ERMIAS – the Organization for the Collective Management and Rights’ Protection of Motion Pictures Producers – was founded in 1995 and was approved by the Greek Minister of Cultur in1997 and thus is lawfully functioning for 15 years.  It is the only cooperative representing Motion Pictures producers and thus its existence is necessary for the Greek Cinema.

The competent agency of the Culture Ministry for the introduction for approval, supervision and arbitration of the kindred and intellectual rights cooperatives is the Intellectual Property Organization. (I.P.O.)

The competency of ERMIAS  is collecting from importers of cassettes and DVDs a percentage from their net revenues distributing them to their members on the basis of article 18 of Law 2121/93.  Of course, the constitutional goals of ERMIAS also include the support of cultural activities, something that ERMIAS has realized in the past on many occasions : 

a) The “Mediterranean Documentary” Festival,
b) The “Opening Nights” Festival of the magazine “Cinema”, and
c) The  “European Cinema” Festival of Eleftherotypia newspaper).

Ermias has an agreement of cooperation with the Spanish organization EGEDA (click here to visit their website), which represents more than 1500 producers.