Are electronic signatures legal in Greece?

Law 4727/2020

Law 4727/2020 (Government Gazette A' 184, 23 September 2020) is Greece's digital governance code. Its articles on electronic documents and trust services sit alongside eIDAS, which applies directly: article 25 bars refusing an electronic signature as evidence because it's electronic or not qualified, and gives a qualified one the effect of a handwritten signature.

How each level counts in court

• Simple or advanced signatures. A document carrying one is a mechanical representation under article 444 of the Code of Civil Procedure (art. 16(1)), and such documents are freely assessed as lawful evidence (art. 16(2)).
• Written form. Where article 160 of the Civil Code (written form) or article 443 of the Code of Civil Procedure applies, a qualified electronic signature or qualified electronic seal is required (art. 16(1)).
• Qualified signatures on private documents must be accepted by public bodies, courts and prosecutors, and by individuals and businesses exchanging them electronically (art. 15(1)). A printout counts if certified by an authority, a citizen service center (KEP) or a lawyer (art. 15(2)).

Signing for a company

Electronic documents issued by a company are signed with the legal representative's qualified electronic signature, with the company's qualified electronic seal where a seal is required; these take the place of a handwritten signature and an original stamp (art. 50(1)). Where a law or the parties require a handwritten signature on every page, a qualified signature or seal at the beginning or end of the electronic document is enough (art. 50(2)).

What needs more than a simple signature

• Contracts the law requires in writing under article 160 of the Civil Code, which electronically need a qualified signature or seal.
• Acts the law reserves for a notary, such as property transfers, which still go through the notary.

Where SignMaster fits

SignMaster provides simple electronic signatures, which Greek courts assess freely as evidence under article 16(2). That suits form-free agreements such as quotes, service contracts, booking terms and supplier orders. It doesn't produce qualified signatures, so it can't meet a written-form requirement. Every signed PDF includes a certificate of completion with each signer's email, IP address and timestamps, and a SHA-256 fingerprint to show the file hasn't changed.