“From 2019 to the present, goods exports have increased by 46%. They rose from 32 billion euros to 47 billion. Compared to the pre-crisis period, they have more than doubled both in volume and as a percentage of GDP. “For 2030, under the Five-Year Outward-Looking Plan—which includes measurable targets and specific actions—we aim to increase goods exports by 45%, reaching 70 billion euros.”
This was highlighted by Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, speaking yesterday in Thessaloniki at the general assembly of the Exporters’ Association. As he noted, the goal will be achieved by:
- By upgrading Enterprise Greece and Export Credit Greece so that they can provide comprehensive support to exporters.
- By strengthening the Economic and Commercial Affairs Offices around the world.
- By further digitizing outward-looking services.
- Through a more targeted international profile for the country and organized promotion of our national brand. India, for example, is naturally a major national target because it is a huge market.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the increase in exports was the result of the efforts of Greek companies that did not settle for an inward-looking production model but sought out new markets, invested in quality, and turned the crisis into an opportunity. “However,” he added, “I can say that we, as a government, also did our part. We created an environment that allows Greek businesses to grow and claim the place they deserve in international markets. By restoring confidence in the Greek economy, pro-investment reforms, proactive economic diplomacy, the reduction of customs bureaucracy, and support for exporting businesses—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises—through specialized financing programs.”
Specifically regarding export policy, Kostis Hatzidakis noted: “We are consistently moving forward with the implementation of the National Strategy for External Orientation, which we approved at the Government Council for Economic Policy ten months ago. As part of this strategy, the Government Committee on External Orientation has already been established and is now operational. It is an institutional body with an enhanced role, in which SEVE and other export organizations are actively participating.”
In addition to quantitative improvement, Kostis Hatzidakis also highlighted the qualitative composition of exports. “For high-tech products, the growth rate was 70%, which is much faster than the average. Alongside established sectors such as food, an increasingly diversified export base of high-tech goods is developing. Electronic products, scientific instruments, pharmaceuticals, computers, and chemicals make a significant contribution to this sector. “These figures debunk the myth that the country’s growth relies exclusively on tourism and that Greece doesn’t produce a single pin,” he noted.
Referring specifically to Northern Greece, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that it has long been one of the country’s most dynamic export regions and serves as Greece’s natural gateway to the Balkans and Southeast Europe. “The key challenge,” he said, “is to capitalize on the advantage of our geographical location so that Northern Greece can develop into a strong regional hub for trade, production, and investment. This is not a theoretical ambition. It is a goal grounded in specific projects: the expansion of Pier 6 at the Port of Thessaloniki, in conjunction with its ongoing rail connection; In the major rail and road projects being implemented in the wider region. In the redevelopment of the Thessaloniki International Fair. And, of course, in the private investments taking place across all sectors of the economy.”
“For many years, the Greek economy’s outward orientation was a vision. Today, it is a reality reflected in exports, investments, and the presence of Greek companies in international markets,” concluded Kostis Hatzidakis. “The dilemma for the coming years is whether we will continue to change for the better or whether we will revert to approaches that have been tried and have failed. We choose the path of responsibility, fiscal discipline, reforms, sound entrepreneurship, and outward-looking policies. From now on, the goal for all of society must be: for seriousness to triumph over populism. Results must take precedence over grand rhetoric. And planning must supersede improvisation. This is the greatest achievement of the past seven years, which we must protect. Greece can go even higher. And I am certain that, with cooperation between the government and the business community, with business leaders who work alongside and collaborate with their employees, through reforms and with self-confidence, it will succeed.”