The Secretariat General for International Economic Relations hosted an event on Tuesday, 9 April 2013, on the activities of the Foreign Ministry’s Economic Directorates in 2012 and activities scheduled for 2013.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas opened the event with a welcome speech, noting that the crisis the country is going through currently is an unpleasant experience for all of us, but that it is also an opportunity. Emphasizing that a country’s strength is based mainly on its economy and the dynamic enterprises that can compete on an international level, Mr. Kourkoulas stressed that the path out of the crisis cannot but pass through the mechanisms of the EU and the eurozone, and that in this context Greece will capitalize fully on the country’s upcoming EU Presidency in the first half of 2014.
Secretary General for International Economic Relations Peter Mihalos noted in his speech that the forces for internationalization of enterprises comprise two pillars: First, efforts being made abroad – all actions aimed at attracting investments, supporting exports and promoting Greek products and services – and second, efforts here in Greece, including the policy we are implementing domestically for supporting enterprises and attracting investments. Mr. Mihalos underscored the steps that have been taken to coordinate the efforts of all those involved in promoting the international activities of Greek enterprises, through the creation of a unified structure and the amalgamation of fragmented competencies.
Also presented at the meeting were the operational programmes of the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (HEPO), by the organization’s CEO, Alkiviadis Kalambokis; the founding and activities of Marketing Greece S.A., by the President of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), Andreas Andreadis; Google tools for promoting exports, by Google’s Public Policy Manager Dionysis Kolokostas; and the initiatives of Eurobank, Go International and Exportgate.gr, by Eurobank Management Consultant Rallis Spandonidis and the Head of Exportgate, Athanasios Daflos.
The event was attended by representatives of public and private agencies and export enterprises.
April 9, 2013