Hellenic Copyright Organization (HCO)

The Hellenic Copyright Organization (HCO) is a legal entity under private law, located in Athens (5, Metsovou Street) and placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. HCO was established according to art. 69 of Law 2121/1993, «Copyright, related rights matters and cultural issues» (Official Gazette Α/25/1993) and its operation is subject to its statute, Presidential Decree 311/1994 (Official Gazette A/165/1994). The Hellenic Copyright Organization is administered by a seven-member Board of Directors. The main purpose of the Hellenic Copyright Organization is to protect the authors and rightholders of related rights, to take steps for the implementation of Law 2121/1993 and the international conventions, to supervise the Collecting Societies and to undertake law preparatory work on matters pertaining to copyright and related rights. In the context of its responsibilities, HCO deals with any issue, in general that might occur in the field of copyright and related rights and represents Greece before the competent international organizations, as well as the Instruments of the European Union The Hellenic Copyright Organization supervises the operation of the system for protecting the authors and the related rights rightholders and incorporates and adjusts in Greece the latest evolutions in community and international level, contributing in this way to the promotion of creativity and culture. Furthermore, HCO organizes seminars for the purpose of training and informing judges, lawyers, administrative personnel, authors, rightholders of related rights and students on matters of copyright and related rights and also provides information on matters of copyright and related rights.