The Memorandum of Understanding between the General Secretariat for the Aegean & Island Policy and the Center for Planning and Economic Research (KEPE) to create a mechanism for monitoring and analysis of the costs of the island’s costs of the Island Business, was signed today by the Deputy Minister of Maritime and Shipping.

From the KEPE side, the Memorandum was signed by the President and Scientific Director, Panagiotis Liagovas, while the Secretary General of the Aegean & Island Policy, Manolis Koutoulakis, the Director of Research of the KEPE, Theodoros Tsekis

This is a very important framework for cooperation, on the basis of the “national strategy for integrated maritime policy in the island area”, which comes to seal the many years of cooperation between the two bodies.

The cooperation concerns the taking of joint actions and initiatives on two axes. The first concerns the “island entrepreneurship barometer”. An emblematic initiative included in the consolidated government policy plan (ESSYP) and the YNANP’s annual action plan for 2024.

The second axis concerns the development and pilot application of the island’s price observatory, to determine the amount and the change in prices into the main categories of goods that affect the cost of operating businesses and the detection of significant prices, in selected markets of basic products between the islands and the islands. These issues are part of the OECD recommendations under the European Commission’s technical assistance program to support the reform for island.

The Deputy Minister, after welcoming the representatives of the KEPE, said that the existing cooperation between the Ministry of Maritime & Island Policy and the Research Body is very efficient and stressed that: “We are at a crucial crossroads in terms of the revision of the operations and the revision of the transportation of the business. its rationalization and its fairer performance. “

Referring to the Memorandum of Understanding, he noted: “This is an important Memorandum of Understanding, which can provide us with the knowledge, reliable recording of scientific data, as well as the evaluation of the research data we need on an annual basis in order to substantially help island entrepreneurship. After all, in the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the island has become a central government policy. “

In his turn, Mr. Liagkovas said: “The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the General Secretariat of the Aegean and Island Policy is another step in the direction of scientifically documented public policy formulation for the island area. The KEPE contributes substantially to its know -how and research experience in creating tools such as the “island barometer” and the price observatory, with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness, sustainability and innovation of island businesses. This cooperation confirms our role as a strategic partner in shaping policies that respond to the real needs of island Greece. “