countries, but has been, instead, promoting qual-
ity products that incorporate innovation and
expertise. This mostly applies in the case of agri-
food products, where Greece possesses an unri-
valled comparative advantage, which rests, on
one hand on the country’s climate, and on the
other hand on their uncontested quality. Agrifood
products will, doubtlessly, continue to play a lead-
ing role in Greek exports, without this meaning
that we should downplay the dynamic presence
of other products.
It is well-known that the Greek economy is, for the
past five years, being shaken by an unprecedent-
edly fierce crisis, which affected all economic
(and other) activities. The contraction of the
domestic market, as a result of the reduction of
disposable incomes, high unemployment and the
curtailment of credit facilities, exerted severe
pressure on businesses, forcing them to resort to
overseas markets in order to ensure their mere
survival. Of course, such a shift means that these
businesses are actually capable of meeting the
high –quite often very high– standards of the
international market, in order to make sure that
their effort is not just a flash in the pan. Therefore,
it is very interesting to have a look at a survey (by
the Pan-Hellenic Exporters Association, PSE)
regarding the profiles of Greek enterprises
that
made the shift towards exports during the past
three-years.
A recent EU survey estimates that the number of
going concerns in Greece stands at approximately
860,000 (having, nonetheless, decreased by
100,000 as compared to 2007), with small and
medium-sized enterprises accounting for the vast
majority (more than 99%), producing 70% of
added value and providing 85% of total employ-
ment; however, only one-fourth of these enter-
prises is active in high-tech and knowledge-inten-
sive sectors. That said, out of the total number of
enterprises that operate in the Greek market,
12,000 (1.57%, ELSTAT data 2011) engaged in
export activities on a permanent or temporary
basis.
Thus, the relevant survey of the PSE, which is
based both on the registration of new members
with the Association, and on the registration of
exporters with Greece’s Chambers of Commerce
and Industry, shows that during the, undoubtedly
crucial, period 2010-11, 2,000 enterprises ven-
tured into overseas markets for the very first time.
Some of these enterprises were established for
this specific purpose; however, some existing and,
until then, exclusively domestic-market oriented
firms also took their chances with exports.
Moreover, this survey took into account the intent
Trade with Greece
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