Approval & implementation of Eurocodes and National Annexes

Joint Ministerial Decision No. ΔΙΠΑΔ/οικ.372/30.5.2014 “Approval of the application and use of Eurocodes in conjunction with the corresponding National Annexes” was published in the Government Gazette B 1457/5.6.2014.

This Joint Ministerial Decision approves the application and use, in all public and private projects, of the Eurocodes translated into Greek. The Eurocodes currently in force are listed in the Annexes and are referred to as Greek European Standards (Annex 1) and are accompanied by their National Annexes, referred to as Greek Standards (Annex 2).

The application of these standards is not mandatory, but is subject to the discretion of the respective Project Owner, who may apply them as regulatory texts for the design and study of new load-bearing structures, as well as for the assessment and redesign of existing load-bearing structures. Consequently, the mandatory application of existing regulatory texts on construction (national specifications and regulations), which are listed in Annex 3 of the Joint Ministerial Decision, is lifted.

In this new context, the project owner must choose the regulatory framework for the design and study of the project’s load-bearing structure, applying either the national standards that have been mandatory to date or the Eurocodes in combination with their National Annexes (selective use of provisions from the non-selected framework is not permitted).

Taking into account, however, that the use of Eurocodes in the design and preparation of studies for the construction of civil engineering works constitutes evidence of compliance with the requirements of European Directive 89/106/EEC, it is considered that the possibility of selective application provided for in the Joint Ministerial Decision constitutes a transitional situation, necessary for the acquisition of full knowledge and familiarity by designers and engineers in the public sector.

As mentioned in the Joint Ministerial Decision, the ultimate goal is to harmonize Greek legislation with the European standards of the Eurocodes in order to achieve the objective of the Single European Market and the broader common objectives of European standardization.