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Trade with Greece
47
tion about trade and transactions, also capable of
processing all official actions required for the
import, export and transit of goods. The system
was scheduled to come into service in early 2012,
along with the electronic customs.
The actions and initiatives coordinated or promot-
ed by the Ministry include:
● The creation of a facility for the provision of
working capital loan guarantees, through the
European Investment Facility, by leveraging
total funds of 1 billion euros, within the year
2011.
● The joint promotion of tourism, export compa-
nies and investment opportunities by the
Greek National Tourism Organization, HEPO
and “Invest in Greece”, following the formation
of the relevant working group.
● The new Investment Incentives Law, which
provides businesses with major incentives for
export activity.
● The simplification of procedures and the aboli-
tion of administrative and bureaucratic obsta-
cles to exports.
Moreover, the Export Credit Insurance
Organization has been running the “Extroversion”
Programme – more specifically: “the programme
covers all exporting enterprises, especially SMEs,
from their very first export. It is expected to cover
at least 500 enterprises, for a duration of 12
months. The Export Credit Insurance
Organization will ensure working capital of up to
200,000 euros for 4 months. The banks that have
so far signed the framework agreement for the
'Extroversion Programme' with OAEP are:
MARFIN EGNATIA BANK, EUROBANK EFG,
ALPHA BANK and PIRAEUS BANK”. In addition,
exporters can consult SEVE and the material of
the specialized “8 steps to export” Export
Readiness Workshop that is realized by the asso-
ciation. It aims at providing those executives and
entrepreneurs that wish to export, with step-by-
step training on how to go international. The
material of this seminar has been prepared in
cooperation with other European agencies, and is
an extra tool for the further activation of busi-
nesses abroad.
It should also be noted that HEPO has embarked
on the radical revision of its role and operation,
through its new agenda, which includes: cooper-
ation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Presidency of the Greek Republic for organizing
meaningful and efficient business delegations
abroad; national participation in international
expositions in other sectors than food; expansion
in new sectors and promotion of export activities
and services; interconnection between foreign
buyers and Greek enterprises; utilization of best
The Ministry for
Development,
Competitiveness and
Shipping intends to cut
down on red tape for
exporters, through the
“single window” elec-
tronic procedure
”
“