The government will focus on four priority areas – investments, exports, healthy competition and strengthening of the competitiveness of the economy, Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kostis Hatzidakis, underlined at the event The World Ahead 2025: Athens Gala Dinner organized by the Economist.
“Since we have managed to stabilize the macroeconomic figures, our attention is now turning more to microeconomic factors. In other words, we are moving, as economists say, more from the macro to the micro,” Hatzidakis explained.
In particular, he noted that, based on the overall government planning, certain key priorities will be developed in 2025, which include:
Investments:
- Improvement of the business environment.
- Access of businesses to financing by strengthening competition in the banking system and upgrading the operation of the Stock Exchange and the capital market. Also, further utilization of the loan arm of the Recovery Fund in combination with the Development Bank and the new National Investment Fund.
Exports:
- The main goal is to penetrate new promising markets such as India and China. Targeted financial tools will be used and actions to simplify and digitize customs procedures will be implemented. The provision of tax incentives targeted at specific sectors offering the potential to boost exports is also under consideration.
Competition:
- The government will continue to intervene in cases where the market is not functioning effectively. At the same time, it will examine barriers that hinder competition and operate against development.
Competitiveness:
The implementation of the new law on incentives for innovation and mergers, which are the strongest in the EU, and the shift of the NSRF, the Recovery Fund and the Development Bank to initiatives that enhance innovation will contribute to improving competitiveness. Moreover, the cost of energy will be reduced by investing in networks and strengthening human resources skills.
In the same context, the reduction of taxation is progressing in combination with the coordinated effort to combat tax evasion.
