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πηγή
δείτε και ολόκληρο το άρθρο από το σημερινό ΒΗΜΑ

GREECE
OVERVIEW OF PROGRESS
PART I: GENERAL ASSESSMENT
1. The Greek National Reform Programme (NRP) present the policy response to the
key challenges. Notable progress has been achieved in the transposition of internal
market legislation. Greece has achieved a high earmarking of Structural Funds in
support of the Lisbon Strategy. The Structural Funds strongly support the above
priorities. However the pace of implementation of growth oriented investment
projects co-financed by the Structural Funds is slow.
2. The Greek NRP outlines a series of policies responding to the Council
recommendations and points to watch and underlines the main policy priorities for
the period 2008-2010. These include the continuation of efforts to strengthen the
financial and long-term sustainability of the economy, an increase of productivity
through the implementation of structural reforms, the improvement of the business
environment and an increase in employment participation.
3. Consultation on the NRP at the level of the central government and the main social
partners appears to be good. A specific committee for monitoring and coordinating
the NRP has been created, with the participation of all relevant services, social
partners and NGOs. Attention is put on the monitoring and evaluation of
implementation of reforms in the context of the Structural Funds.
4. In the light of the following assessment Greece should pay particular attention to the
country-specific recommendations presented in the recommendation for a Council
recommendation COM(2009)34. Alongside this, the following challenges also
remain important: one-stop-shops and start-up times, competition in professional
services, solid and water waste management, female participation in employment,
and a coherent active ageing strategy.
MACRO-ECONOMIC POLICIES
5. Greece faces a number of structural challenges potentially affecting its
competitiveness. Of particular importance is to address positive unit labour cost and
inflation differentials with the euro area that are affecting competitiveness and
widening the current account deficit. The general government deficit remains too
high and the gross level of debt remains amongst the highest in the EU. Persistent
fiscal imbalances, inflationary pressures, and worsening competitiveness largely lie
behind the mounting external imbalances, which are expected to widen further in the
medium term.
6. The Council recommended that Greece pursued fiscal consolidation and debt
reduction, and proceeded rapidly with the implementation of the pension reform,
with a view to improving long-term fiscal sustainability. The general government
deficit in 2007 was 3.5% of GDP, considerably above the budgetary target of 2.4%
of GDP. This marks an end to the fiscal consolidation that began in 2004. The
absence of an effective control of primary expenditure, along with the low quality of
the fiscal adjustment observed in recent years (which has been basically based on
revenue-enhancing measures) entails risks for the sustainability of the fiscal
adjustment. For 2008, the budget law projected a deficit target of 1.6% of GDP but
significant expenditure overruns and revenue shortfalls have meant an upward
revision of the official target deficit to 2.5% of GDP. Government gross debt, which
reached 95% of GDP in 2007, is expected to decrease only by ¾ % of GDP in 2008.
Greece has adopted important legislation to reform pensions in 2008 but the scope
and the progress in implementation have been limited and may therefore need to look
into additional measures to improve the long-term sustainability of public finances.
7. Greece was also asked to focus on the containment of inflationary pressures and the
current account deficit. Persistent high inflation in Greece is mainly associated with
the structural weaknesses of both product and labour markets. The limited impact of
measures recently taken suggests that better targeted measures are needed to improve
the functioning of product and labour markets, which should contain inflationary
pressures and address external imbalances.
8. A major reform of the budgetary process introducing a system of program-based
budgeting is gradually being implemented. Even though it is expected to contribute
positively to the transparency and efficiency of the budgetary process, it does not
tackle structural shortcomings both in terms of the preparation of the budget and its
execution including in particular expenditure control.
MICRO-ECONOMIC POLICIES
9. Greece's micro-economic priorities are to generate higher productivity growth
through addressing structural weaknesses of public administration, to reform product
markets, generate higher levels of investment in human capital and knowledge,
improve the business environment, enhance competition by further opening product
markets, and reinforce export performance and competitiveness.
10. The Council recommended Greece to modernise its public administration by building
up effective regulatory, control and enforcement capacities, and by ensuring an
effective use of Structural Funds. A specific Structural Funds Operational
Programme will support better regulation in line ministries, including the
introduction of an integrated impact assessment system and actions to reduce
administrative burdens by 25% by 2013. The strategy put in place prioritises the
improvement of the regulatory environment of business. However, the simplification
of existing legislation should receive more attention.
