issues, to increase the level of cooperation
between the IMO and the EU, believing that ship-
ping should be regulated internationally by its pro-
cedures.
Maritime trade accounts for 90% of total trade
between the EU and third countries and for 40%
of trade within the Union, and is therefore a cata-
lyst of its economy and prosperity, also ensuring
a steady flow of European imports and exports
over the world.
Greece, being a naval state by tradition, consid-
ers the shipping industry to be very important and
thus aims at ensuring the continuous operation of
maritime transport. The pillars of our shipping
strategy will be the safety of navigation, the pro-
tection of human life at sea, the protection of the
marine environment, the evolution of the maritime
career in light of the “Blue Growth” policies, and
the strengthening of employment.
The Greek presidency, taking into account the
demands of the current market economy, intends
to pay special attention to the measures and poli-
cies that will strengthen the competitiveness of
European ports and will facilitate maritime traffic.
At the same time, we are adopting policies
designed to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and
simplify administrative procedures. In general,
our vision is to fortify the competitiveness of
European shipping worldwide.
Realizing the need to create a favourable invest-
ment climate in ports, we aim at making progress
at the Council as regards the proposal for a
Regulation establishing a Framework for the
Access to the Market of Port Services and the
Financial Transparency of Ports. Given that this
proposed regulation aims at the more efficient
and sustainable operation of the Trans-European
Transport Network, through the creation of an
appropriate institutional framework for improving
the efficiency of ports, the presidency will pay
special attention to certain processes within the
Council of the European Union, such as formulat-
ing a legislative text that will help strengthen
growth, enhancing the credibility of the single
market and creating a stable environment with fair
play conditions in the ports, in cooperation with
the EU member states.
In this scope, the Greek presidency will further
seek to reach an agreement with the European
Parliament on the proposal for a Directive on
Marine Equipment and repealing the former rele-
vant directive.
The issue of illegal immigration is paramount
among our priorities. The Hellenic Coast Guard
currently supervises Greek maritime borders,
which are also the external borders of Europe. In
this context, we are taking all those steps through
a European dimension. Our goal is to develop a
common and clear European policy towards the
phenomenon of illegal immigration, emphasizing
on the role of the countries of Southern Europe
that are dealing with this phenomenon with
greater intensity.
Closing, I would like to mention the great advantage
of Greece at this moment, and especially of the new
Greek generation; a new, skilled, multilingual, well-
educated generation that understands the way the
world functions and thinks as “citizens of the world.”
This is the generation that forms our “national”
capital and, incorporates, at the same time, the
pioneers for the New Greece.
Trade with Greece
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