The Chamber of Small Industries is calling for the measure to reduce utility charges (UWB) by 50%, which will take effect on July 1 for industry, is being requested by the Thessaloniki Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Industries in a letter to the Ministers of Development, Takis Theodorikakos, and the Minister of Environment & Energy, Stavros Papastavrou.
The president of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Industries, Marios Papadopoulos,states that“small and very small industrial enterprises are disproportionately affected by high energy costs, without having the financial resources or other compensation mechanisms to cope. The current approach creates a two-tier market, leaving a significant portion of the country’s productive fabric exposed, including energy-intensive small-scale manufacturing enterprises.”
What the letter states
According to the relevant announcement, the letter states: “In recent announcements by the Ministry of Development and the Ministry of Environment and Energy regarding the reduction of energy costs for businesses, mention was made, among other important and useful measures for industry, of a 50% reduction in existing public service charges, which will take effect on July 1, offering substantial financial relief to energy-intensive industrial facilities.
The reduced-rate scheme, including the reduced ETMEAR and CO2 offset as well as the reduction in public utility charges, applies to the manufacturing and heavy industry sectors. However, there are many small-scale manufacturing businesses that belong to the manufacturing sector and are energy-intensive, yet their NACE codes do not classify them as energy-intensive enterprises.
This will provide significant financial relief for small-scale manufacturing enterprises, which are burdened by exorbitant energy costs and have already endured very difficult and stressful periods due to recurring crises.”