New rules for car first-aid kits when entering Greece: what Bulgarian drivers need to know

Greece is introducing new, stricter requirements for the contents of car first-aid kits, which affect all motor vehicles entering its territory, including cars with Bulgarian registration. The change is part of the Greek authorities' efforts to harmonize road safety rules with European standards and ensure better first aid during road accidents.

By ministerial decision, the new requirements are linked to the European standard "DIN 13164:2022" or an equivalent international ISO certificate. Initially, the idea was for the rules to become mandatory from June 18, 2026, but with a subsequent decision, their entry into force as sanctionable is postponed – in 2026 they are advisory, and from January 1, 2027, they will be mandatory for all motor vehicles (excluding two-wheeled vehicles).

According to the new regulation, every vehicle traveling in Greece must have a first-aid kit containing "at least 16 essential items" – sterile dressings and gauze, bandages of specific sizes, a triangular bandage, adhesive plasters of various sizes, sterile disposable gloves, disinfectant wipes, blunt-tipped scissors, safety foil (thermal blanket), a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation mask, and other basic supplies. Each item must have a CE mark and comply with the European regulation on medical devices.

The new rules do not stop at the contents. The first-aid kit must be stored "in an easily accessible place in the cabin", not in the deep trunk or behind locked covers, and may not contain extraneous items – documents, tools, cosmetics, etc. All medical devices in the kit must be within their expiration date, with undamaged packaging, and the car owner is responsible for monitoring their replacement – recommended at least once every two years, especially if the car is often used in hot summer conditions.

After the full entry into force of the regulation, if an inspection finds a missing first-aid kit or an incomplete/non-compliant kit, a "30 euro fine" will be imposed under the Greek Road Traffic Code. The sanction will apply to both local and foreign drivers, including tourists from Bulgaria who travel en masse to Greek resorts in the summer.

The changes affect all road motor vehicles – passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses, "with the exception of two-wheeled vehicles", for which a different regime continues to apply. The goal is for every car on Greek territory to be able to provide adequate first aid in a minor road accident until the arrival of a medical team. The authorities emphasize that old first-aid kits of unclear origin and content, bought "on promotion", will no longer be sufficient.

For Bulgarian drivers, this means that the standard first-aid kit required by our legislation does not always automatically cover Greek requirements. Many of the kits sold in our country are not certified according to "DIN 13164:2022", contain a smaller number of dressing materials, or lack some of the elements mandatory under the new ordinance, such as thermal foil or a resuscitation mask. Experts advise checking the following before traveling: the list of contents, the presence of a CE mark, and the validity of the expiration date.

The good news for the 2026 summer season is that, following public pressure and criticism from the tourism sector, Athens decided to "postpone" the strict enforcement of sanctions. Instead of June 18, 2026, the new standard will be "recommended" until the end of the year and will become fully mandatory from January 1, 2027. That is, in the summer of 2026, it is unlikely that a tourist will be fined just for missing a specific item, but in 2027, the tolerance will decrease significantly.

Despite the postponement, the Greek Ministry of Transport and the traffic police recommend that drivers do not wait until the last moment. The message is clear: the standards will not be canceled, but only time is given for adaptation – both for local drivers and foreign tourists, for whom Greece remains one of the most preferred destinations.

The practical advice for Bulgarians planning to travel by car to the Greek seaside is simple: to equip themselves with a kit according to the "DIN 13164:2022" standard or with a kit whose documentation and marking clearly indicate that it meets this or an equivalent ISO standard. This will avoid unnecessary worries during an inspection, and in the event of a real accident, they will have a full and reliable first-aid kit at hand – not just because of the fine, but above all for their own safety.