Greece is launching a digital platform to prevent the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and nicotine products to minors, with three ministries leading the effort.
The initiative brings together the Ministries of Digital Governance, Health and Citizen Protection, which are collaborating for the first time to develop an integrated age verification system.
The program is designed to be user-friendly, without requiring specific digital skills from buyers or sellers. It complements the recent Public Health Law regarding alcohol and tobacco use by minors, strengthening its implementation with the use of digital tools.
The central objective is to protect young people from products that are bad for their health. The program is based on five pillars:
Prevention and protection measures for minors
Prevention and protection measures for minors
Stricter market supervision
Regulations for new nicotine products
Creation of a digital control register
Strengthening control mechanisms and sanctions
For the first time, a clear and universal ban on the sale, offer, or distribution of these products to minors is established. The responsibility for age verification is explicitly assigned to the seller and, if the buyer does not provide proof of age, the transaction is prohibited.
As stated by the Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou: “This is a reform that is here to stay, so that we can create a safer environment for our children.”
The digital framework
Under the coordination of the Minister of State and in collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Citizen Protection, a coherent digital framework is being created that includes:
The complete mapping of the tobacco, vaping, and alcohol product market through alto.gov.gr, to strengthen targeted control. The events.gov.gr platform for managing private events with the participation of minors, limiting circumvention phenomena and facilitating controls.
Digital age verification through the Kids Wallet and Gov.gr Wallet applications, which allows secure identification without unnecessary exposure of personal data. The same process will be gradually implemented in online markets.
The identification process is simple: the seller selects the age group in the application, a QR code appears, and the buyer scans the QR via Gov.gr Wallet or Kids Wallet. The system displays with a green or red indication whether the sale is allowed, without revealing the exact age.
In addition, the entry of minors into bars and nightclubs is prohibited, while exceptions for private events are only allowed in specific areas, outside of business hours and after statement at events.gov.gr.
The digital registry alto.gov.gr is becoming a key supervision tool, as it will monitor all businesses and points of sale of tobacco, alcohol, and related non-tobacco products, allowing for complete mapping of the market, targeted controls, and interoperability between the authorities.