| State | Greece |
| Existing of Ethical code | ☒ Yes
☐ No Note: Greece does not have a judicial ethics’ guideline or a general set of principles elaborated by judges yet. Adoption of guidelines and documents setting general principles of conduct seem to satisfy the aforementioned need of enforcing public confidence in the judiciary more effectively than adopting typical legal texts, since guidelines are more flexible to revision while societal needs evolve.
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| Number of Ethical codes | ☐ For judges
☐ For prosecutors ☒ For both legal professions
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| Sources | Ethical code for judges and magistrates (new) GR
Ethical Code for prosecutors (old version) GR, ENG Themis competition 2017 – Greece team Ethical code of Council of State GR Ethical code of Audit Council GR |
The Chart (Atlas) is more of guidelines regarding Judiciary Ethics in Civil and Criminal Greek Justice (meaning both Judges and Prosecutors). Actually in its preamble it is provided that it was drafted according to the standards of Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct, the Magna Carta of the Judiciary etc. It is also specifically stipulated that because the Atlas has a guideline character, and “no rules of law are established, nor are obligations or rights introduced. Therefore, it does not rely on legislative authorization either is linked to the Operating Regulations of the Supreme Court or the Supreme Court’s Prosecutor’s Office, nor with the Operating Regulations of its other Courts or Prosecutor’s Offices in the Greek territory. The Charter is therefore neither a text that can cause disciplinary procedure, nor to be used against the judge or prosecutor. And this, regardless of the fact that the constitutional and the common legislator have chosen, for specific reasons each time, to standardize certain principles and behavior.” ( exact translation from the Atlas preamble). It was published was posted on the website of Integrated Civil and Criminal Justice Case Management System, the Civil and Criminal Supreme Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of the Supreme Court on the 9.12.2022. You san see here. The file of Ethical guidelines is available here in Greek. Unfortunately, there is no English translation yet.
A Council of State also has its’ own Ethical rules since 23 March 2022. In Greece Administrative Justice is a completely separate branch from Civil and Criminal. That is why there is no legal communication between the branches. Council of State is the Supreme Court of the Administrative branch. The concept is the exact the same with the one of Civil and Criminal Branch ( guidelines, not rules of law, therefore no disciplinary measures) and it was also published at the Council of State’s official Website. Here is the link to the website. There is no English translation yet.
There is also another Code for the administrative Branch, this time regarding the Audit Council. This is also a separate court with specific competence in the administrative justice branch. This Code is also drafted in the same notion, and is a Decision of the Plenary Session of the Audit Council under the number ΦΓ8/55595. It was published at the Official Journal on the 9.11.2020 ( Sheet B 4942/9.11.2020) and is also in force since then. There is no any disciplinary consequences stipulated in its’ articles. This is the link to the text file.