Greek Legislation on Assisted Reproduction & Surrogacy

Surrogacy has been a legal procedure in Greece since 2002 under the following law:

Law 3089/2002 – Government Gazette 327/A/23-12-2002 Medical Assistance in Human Reproduction

Key Provisions of the Law

🔹 Article 1455 – Medical Assistance in Reproduction

• Assisted reproduction (IVF) is permitted only to address infertility or to prevent the transmission of a serious genetic disease.
• Assisted reproduction is allowed only up to the natural reproductive age of the individual undergoing treatment.
• Cloning is strictly prohibited.
• Gender selection is not allowed unless it is necessary to prevent a serious sex-linked genetic disorder.

🔹 Article 1456 – Written Consent Requirement

• Assisted reproduction procedures require written consent from the individuals involved.
• If the procedure is for an unmarried woman, consent is required in notarized form, and if she is in a relationship, her partner’s consent may also be required.

🔹 Article 1457 – Posthumous Reproduction

• Posthumous assisted reproduction is allowed only with judicial approval and if:
  • The deceased partner had a known medical condition that posed a risk of infertility or death.
  • The deceased partner had provided explicit notarized consent before passing.
• The procedure must take place between six months and two years after death.

🔹 Article 1458 – Surrogacy

• The transfer of fertilized eggs (embryos) to a surrogate is permitted only with judicial approval, granted before the embryo transfer.
• A written agreement must be made between the intended parents and the surrogate. No financial compensation is allowed.
• If the surrogate is married, her husband's written consent is required.
• The intended mother must prove medical inability to carry a pregnancy.
• The surrogate must be medically evaluated to confirm her suitability for pregnancy.

🔹 Article 1459 – Use of Frozen Gametes & Embryos

• Intended parents must decide in writing what will happen to unused frozen gametes and embryos:
  1. Donated to other couples.
  2. Used for medical research.
  3. Destroyed.
• If no decision is made, the materials are stored for five years and then either used for research or discarded.

🔹 Article 1460 – Anonymity of Gamete & Embryo Donors

• The identity of sperm, egg, or embryo donors remains anonymous.
• Medical records of donors are stored confidentially.
• Only the child, and only for medical reasons, may access certain donor-related information.

Surrogacy & Legal Parentage in Greece

• In gestational surrogacy, the intended mother is the legal mother as determined by court approval before embryo transfer.
• The birth certificate records only the intended parents as legal parents.
• If a dispute arises, the court has the final say.
• The surrogate cannot claim parental rights over the child.

Final Notes

• Surrogacy is legal in Greece only if both the intended parents and the surrogate are residents.
• Judicial approval is mandatory before the procedure.
• Greece offers one of the most progressive legal frameworks for surrogacy in Europe, allowing access to heterosexual couples, single women, and international patients (if they meet residency requirements).

For full legal details, refer to Government Gazette 327/A/23-12-2002.