Vasilis KARATZIAS

Vassilis Karatzias is a dedicated patient advocate and legal expert, serving as President of Rare Diseases Greece and the Hellenic Friedreich Ataxia Association. He is a Board Member of Euroataxia and Vice President of the Ethics Committee of the European Patient Forum. He has played a key role in raising awareness and promoting research for rare diseases, while organizing international conferences that foster collaboration among experts.

He holds a Law degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a Master’s in Specialized Public Law from Université de Bordeaux Montesquieu IV, and an MBA from the Hellenic Open University. With over 20 years in the Hellenic Armed Forces Legal Corps, currently at the rank of Colonel, he brings extensive expertise in legal consultancy, compliance, international law, public diplomacy, and international organizations, including more than a decade leading a NATO legal office.
For the past three years, he has served at the Greek Embassy in Paris, contributing to high-level negotiations on bilateral and European defense initiatives and major contracts.
Combining legal expertise with strong patient advocacy, he works to bridge the gap between policy and patient needs, ensuring better support and recognition for people living with rare diseases.