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At the online workshop organised by the NTA in cooperation with the Athens Chamber of Small and Medium Sized Industries (BEA), executives and professionals from the public and private sector gained valuable insights into the relationship between SMEs and the public sector, licensing and operating procedures, available European financing tools, and the new challenges they face, especially in the post Covid - 19 era.
The event was welcomed by the Minister of Development and Investment, Mr. Adonis Georgiadis, noting that "In Greece, the public sector is a dominant part of our economy. No matter how much the private sector wants to develop and SMEs, as well as, larger enterprises want to do their work, they will at some point come into contact with the public sector or will need public sector’s assistance. Whether it is more or less friendly to them will play a dominant role in their progress, in their competitiveness, in their ultimate effectiveness. From the first day I became Minister of Development, after the Prime Minister's decision to give me this great responsibility, my primary objective was to make Greece the most investment-friendly country in Europe, which means that the public sector, the state, should not be a hindrance but a helper in their efforts to grow, to get results, to create jobs". The Minister pledged that as far as the Ministry and its own responsibilities are concerned, he would try to meet the expectations as well as to improve the legislation so that the life of SMEs becomes more pleasant and easier at least in terms of their dealings with the public sector. He went on to say that "The fight against bureaucracy and simplification of procedures contributes particularly to transparency because where there are complex procedures and there is a great need for the state, the environment for corruption is created. The simpler the procedures and the clearer the roles, the less ground there is for corruption. Consequently, together we will be able to create the Greece we dream of and give SMEs the opportunity to grow without facing the usual problems we have had all these years”.
The NTA Governor, Mr Angelos Binis, spoke about the importance of the balance between an effective audit and supervision system and the reduction of administrative burdens, noting that "The NTA ambition and the entire audit mechanisms is for citizens and businesses to see the audit institutions as a refuge or a consultant to whom they can turn when they face a difficulty or opaque practice in their interface with public bodies, so that they can deal with any difficulties or non-transparent practices. He noted that "At the NTA we have a secure channel for filing complaints and reports, which is constantly being upgraded so that citizens and businesses can safely report similar incidents without fear of being targeted. Our aim is to strengthen the trust of citizens and the business community in institutions and public administration, and to support healthy entrepreneurship especially in the post-Covid -19 era”.
During his speech, the President of the Athens Chamber of Small and Medium Sized Industries (BEA), Mr. Pavlos Ravanis, highlighted the need for the public sector to simplify and manage in a fair manner the licensing and control procedures for the establishment and development of SMEs. At the same time, Mr. Ravanis acknowledged that significant steps have been taken in this direction in recent years. At the same time, he announced that the Chamber will contribute to the campaign to inform SMEs to better comply with the laws and operate in an environment governed by rules and principles of transparency through a self-commitment framework against corruption.
The discussion was attended by the President of Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (GSEVEE) Mr. George Kavvathas who noted that "The coordinated support of the digital and green transition of Small and Micro enterprises through appropriate policies is a key prerequisite not only for the challenges that SMEs will face in the post Covid-19 era, but also for the recovery and reconstruction of the Greek economy”.
The Head of the Directorate for Coordination and Monitoring of the Regulatory Framework for the Business Environment, General Secretariat for Industry of the Ministry of Development and Investment, Mr. Dionysis Tsagris, noted that “Simplifying business licensing and safeguarding the public interest through an effective supervisory framework and digitisation of procedures, shapes a new state-business relationship based on transparent rules that promote compliance and relieve, especially small businesses, of unnecessary bureaucratic burdens. The ongoing reform to simplify the business environment in Greece will improve the competitiveness and operating environment of SMEs”.
Mr. Tasos Iosifidis Partner and Head of the Corporate Strategy and Transactions Consulting Department of EY Hellas, analyzed the criticality of the growth and transformation of Greek SMEs for the development of the national economy in the post Covid-19 reality. Among other things, he underlined that the EU Recovery and Resilience Fund and the National Plan "Greece 2.0" open a window of opportunity for SMEs, as they provide for actions to finance their growth, innovation and outward orientation. He also stressed that, for its part, Greek SMEs should adopt a new growth culture and seek to grow through partnerships and mergers, and a new business model that will respond to the demands of the new reality, digital transformation, green transition, social responsibility and transparency.
Mr. George Giagtzis, Representative of SMEs and Member of the Board of the Athens Chamber of Crafts, who noted that in order to support and strengthen SMEs and improve their competitiveness, the state must assist in solving problems related to financing, the fragmentation of entrepreneurship, the lack of technical staff, as well as the lack of transparency due to over-regulation.
During the workshop, a survey conducted by the BEA in cooperation with the NTA and processed by the company "v-NETRINO". The survey included a representative sample of the Chamber’s member companies. At the same time, there was interaction with the audience attending the workshop, who participated in a digital voting.
According to the survey:
- The vast majority of small and very small (micro) enterprises do not have access to European programmes, unlike larger capital - intensive companies, and there is a common perception that participation procedures need further simplification.
- Around 30% said they had been the victim, directly or indirectly, of a request for an improper benefit from a public official in the last three years.
- Around 50% of businesses would turn to the NTA or the Public Prosecutor if they confronted with corruption, while the rest do not trust any public authority or do not know where to report such incidents.
- Only 4% of entrepreneurs believe that the State consults them adequately on decisions that affect them.
The workshop was moderated by journalist Nikos Ipofantis.
Here is the link where you can watch the entire conference: