Best Data Center & Digital Infrastructure Lawyers in Elliniko

About Data Center & Digital Infrastructure Law in Elliniko, Greece

Elliniko is part of the greater Athens metropolitan area and one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in Greece. The expansion of data-center activity and supporting digital infrastructure in Elliniko reflects broader national and European priorities for digital transformation, cloud services, and resilient communications. Legal matters that affect data centers and digital infrastructure in Elliniko combine general Greek and EU law - especially on data protection and cybersecurity - with local land-use, environmental, energy and telecommunications regulation. Investors, operators, landlords and tenants must navigate building and planning permits, grid and network connection rules, environmental assessments, and compliance with data-security and privacy obligations.

Why You May Need a Lawyer

Data-center and digital-infrastructure projects are legally complex and can expose stakeholders to regulatory, commercial and operational risks. You may need a lawyer in the following common situations:

- Site acquisition or leasing: to review title, easements, zoning, restrictive covenants and risk allocation in leases and purchase contracts.

- Planning and building permission: to manage local planning approvals, building permits, environmental impact assessment requirements and related appeals.

- Power and utilities contracts: to negotiate grid-connection agreements, power-supply contracts, energy capacity reservations and renewable-energy arrangements.

- Telecommunications and network access: to secure access to ducts, dark-fibre, colocation and interconnection arrangements with telecom operators, and to advise on EETT-related compliance.

- Regulatory compliance: to ensure GDPR and NIS2 compliance, perform data-protection impact assessments, advise on incident-reporting obligations and obligations if the facility is designated critical infrastructure or an essential service.

- Procurement and construction: to draft and negotiate EPC contracts, service-level agreements, guarantees, performance bonds and dispute-resolution clauses.

- Operational matters: to advise on liability and insurance, export controls, cross-border data transfers, employee and contractor arrangements and intellectual property issues.

Local Laws Overview

The legal regime affecting data centers and digital infrastructure in Elliniko is a mix of EU directives, national statutes and local regulation. Key aspects to consider include the following.

- Data protection and privacy - GDPR: Any activity processing personal data must comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. This includes lawful basis for processing, data-security measures, records of processing, data-protection impact assessments for high-risk processing, contracts between controllers and processors, and rules for cross-border transfers.

- Cybersecurity and critical infrastructure - NIS2 and national rules: The EU NIS2 Directive increases requirements on cyber risk management, reporting and governance for operators of essential services and certain digital infrastructure providers. Greece is implementing NIS2 obligations into national law. Data centers that host essential services or are classified as critical infrastructure will face stricter reporting and technical requirements.

- Telecommunications regulation: The Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission sets rules affecting electronic communications, access to rights-of-way, numbering and spectrum where applicable. Agreements with network operators and obligations for interconnection and colocation are relevant.

- Energy and grid connection: Large data centers are energy intensive. Grid connection procedures, capacity allocation and agreements are handled with the transmission and distribution operators and regulated by the Regulatory Authority for Energy. There are specific technical and commercial steps for requesting capacity, securing supply and arranging backup or on-site generation.

- Land-use, planning and building permits: The Elliniko redevelopment and municipal planning rules determine allowable uses, building height and density, and environmental mitigation measures. Major projects often require environmental-impact assessment and approvals from regional authorities and the Ministry of Environment where threshold criteria are met.

- Environmental and safety rules: Environmental permits, noise, waste management and fire-safety approvals are required. Fire department certification and compliance with energy-efficiency and emissions rules must be considered during design and operation.

- Commercial, competition and tax law: Transaction documents should address liability, termination, intellectual property, and compliance with public-procurement and competition rules where public entities are involved. Investment incentives or special treatment may be available under national investment programs - eligibility and conditions should be checked with tax and investment advisers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What permits do I need to build and operate a data center in Elliniko?

You typically need planning approval consistent with the municipal and regional master plan, a building permit, and approvals for electrical and mechanical installations. For larger facilities you may also need an environmental-impact assessment and related environmental permits. Fire-safety approval and operational permits from local authorities are also common. Specific requirements depend on project size and technical characteristics.

How long does permitting and approval usually take?

Timelines vary with project complexity. Small upgrades or interiors can take a few months, while new large data-center projects - especially those requiring environmental studies or grid upgrades - can take 6-24 months or longer. Early engagement with municipalities, regional authorities and utilities can shorten delays.

What are my obligations under GDPR for a data-center operator?

If personal data is processed, you must ensure lawful processing, implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures, maintain records of processing activities if required, and carry out data-protection impact assessments for high-risk processing. Contracts with customers and suppliers must specify responsibilities between controllers and processors. You must also be ready to handle data-subject requests and potential breach notifications to the Hellenic Data Protection Authority.

Will NIS2 affect my data-center business?

Possibly. NIS2 extends cybersecurity duties to more categories of entities, including some digital infrastructure providers. If designated as an essential or important entity under national implementation, you will face stricter cybersecurity risk-management measures, governance requirements and incident-reporting obligations. Legal advice is recommended to determine whether your operation falls within NIS2 scope and how to comply.

How do I secure power capacity for a large data center?

Power is secured by applying to the distribution or transmission system operator for connection and capacity. This typically involves technical studies, grid-investment planning, commercial agreements and timelines that may require grid reinforcement. You may also negotiate power-purchase agreements, on-site generation or energy-reservation arrangements. Consult energy and grid specialists early in the project.

Can I colocate and offer interconnection to third parties?

Yes, but colocation and interconnection require detailed commercial agreements, SLAs, security rules and compliance with telecoms regulation. Access to ducts and dark-fibre may be regulated. Ensure interconnection arrangements allocate responsibilities for service quality, outages and security, and comply with competition and telecoms rules.

What environmental rules should I expect to follow?

Expect rules on energy efficiency, emissions, water use and waste handling. Large projects often require an environmental-impact assessment that addresses noise, visual impact, heat rejection, water consumption and wastewater. Environmental permits may impose monitoring and mitigation obligations during construction and operation.

What contractual protections should a tenant or operator seek in a lease or colocation agreement?

Key protections include clear service levels and remedies for outages, allocation of maintenance and upgrade responsibilities, liability caps, indemnities for third-party claims, termination rights for material breaches, data-protection and confidentiality clauses, insurance requirements, and provisions for access, expansion and assignment. Technical specifications and acceptance tests should be incorporated into the contract.

How are cross-border data transfers handled from a data center in Greece?

Cross-border transfers from the EEA are governed by GDPR. Transfers to jurisdictions without an adequacy decision require appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses, binding corporate rules or approved transfer mechanisms. Additional operational and contractual safeguards may be necessary where local laws impose restrictions on data exports.

Who enforces the rules and where do I seek help if there is a dispute?

Different authorities have enforcement powers depending on the subject matter. The Hellenic Data Protection Authority enforces data-protection rules. The Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission enforces telecoms rules. The Regulatory Authority for Energy oversees energy-related regulation. Local municipal and regional authorities handle planning and building enforcement. Commercial disputes are typically resolved through negotiated settlement, arbitration or the Greek courts depending on contract terms.

Additional Resources

When seeking legal advice or official guidance, consider the following Greek bodies and organisations that provide guidance, decisions or procedural oversight relevant to data centers and digital infrastructure:

- Hellenic Data Protection Authority - for GDPR guidance and breach-reporting procedures.

- Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission - for telecoms and electronic-communications regulation.

- Regulatory Authority for Energy - for energy market regulation and licensing.

- Independent Power Transmission Operator and Distribution Network Operator - for grid connection and technical rules.

- Ministry of Environment and Energy - for environmental permitting and EIA procedures.

- Municipality of Elliniko-Argyroupoli and Attica Regional Authority - for local planning and building permits.

- Ministry of Digital Governance or national cybersecurity authorities - for cybersecurity policy, NIS2 implementation and critical-infrastructure guidance.

- Athens Bar Association and specialised law firms - for referrals to lawyers experienced in technology, energy, telecoms and real-estate law.

Next Steps

If you need legal assistance for a data-center or digital-infrastructure matter in Elliniko, follow these practical steps:

- Prepare a project brief - gather key documents such as site plans, technical specifications, preliminary contracts, and an outline of your operational model.

- Request an initial consultation with a lawyer who specialises in infrastructure, telecoms, energy and data-protection law. Ask about their experience with data-center projects and local permitting in Attica.

- Conduct legal due diligence on the site - title, zoning, easements, encumbrances and potential environmental liabilities.

- Run a compliance gap analysis for GDPR and cybersecurity - determine whether a data-protection impact assessment or additional technical measures are required.

- Engage technical advisers - electrical, mechanical, environmental and telecoms engineers - to coordinate legal and technical permitting timelines.

- Open channels with local authorities and utilities early - pre-application meetings can identify issues before formal filings.

- Negotiate commercial documents with clear risk allocation - leases, EPC contracts, PPA or supply agreements, SLAs and interconnection agreements.

- Plan for incident response and continuity - develop contractual and operational arrangements for outages, security incidents and disaster recovery.

Working with a specialised lawyer early in the process will help you anticipate regulatory hurdles, structure transactions to limit risk and keep your project on schedule. If you would like, prepare your questions and project materials and seek a tailored consultation with a local legal adviser experienced in data-center and digital-infrastructure matters in Elliniko.