Carefully calibrated, targeted measures to support small and medium-sized businesses facing energy costs, within the limits of the budget, are under consideration, Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said today at the energypress conference.
“Alongside industry, small and medium-sized businesses are also facing significant pressure. We are considering measured support in line with the approach we adopted in 2025,” the minister said.
He noted that the flexibility clause recently approved for Greece by the European Union allows investment in energy efficiency. Such investment is necessary, but is suited to calmer conditions that do not exist today.
He also said expectations of a change in the EU’s stance on fiscal flexibility were “cautious”, given the political situation in the EU.
In response to questions, Mr Papastavrou also said that:
Support measures are also being considered for renewable energy producers who incur losses when their output is curtailed during hours when there is no capacity to absorb “green” energy.
Greece supports the green transition, but says it must be pursued realistically, without overlooking social cohesion and the competitiveness of the economy.
The “Vertical Corridor” represents a major opportunity for Greece, and its success is a matter of national importance.
At the same conference, National Technical University of Athens Professor of Energy Economics Pantelis Capros said the green transition serves, over the medium to long term, the goals of energy affordability, security of supply and environmental protection.
He added that Greece had rapidly expanded its production of “green” energy, but had made less progress on energy efficiency (for which, he said, funding programmes were poorly targeted and overly bureaucratic) and electrification (heat pumps and electric mobility).
He proposed that the state prioritise reducing the cost of investment in energy efficiency and electrification, rather than providing subsidies, through guarantees and the use of third-party financing schemes.