Article 14

Installation of signage and traffic signals

1. Any person who, under this law, has jurisdiction or authority over the matter, in respect of which public circulation is taking place, shall take all necessary measures to ensure that such public circulation does not cause danger or damage to third parties or other legal interests.

2. Vertical and horizontal road markings shall be applied only following a relevant study. The agencies responsible for preparing or approving implementation studies concerning vertical and horizontal road markings (signs and lane markings), for the installation, maintenance, and ensuring the visibility and effectiveness of such markings are either the General Secretariat for Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the departments of first- and second-level local government bodies responsible for road maintenance, or port management and operating authorities, as applicable. The competent departments of these entities are required to implement the relevant police decisions within a reasonable timeframe. The General Secretariat for Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport exercises oversight nationwide and provides guidance on traffic signage matters. If the competent authorities of the General Secretariat for Infrastructure find that signage is incomplete or incorrect, or that signage has not been properly maintained by the relevant agencies, they may require those services to take the necessary actions to install new signage, remove or replace incorrect signage, and maintain traffic signage, setting a relevant deadline for such action. If the deadline passes without action, the competent bodies of the General Secretariat of Infrastructure may take all necessary measures in lieu of these services. Such substitution includes any appropriate action for the installation, removal, replacement, and maintenance of traffic signs. The related expense shall be borne by the aforementioned services and shall be recorded in their budget as a mandatory expenditure, in accordance with the relevant provisions. The Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation may overturn decisions made by the competent agencies regarding road signage that do not comply with the technical specifications and guidelines of the General Secretariat for Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation.

3. For the installation and operation of traffic lights, which regulate vehicle and pedestrian traffic, a relevant study must first be prepared or approved by the competent department of the General Secretariat for Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation, or by the competent Directorate for Inspection and Maintenance of the Region or another competent authority, as provided by law.

4. The installation of special signage and signaling devices and the creation of special traffic layout configurations are permitted to facilitate the movement of people with disabilities. These special measures include, in particular, devices that emit audible signals, the installation of tactile markings on public traffic areas, and any other appropriate means, in accordance with the specifications of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

5. Traffic lanes may be separated through appropriate configuration and installation of equipment, subject to approval by the competent department of the General Secretariat for Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation, or by the competent Regional Directorate for Project Inspection and Maintenance, or another competentauthority designated by law.

6. The operator’s departments are responsible for the design, installation, and maintenance of all types of traffic signals, audible warning devices, or movable barriers at level crossings.

7. It is prohibited to place traffic signs or mark road markings, as well as to install traffic signals, by anyone other than the competent authorities specified above. It is prohibited to destroy, alter, move, or tamper with—or otherwise interfere in any way with—traffic signs, traffic signals, and their support systems, road markings, and traffic control or measurement devices. For the purpose of charging the relevant costs to the offenders, Article 51, concerning roadwork and the placement of materials on roads, applies mutatis mutandis.

8. It is prohibited to install any sign, poster, road marking, or device that may either cause confusion with traffic signs, road markings, or other traffic control devices, or render them less visible or effective, or cause glare for road users and, in general, distract them in a way that may adversely affect traffic safety. Signs, posters, markings, and devices installed in violation of this provision shall be removed or eliminated in accordance with the procedure set forth in paragraph 3 of Article 18 of Law 2130/1993 (A’ 62), supplementing and amending provisions regarding advertising. If the competent authorities of the General Secretariat of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport determine that the municipalities responsible for compliance have failed to exercise the powers set forth herein, they may order them to take the necessary actions to remove or eliminate the objects that have been placed illegally, setting a deadline for compliance. If the deadline passes without action, the competent authorities of the General Secretariat of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation may take all necessary actions in lieu of the municipality. Such substitution includes any appropriate action to remove or eliminate signs, posters, road markings, or devices that have been installed illegally. The related expense is borne by the municipality and is recorded in its budget as a mandatory expenditure, in accordance with the Code of Municipalities and Communities (Law 3463/2006, A’ 114). The agency responsible for removing or eliminating illegally placed signs, posters, markings, or devices, as well as the municipality, whose budget includes a mandatory expenditure for such actions taken on its behalf, may charge the relevant expense to the violators, which is collected in accordance with the Public Revenue Collection Code (Law 4878/2022, A’ 190).

9. Violation of this provision falls under Category E4 and is punishable by an administrative fine of one thousand five hundred (1,500) euros and imprisonment for up to twelve (12) months, regardless of whether the act of causing danger, damage, or harm is punishable in its own right under other provisions.