MISSOC Archives 2003

GreeceThe Greek Constitution of 1975, revised in1986, established the principle of the "SocialState" by means of provisions guaranteeingto a large extent social protection. Inparticular, Article 224 concerning social securitystipulates the obligation of the Stateto provide social security for workers.In Greece the prerequisite for being directlycovered by social security is to be working.The affiliation to a scheme depends on thenature and the type of work performed.The social security system in Greece isbased on two pillars: the basic protectionand the supplementary protection (called"auxiliary" in Greece). It comprises a greatnumber of insurance funds and a large varietyof schemes.• The main insurance institution is the Institutefor Social Insurance (IKA) of whichthe greater majority of salaried workersand other categories of assimilated employeesare members. The IKA schemeis the "general Greek scheme for the insuranceof salaried workers". Apart fromthe IKA scheme there are specialschemes for salaried workers, (occupationalfunds) to which certain categoriescoming from the civilian population areaffiliated, e.g. the insurance fund for employeesof the public electricity company.• Farmers are members of the insurancescheme for agricultural employees (OGA- Agricultural Insurance Organisation).• As regards the social security of self-employedpersons, there are special fundsfor persons belonging to certain socioprofessionalcategories (e.g. lawyers, themedical professions, persons engaged ina business, craftsmen, civil engineers,etc.). The main fund for the self-employedis the OAEE (Insurance Body forthe self-employed) for craftsmen, businessmenand drivers.Each insurance institution is subject to adifferent legislation. In some cases thebenefits, the conditions for granting thesebenefits and the corresponding formalitiesdiffer from one institution to the other.The IKA scheme covers the risks of sickness,maternity, old-age, invalidity anddeath.The OAED (Office for Employment andManpower) is a special institution in chargeof the risk of unemployment; it is also incharge of family benefits; however, it is theIKA which collects the contributions for theOAED.The majority of the social security institutionsis under the authority and supervision of theMinistry of Labour and Social Security. Asmall number of social security institutionsare subordinate to and supervised by otherministries.The public authorities intervene againstpossible fraud in order to preserve thegeneral interest and see to the correct applicationof legislation and provisions by thesocial security organisations (InsuranceFunds).These institutions are administered by theadministrative boards in which the representativesof the insured, the pensioners,the employers and the State participate.Important addressesΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΩΝ ΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΕΩΝΓΕΝΙΚΗΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΙΑ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΩΝΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΕΩΝ∆ΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΗ ∆ΙΑΚΡΑΤΙΚΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗΣΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΗΣΣΤΑ∆ΙΟΥ 2910110 ΑΘΗΝΑΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΩΝ ΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΕΩΝ∆ΙΕΥϑΥΝΣΗ ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΩΝ ΠΡΩΤΟΒΟΥΛΙΩΝΤΗΜΑ Ε.ΕΠΕΙΡΑΙΩΣ 4010182 ΑΘΗΝΑΙ∆ΡΥΜΑ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΩΝ ΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΕΩΝ∆ΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΗ ∆ΙΕΘΝΩΝ ΣΧΕΣΕΩΝΚΗΦΙΣΙΑΣ 178−ΧΑΛΑΝ∆ΡΙ15231 ΑΘΗΝΑΟΡΓΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ ΓΕΩΡΠΚΩΝ ΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΕΩΝΤΜΗΜΑ ΕΟΚ ∆ΙΕΘΝΕΙΣΣΧΕΣΕΙΣΠΑΤΗΣΙΩΝ 3010170 ΑΘΗΝΑΟΡΓΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ ΑΠΑΣΧΟΛΗΣΕΩΣΕΡΓΑΤΙΚΟΥ ∆ΥΝΑΜΙΚΟΥ∆ΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΗ ΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΗΣΕΘΙΝΚΗΣ ΑΝΤΙΣΤΑΣΗΣ 817342 ΑΝΩ ΚΑΛΑΜΑΚΙMINISTRY OF LABOURAND SOCIAL SECURITYGeneral Secretariat for Social SecurityDirectorate for International RelationsStadiou Street 29EL-10110 AthensMINISTRY OF LABOURAND SOCIAL SECURITYDirectorate Community InitiativesSection E.U.Pireos Street 40EL-10182 Athens C.P.INSTITUTE FOR SOCIALINSURANCES (I.K.A.)Directorate for International RelationsKifissias Street 178-ChalandriEL-15231 Athens C.P.ORGANISATION FOR AGRICULTURALINSURANCES (O.G.A.)International RelationsPatission Street 30EL-10170 Athens C.P.OFFICE FOR EMPLOYMENT ANDMANPOWER (O.A.E.D.)Directorate InsuranceEthnikis Antistassis Street 8EL-17342 Ano Kalamaki C.P.18