REGIONAL GREECE

In March, Invest in Greece Agency hosted two events, one a mission to the Prefecture of Kastoria, and the other a workshop on Investment Incentives and Financing of Major Projects, that demonstrate the robust interest which Greece’s diplomatic community shows in learning about trade and investment opportunities    in the country. 

On March 11-14, 2009 Invest in Greece Agency led its latest Synergassia mission to Kastoria, a prefecture located in the northern Greek region of West Macedonia.
During each of the Synergassia (cooperation) program missions, commercial diplomats posted in Greece are introduced to members of the business community and government representatives from regional and local levels. This enables both the private and public sectors of the regions to directly market their projects and services to foreign government representatives, who in turn relay this information to the business communities of their countries.
The Synergassia initiative also provides the foreign diplomatic corps participants with an overview of investment opportunities for each region. While in the region, the diplomats take part in open forums with the local government and business associations, universities and representatives of the mass media, discussing and exchanging ideas related to opening and furthering bilateral business interests.
In Kastoria, participants had the opportunity to become familiar with the numerous investment and partnership opportunities in this historic region, a centre of Greece’s renowned fur industry.
The agenda featured examining opportunities in Renewable Energy Sources (RES), special forms of tourism in this area of traditional villages and unique landscapes, fur, leather and apparel, as well as food and beverages. The saffron of West Macedonia, notably of Kozani, is recognized as one of the finest in the world. Other products of Kastoria include wine, apples, wheat, and lake trout.
Synergassia undertakes business missions on a regular basis throughout regional Greece. Synergassia has led six business missions, to the regions of Western Greece, Thessaly, Central Macedonia, Epirus, Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, and North Aegean. Overall, the success rate of the missions is high. To date, 34 commercial contracts have been signed, nine foreign business missions were undertaken, and seven specialized conferences were organised. The success of these missions is largely due to the diligent planning and matchmaking of the one-on-one meetings, which form the backbone of the business agenda.

Incentives and Financing
On March 17, more than 50 diplomats attended a workshop in Athens that presented a comprehensive overview of Greece’s investment incentives, its PPP (Public-Private Partnership Scheme), and the Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship programme, designed to enhance and improve the competitiveness and the outward-looking nature of Greek enterprise and industry.

Keynote speaker was Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Thanassis Bouras, who underlined the extensive reforms that have taken place in Greece in recent years and the attractive opportunities that Greece offers to investors.

Invest in Greece Chairman of the Board & CEO Dr. Dimitrios Pazaitis outlined the current investment environment and noted that today’s fragile global environment also provides opportunities to those businesspeople who search for value. Presenting Greece’s PPP program was Mr. Leonidas Korres, Special Secretary Public Private Partnerships. Mr. Eleftherios Stavropulos, Special Secretary for Competitiveness, provided an overview of the EPAN 11 Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Progamme and Mr. John Pazartzis of Invest in Greece Agency presented an overview of the highly attractive investment incentives that Greece offers to investors.

Synergassia
Synergassia is an Invest in Greece outreach initiative that aims to:
a) familiarise ambassadors, commercial and economic attaches with the business community throughout Greece and the many opportunities for bilateral cooperation with Greece’s regions
b) reinforce the outward nature of Greek businesses
c) engage regional stakeholders to enhance their familiarisation with the international investment community, and
d) assist local stakeholders in attracting investment.