“Our primary goal is the proper utilization of every euro of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0”, as noted by the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasisat yesterday’s board meeting of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to the announcement of the chamber, Mr. Papathanasis informed the members of the Board of Directors. of EBEA for the matters of its competences, and in particular for the management of European and national resources.

The deputy minister specifically stated: “We are at the beginning of the implementation period of the historically largest budget for development investments and reforms in Greece. Key challenges for the effective utilization of the two financial instruments, the Recovery and Resilience Fund “Greece 2.0” and the NSRF 2021-2027, are ensuring the sustainability of investments and reforms and the effective coordination of the two programs.

Our primary goal is the proper use of every euro of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0”, which includes 106 investments and 68 reforms. The first approved program for entrepreneurship in Europe “Competitiveness 2021-2027” has already been activated with the release and start of applications for two of the biggest calls of the new NSRF, the “Digital Transformation of SMEs” and the “Green Transition of SMEs of Business”, with a large participation.

The utilization of European resources in entrepreneurship does not only mean absorption, it means sustainability of investments and measurable results for the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises, in all regions”.

The president of EBEA, Sofia Kounenaki-Efraimoglouemphasized that the concentration of all support programs and financial tools in the Ministry of Finance is a structural change with a positive sign, as it creates a single point of reference for investors and businesses and allows for the staff management of all available resources.

Furthermore, he characterized as positive the fact that such a demanding project is under the responsibility of a person with great experience in matters of investment and entrepreneurship and with a deep knowledge of the real conditions in the market.

Referring to the importance of the timely and qualitative utilization of the available European and national resources, the president said that these funds create a strong bulwark against the recessionary pressures that the whole of Europe is currently experiencing and support, above all, the effort to transition to a more outward-looking, competitive economic model. For their part, Greek businesses are ready to take advantage of this opportunity. “In the new NSRF there are already over 8,300 applications amounting to 780 million euros from Small and Medium Enterprises. We also have data showing that 6 out of 10 SMEs are planning upgrade investments. And half of them target or already use resources from the Recovery Fund. I believe that the interest will increase in the next period – as confidence in the stability and prospects of the Greek economy is more and more consolidated”, said Mrs. Efraimoglou.

She then referred to the steps that the business world expects from the new government, such as the announcement of the next NSRF actions and the continuation and acceleration of the actions financed by the Recovery Fund. He particularly focused on the role of the Hellenic Development Bank, in order to address one of the biggest problems of small and medium enterprises, which is access to bank loans, stressing: “It is necessary to strengthen the flow of financing from banks to small and medium enterprises. To substantially expand the perimeter of businesses that can obtain loans on sustainable terms, in order to finance investments that will upgrade their productivity and competitiveness. We know that there is movement in this direction through Know Your Customer. Interest from the market is high and we really hope that the target of adding 60,000 bankable businesses can be achieved.” He also referred to the high expectations that exist from the actions of the Hellenic Development Investment Bank and the acceleration of Public and Private Sector Partnerships.

Regarding EBEA, Mrs. Efraimoglou emphasized that “the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry will continue to be a reliable, essential ally in this effort” and added: “We are ready to undertake even more initiatives. To make use of structures and know-how, to cooperate and support any positive intervention on the part of the State and especially your ministry. The management of community resources is a catalyst for the healthy and sustainable development of our economy. For a development with smaller inequalities, with more opportunities. Today this effort is on the right track and – I would say – in good hands. The challenge is to accelerate our pace, to ensure that the opportunities are exploited correctly, on time and with the greatest possible benefit for the place.”