Council of State rules on mandatory NGO registry in Greece

The Greek Council of State has ruled on the constitutionality of regulations regarding the mandatory registration of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Ministry of Migration and Asylum's registry. The court unanimously found the provision requiring Greek and foreign NGOs to register in the ministry's registry to be constitutional, noting it does not violate the right to association. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris described the decision as a ‘great victory’ for transparency, strict control, and accountability.

However, the court struck down several specific provisions. It ruled that the regulation for an NGO Members' Registry was unconstitutional because it lacked essential substantive requirements in the law. Additionally, the court found that granting the General Secretary of Asylum Seekers Reception the discretionary power to approve or reject registration applications was unconstitutional, as it violated the right to association and exceeded legal authorization.

The Council of State also decided to submit a preliminary question to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to determine if certain registration requirements for the Members' Registry are compatible with Article 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.