Greece enacts specialized law against art forgery and damage with new penalties and expert registry

Greece has passed Bill No. 5271/2026, which focuses on combating art forgery and the destruction of cultural assets. This legislation creates an autonomous Department of Works of Art and establishes a registry for qualified appraisers. Offenders may face imprisonment ranging from six months to a decade, along with fines between €5,000 and €300,000. Aliki Tsirliagkou from ArtSpark Consultants emphasizes that the law makes it illegal to create or hold counterfeit artworks without documentation of financial transactions. It responds to a rise in digital sales-related incidents and includes protections for historically significant cinemas. The law emerged after extensive discussions, including the 2025 arrest of 13 individuals in an Athens forgery operation and the 2024 confiscation of over 120 counterfeit pieces. Concerns regarding the culture ministry's effectiveness and lack of stakeholder engagement were voiced by Achilleas Tsantilis. Leila Amineddoleh underscores the law’s symbolic significance.