 Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, visited Greece last week to outline the most effective way to use EU Regional Funds for growth in the EU's next long-term budget.
Commissioner Hahn met the 13 Governors of Greece's regions in Athens to set out where the European Commission believes the country can best concentrate its efforts in the next budget period 2014-2020 and to highlight where attention is needed to make the most of current funds. This will form a starting point for discussions on how programmes are designed and ultimately where investment is focused. Suggested specific areas for investment are those in which Greece already has a competitive advantage, such as:
- renewable energy
- energy efficiency
- tourism and culture
- agri-food processing
- aquaculture
Also discussed was the list of 181 priority projects to receive investment from the funds that are still available for this programming period. Aroound 40 projects have still to be launched. The Greek regional development ministry has appointed a coordinator to ensure that these funds are used before the programme deadline of 2015. Commissioner Hann also urged modernisation of the Greek public administration and simplification of business-related bureacracy, noting that "reforms are needed in the business environment if Greece is to create the right conditions for its companies to prosper".
Commissioner Hahn also travelled to Thessaloniki where he met members of the business community in Northern Greece to assess the impact of regional funds on the ground and discuss measures to create a more business-friendly environment.
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