Greece Ministry of Justice faces objections to new Dispute Resolution Code

The Greek Ministry of Justice has initiated a public consultation for a new Alternative Dispute Resolution Code, which opened on September 9 and will remain open for comments until September 24, 2026. The legal community has already raised significant objections regarding the framework's core components.

A primary concern involves the mandatory pre-judicial process for labor disputes. Critics argue that labor disputes should be explicitly exempted, noting that employees cannot waive their labor rights and therefore lack the authority to dispose of the subject matter of such disputes. Explicit exemptions are requested to prevent conflicting interpretations during implementation.

Other discussions focus on the nature of mediation and the role of the mediator. Some participants have questioned the effectiveness of a purely consensual model, suggesting that mediators should have a more active role. One proposal suggests that if parties fail to reach an agreement, the mediator should be required to submit a written proposal for resolving the dispute.