European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure GR-2022-25/2933 Updated – measures in Greece

Subsidy to replace old electric appliances

Epidotisi gia tin antikatastash palion ilektrikon siskevon (Επιδότηση για την αντικατάσταση παλιών ηλεκτρικών συσκευών

Country Greece , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 17 June 2022 – 14 July 2023
Context War in Ukraine, Green Transition, European Semester
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Support for energy bills
Author Penny Georgiadou (INE GSEE)
Measure added 19 September 2022 (updated 26 April 2024)

Background information

The Greek government, on 17 June 2022 (with the joint Ministerial Decision No 61929/864 - Government Gazette No. 3099), announced the start of the "Recycle-Switch Device" program; a programme that subsidizes the replacement of the old household electric appliances.

The program aims to promote the energy saving in the residential building sector (households) and reduce the energy costs for the average household. At the same time, the program is expected to contribute to the reduction of gas emissions and to achieve the target for a cleaner environment, to improve the balance in energy imports and to reduce the dependence from energy sources, as well as to increase the quality of the life of the citizens.

The program includes the replacement of the old energy-intensive electrical appliances with new friendly environmental and energy-efficient appliances and the recycling of the old appliances.

Content of measure

According to the program "recycle-switch device", as it set with the Decision No. 61929/864 (Government Gazette 3099 on 17 June 2022), beneficiaries are all the households. For the final selection of beneficiaries, social criteria are estimated with a special care for vulnerable households, families with a member with disabilities and large numbered families. Each household is entitled to replace up to three electrical appliances (two air conditioners and a refrigerator or fridge-freezer).

The grant/subsidy is provided through a voucher given by the Program to the beneficiary, which can be used when purchasing a new device in retail stores selling electrical appliances. The subsidy covers from 30% to 50% of the total cost (based on income criteria) and ranges from €135 to €710.

For each purchase of a new device, there is an obligation to deliver for recycling an old device that the consumer alters.

Applications were submitted from 21 June 2022 to 11 July 2022. The purchase of the new appliances initially had a deadline of 16 September 16 (which was extended until 1 November 2022). The measure is funded by the European Partnership Agreement (PA) 2014-2020 and the total cost is estimated at €148 million.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

08 May 2023

On 8 May 2023, the Ministry of Environment, with the fourth amendment (Decision No 47132/721) to the initial Ministerial Decision on 17 June 2022, extended the deadline for the completion of the programme until 14 July 2023. In addition, the total budget for the subsidy of the programme was set at €286 million

Use of measure

According to Statements by the Minister of Energy in August 2022, 879,026 applications were submitted, of which 151,450 were approved.

After the given extensions and the completion of the "Recycle – Change Appliance" programme, according to an announcement on 14 July 2023, the total beneficiaries of the programme amount to 653,772, covering approximately 74% of households that have applied for inclusion in the programme

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Single parents
Disabled
People on social benefits
People on low incomes

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
European Funds
National Recovery and Resilience Facility

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There is no involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

There are no social partner reactions to the measure.

Sources

  • 18 June 2022: JMD No 61929/864 (Government Gazette No 3099 on 17 June 2022 (www.newsit.gr)
  • 21 June 2022: Replacement of electrical appliances with a subsidy of up to 710 euro: The platform opens today (www.newmoney.gr)
  • 08 May 2023: 4η τροποποίηση Υπουργικής Απόφασης του προγράμματος Ανακυκλώνω – Αλλάζω Συσκευ (allazosyskevi.gov.gr)
  • 14 July 2023: Νέοι δικαιούχοι στο πρόγραμμα Ανακυκλώνω – Αλλάζω Συσκευ (ypodomes.com)

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Subsidy to replace old electric appliances, measure GR-2022-25/2933 (measures in Greece), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/GR-2022-25_2933.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.