side, and the out-of-plan areas, on the other. 

Websites

 
ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΠΟΛΕΟΔΟΜΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΧΩΡΟΤΑΚΤΩΝ (Greek Association of Urban and Regional Planners): http://www.sepox.gr 
ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ& ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑΣ (Ministry of Environment & Energy): http://www.ypeka.gr/ 
ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟ ΚΤΗΜΑΤΟΛΟΓΙΟ (National Cadastre): https://www.ktimatologio.gr/posts/the-project-and-the-agency
ΠΡΑΣΙΝΟ ΤΑΜΕΙΟ: https://prasinotameio.gr/
ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ LIFE (Programme LIFE): http://www.lifetaskforce.gr/el/
ΔΙΚΤΥΟ NATURA 2000 (Network of Natura 2000): https://ypen.gov.gr/perivallon/viopoikilotita/diktyo-natura-2000/