Lost or damaged parcel: courier compensation in Greece after the 2026 EETT decision

How much am I owed when a courier loses or destroys my parcel, who claims it, and by what deadline?

When a courier loses or destroys a parcel, compensation is not a matter of goodwill: for companies operating under a General Licence, EETT decision 1182/7 (Government Gazette B 615/09.02.2026) sets fixed amounts. For a domestic parcel the compensation is eight times the postage paid, plus a refund of the postage, and it cannot exceed the proven purchase or replacement value of the contents ^[1].

Three points decide the practical outcome: who is entitled (whoever paid the postage, not automatically the recipient), who proves the value (the claimant), and when written notice must be given (within six months). This text was read against the original gazette text on 10 October 2026; amounts and deadlines should always be checked against the decision as currently in force.

What decision 1182/7 says and whom it covers

The decision was adopted on 26 January 2026 and published in Gazette B 615 on 9 February 2026. It replaces the earlier decision 688/052/2013 and, under Article 9, enters into force six months after publication, around 9 August 2026 ^[1]. From that point it applies to every postal contract concluded; for contracts concluded earlier, the 2013 decision continues to apply.

The scope is wide: postal undertakings under a General or Special Licence, including the universal-service provider, and all users, natural or legal persons. Excluded are those who have a specific contract departing from the general terms and providing its own compensation. If the contract has no such provision, the decision applies. Companies may agree a higher amount than the one set ^[1].

The distinction between licences matters in practice. Most private courier companies operate under a General Licence and fall under Article 4, described below. Article 3 concerns the Special Licence and the universal-service provider and uses fixed euro and SDR amounts rather than multiples; for those cases read the gazette text directly ^[1].

Loss and destruction: the multiples of postage

Article 4 distinguishes an envelope from a parcel, domestic from international, and proven loss, total theft or total destruction of the contents. In every case the company also refunds the postage paid for that shipment ^[1].

An example shows how the cap works. If the postage on a domestic parcel was 5 euros, eight times is 40 euros. If the proven purchase value of the contents is 25 euros, the compensation is limited to that amount. The text speaks of «maximum compensation» and does not say expressly whether the refund of postage falls inside or outside the cap; if the point arises, ask the company for a written explanation ^[1].

For partial loss, theft or destruction, compensation equals the actual value of the damage, without exceeding the amount payable for total loss or, where a declared value exists, the declared value. Here too the burden of documented proof lies with the claimant ^[1].

The value cap and the burden of proof

The decision states expressly that the burden of documented proof of purchase or replacement value lies with the claimant. The word «documented» matters: a statement is not enough. What is needed is the purchase or replacement document showing what the parcel contained and what it cost ^[1].

That means the file has to exist before the problem, not after. In practice the claimant needs three documents that tie together: the voucher or tracking number, the invoice or receipt for the contents and, where they exist, photographs of the packaging and its condition on delivery or receipt.

Declared value: when it is worth it

Where a value is declared on the shipment (an insured item), compensation for total loss or destruction equals the declared value and the postage is refunded. Proof of the real value still lies with the claimant ^[1].

The advantage of a declared value appears when eight times the postage is clearly below the value of the contents. The drawback is the cost of the declaration and a limit the decision sets in the other direction: the company is not liable for items insured with intent for more than their real value, or where fraudulent intent to collect compensation is established ^[1]. Declare the real value, with a document that supports it.

Who is entitled: sender or recipient

Under Article 2, compensation is paid to the user who contracted with the postal undertaking and paid the postage. If that user waives their rights, it is paid to the person they designate, sender or recipient, provided the company is informed by any suitable means ^[1].

For an order from an online shop this has a concrete consequence. If the shop hands the shipment to the courier and pays the postage, the shop is the contracting party. The buyer, as recipient, has no automatic claim against the courier; their claim lies first against the seller and the terms of their own purchase contract. The seller may, if they choose, designate the buyer as the person to receive the compensation.

The practical instruction is simple: ask the seller in writing who files the claim and request the shipment details. If the buyer themselves paid the postage (for example on a return or on a shipment of their own), the buyer is the claimant.

The six-month deadline and the steps of a complaint

Article 2 provides that the postal undertaking is released from all liability for defective performance if it is not given written notice within six months of the conclusion of the postal contract ^[1]. EETT's complaints page states the same period as six months from the date the item was sent ^[3]. The two formulations agree on what counts: the clock starts at dispatch, not when you discover the damage. Do not wait.

The procedure has three steps ^[3]:

1. Written contact with the company. This is the amicable-settlement stage. The company must resolve the matter within 15 working days of submission, or within 40 working days if supplementary information is needed.
2. A request to convene the Dispute Resolution Committee provided for in the company's Consumer Obligations Charter, if the problem is not resolved or the company does not reply.
3. A complaint to EETT through the electronic form, if the user is not satisfied with the Committee's decision or the company does not resolve the matter.

EETT examines complaints only when the first two steps have been taken ^[3]. The framework of the procedure is set by Regulation AP 1135/004 ^[2], while supervision and sanctions for breach of the decision rest on Article 17 of Law 4053/2012 ^[1][4]. Once compensation is approved, it is paid within 20 working days at the latest ^[1].

Delay and deposit at a pickup point

The decision is not limited to loss. For delay of more than three working days beyond the agreed final delivery day, with proven fault of the company, two postage fees are paid. If the delay exceeds three days and the item is delivered within the following twelve working days, three twelfths of the postage are added for each additional working day of delay. Delay beyond 15 working days is presumed to be loss ^[1].

A separate case is deposit of the item at a post office, locker, parcel locker or shop-in-shop when delivery to a specific address had been agreed, contrary to the delivery terms and without the user's proven consent. In that case two postage fees are paid ^[1]. For the pickup procedure itself, see the related article on collection at a delivery point.

When the company is not liable, and what EETT does not cover

For General Licence companies, Article 5 lists cases of no liability, among them: force majeure, proven criminal acts at premises or in vehicles (in both cases the postage is refunded), proven negligence of the sender such as unsuitable packaging, wrong description or incomplete recipient details, contents that are seized or prohibited, a parcel the recipient did not bother to collect for more than six months, and acts of customs authorities ^[1].

One provision concerns receipt: the company is not liable where the recipient has taken delivery and expresses no reservation within two working days ^[1]. That is why recording the parcel's condition at delivery is not a formality. The goods-in checklist article covers what is recorded and when.

Finally, the decision states that it does not apply to matters outside EETT's competence, such as customs clearance, cash on delivery and unfair competition ^[1]. If the dispute concerns collection of a cash-on-delivery amount, or taxes and charges at clearance, EETT is not the right route.

What to do today

Keep the voucher and the invoice together, photograph the parcel before opening it, and record the date and time of receipt. If something goes wrong, send written notice to the company well before six months from dispatch, stating expressly that you claim compensation under decision 1182/7.