A new bill presented to the Cabinet by Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou aims to improve everyday life through faster, more reliable internet and less disruption. It forms part of the implementation of EU Regulation 2024/1309, the Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA).
According to the ministry, the framework will deliver faster networks and less bureaucracy. It will accelerate gigabit deployment by sharing existing infrastructure and improving coordination of engineering works, reducing the need for new excavations and repeated interventions and therefore lowering installation costs.
It will simplify and digitise permitting and rights-of-way procedures through a Single Information Point bringing together information on infrastructure, planned works and processes. This is intended to improve transparency and access to information. Cross-sector coordination, dispute resolution and supervision mechanisms, alongside powers to issue detailed implementing regulations, are designed to provide a stable and secure framework for rapid digital infrastructure deployment nationwide.
Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Minister Dimitris Papastergiou said the bill, due to enter consultation shortly, marked another practical step towards improving daily life. The goal was less bureaucracy and disruption in exchange for faster, more reliable internet. Coordinating works and using existing infrastructure would end repeated interventions on the same roads, he said. The government would also upgrade the e-Dielefsis platform and create a single information point to make procedures quicker and more transparent, while investing in modern infrastructure and equal access for citizens and businesses.
A neighbourhood awaiting fibre-optic installation illustrates the change. Until now, residents might have seen the same road dug up repeatedly by different providers or for different projects. Under the proposed rules, works would be coordinated centrally and carried out together using shared infrastructure, resulting in less digging, less disruption and quicker completion.
The bill is expected to reduce installation costs through infrastructure sharing and coordination, freeing resources for further investment and job creation in the sector.
Digitising the relevant procedures is central to the transition. The existing e-Dielefsis system, already used for permitting and coordinating fibre-optic rights-of-way works through the Single Information Point, provides the foundation for the GIA framework. It will be integrated into and expanded within the information point, which will act as a central digital gateway for engineering works and infrastructure.
Through the Single Information Point:
• The e-Dielefsis platform’s functions will expand beyond fibre-optic permits to all works capable of hosting networks.
• Interoperability with other information systems and infrastructure registers will improve.
• Data on existing and planned infrastructure will be brought together.
• Coordination between public bodies and providers will be strengthened.
• Approval and implementation procedures will be accelerated.
For citizens, the intended result is faster connections at home and work, less bureaucracy and more modern digital services. As internet access becomes essential for work, education and communication, accelerating network development is increasingly important.
Consultation on the bill is expected within the coming weeks. Joint ministerial decisions are anticipated within six to 12 months, with the first coordinated projects implemented within 12 to 24 months, initially in urban areas and selected island communities.
The ministry describes the initiative as another important step in modernising Greece, with a direct, tangible impact on everyday life and broader, more equitable access to reliable digital infrastructure.
