News from the Greek market (March 2007)
- Greece, seeking to become an operational centre for investment in the wider region of Southeast Europe, the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, has seen a dynamic increase in foreign investment to 4.0 billion Euro, from January to November 2006 and in line with the new reform programme.
- A new report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) titled ‘Economic Development and Promotion of Investments in Southeast Europe’ states that Greece’s support in the accession of countries from SE Europe to the European Union creates a geo-strategic and geo-economic bridge between Greece and the rest of Europe.
- According to the EU Energy Commissioner, A. Piebalgs, Greece ranks eighth among the 25 member states in the use of alternative energy powers. Greece has shown strong interest in the development of wind energy projects expecting new investments totalling 2.5 billion Euro by 2010.
- The first meeting of the Regulatory Board of the Energy Community of SE Europe took place in Athens in December 2006 with the support of the Athens based Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) as a ‘historic event’ as Greece has played a leading role in the processes for setting up the Energy Community 14 months earlier. Representing the EC was EU official Heinz Hilbrecht, the Chairman of UK Gas and Electricity Markets Authority and representatives of the Energy Community’s 14 regulatory authorities.
- The demand for natural gas in Greece is expected to grow, as the country’s commitments regarding environmental protection have led to a need for energy efficiency and diversification of the country’s energy resources. According to the International Energy Agency, the demand for natural gas in Greece will continue to increase at a fast pace during the next decade, possibly tripling within the next seven years.
- The e-Business Forum is a permanent consultation mechanism between the State, the business sector and the academic community, aiming to establish useful measures for promoting electronic business in Greece. It functions in 48 Working Groups operating since November 2000 with more than 1,500 expert participants. Numerous events have taken place throughout the country all aiming to bring into light special issues concerning the digital economy and to sensitize businesses and consumers. To date 20 practical guides for businesses and consumers, codes of conduct as well as information leaflets have been produced and handed out to the 77 IT and Economics Departments of all Greek universities, 25 academic libraries. 70 municipal libraries, 112 commercial unions, 77 chambers of commerce, 28 General Secretaries of all ministries, journalists and trade journals.
- At SIAL 2006, one of the world’s prime international food and beverage trade fairs, 177 Greek exporters, chambers of commerce and trade organizations presented an impressive range of Greek foods and beverages that made up the Greek pavilion, the second largest at SIAL. Led by the Hellenic Export Promotion Board, the Greek pavilion focused on one central theme – that of high quality and five Greek companies walked away with an impressive number of SIAL 2006 awards. In total 99 countries with 5,256 companies exhibited at SIAL.
