Bill aims to ban tattoos for teens

New legislation would make tattoos and body piercing illegal for minors under the age of 16, while more rules would be introduced for registered professionals. 

According to daily Phileleftheros, a bill sponsored by the Health Ministry was submitted to parliament on Monday aimed to regulate the registration of tattoo artists and body piercers by offering new guidelines and penalties for violators.

The new law would require written parental consent for young people aged between 16 and under 18 who may want a tattoo or body piercing, although it was not clear from the draft whether this included the more traditional ear piercings.

People who get a tattoo or have their body pierced would also be restricted in their rights as blood donors, regardless of age, with the bill calling for a nine month waiting period.

Tattoo artists and body piercers would also need to complete the age of 21 and have a clean bill of health in order to be registered professionals.

The new law would also ban professionals if they have a prior conviction, while all registered tattoo artists and body piercers must have first aid certification as well as have a diploma directly in their line of work.

The new legislation would also provide for the formation of a disciplinary council that would oversee all registered professionals, while possible violations could carry up to three years in prison and up to €5000 penalty.

The draft was originally submitted to the Legal Services back in 2012, asking for legal input before being put to a vote in the House.