11. The Council also highlighted the need to focus on investment in R&D, the
transposition of internal market legislation, progress towards the 2006 Spring
European Council SME policy targets, strengthening competition in the area of
professional services and protecting the environment by prioritising effective solid
and water waste management and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. An investment
in R&D, especially from the business sector, remains low with the levels of R&D
investment as a proportion of GDP stagnating since 1999. The set-up of research
policy has been redesigned and the actions supporting innovation have been updated
for the new programming period. Their effectiveness can only be assessed in the
medium term and may also depend on the general business environment. The
implementation of internal market legislation has improved markedly. In a quest to
improve the business environment, the start-up of companies has been made easier
for limited liability corporations, but some key measures of the NRP have not yet
been implemented (for example the creation of the General Commercial Registry and
of one-stop-shops for businesses, completing sector-specific land use and planning
frameworks). There was no progress regarding competition in professional services
where regulations remain among the most restrictive in the EU. Improvements in this
area, and in other services sectors, are expected to flow from the implementation of
the Services Directive.
12. Waste management is still weak, and efforts to address this are ongoing with the
support of Structural Funds. The policy response in the past has been rather weak as
illustrated by the number of cases to the European Court of Justice. Green house gas
emissions returned to a more sustainable path in 2006 and according to new
projections Greece will meet its Kyoto target. Complex licensing procedures and
local resistance are slowing down investment in renewable energy sources. However, the energy intensity of the economy is on a downward trend and close to the EU
average.
13. Efforts to improve the energy regulatory framework continue. High-voltage retail
tariffs were liberalised in 2008 and the entry of new providers is expected shortly.
Gas market liberalisation remains incomplete. In telecommunications, 2007 was the
first year of the full application of the Community legal framework. A detailed
programme of actions for 2008-2009 should complete the liberalisation in all market
segments. Competition and lower prices have led to a fast rise in broadband
penetration, facilitated by the government's Digital Strategy initiatives. The
development of energy infrastructure, including cross-border links, is of high policy
priority and pursued with certain success. Transport infrastructure will continue to
absorb a high percentage of public investment. Particular emphasis is given to further
developing private-public partnerships for an increasing number of infrastructure
projects.
EMPLOYMENT POLICIES
14. The Greek labour market is characterized by low employment, especially for women
and older workers and a very high long term unemployment and youth
unemployment. The main challenge for Greece is to improve the labour market
participation and employability of women and various disadvantaged groups. A
further challenge is to enhance the efficiency of the labour market by better matching
people to jobs and to increase the labour market relevance of education and training.
15. Greece addresses all four flexicurity components, whilst not explicitly defining a
national pathway or outlining an integrated approach. Policy focuses on active labour
market policies and skills upgrading, although spending on active policies and
coverage remain insufficient. Implementation of educational and lifelong learning
reforms is slow and a review of labour law is needed. Social security contributions
remain high.
16. The Council recommended Greece to focus on, employment protection, the tax
burden on labour, active labour market policies and undeclared work. Although the
institutional framework for flexible forms of employment is largely in place, these
appear to be unattractive to both employers and employees. An across-the-board
review of labour law is missing. In addressing the issue of efficiency of active labour
market policies, efforts have focused on integrating services (the creation of onestop-
shops), the delivery of services at local level and the targeting of particular
groups. Greece must increase spending for active measures and establish cooperation
between public and private sector institutions. Impact evaluation of activities need to
receive greater prominence.
17. There has been some progress with regard to reducing the tax burden on labour.
Attention should now be given to lifting the burden of high social protection
contributions, particularly for the low waged. With regard to undeclared
employment, the focus was put on combating tax evasion and on avoidance. The
issue needs to be addressed more effectively including by strengthening
administrative capacity. Implementation of already announced measures merits
higher priority.
18. Greece was also recommended to accelerate the implementation of reforms on
education and training. Despite high youth educational attainment, the youth
unemployment rate remains three times higher than the average. Greece must
proceed faster with the implementation of reforms in order to improve the quality of
education at all levels and improve its labour market relevance. Key areas include
increasing public spending on education, combating the fragmented governance of
the education and training systems, increasing training opportunities for adults, and
the implementation of tertiary education reforms. The full and rapid activation of a
national system to link education and training with employment is also of
fundamental importance. The absence of a system of official recognition of nonformal
and informal learning constitutes another major shortcoming. Furthermore,
Greece should speed up the implementation of the lifelong learning framework law.
19. The Council also asked Greece to focus on encouraging female employment,
reducing early school leaving and putting in place a comprehensive support for
active ageing. Additional teaching support programmes and centres for diagnosis of
emerging needs have operated, and the number of pupils leaving school early shows
a decrease. In addition, the gender employment gap is narrowing, but boosting
employment opportunities for women still remains a great policy challenge. An array
of initiatives has been implemented, strongly supported by the European Social
Fund. The introduction of an additional mandatory year of pre-school education and
care is important but more comprehensive action is necessary to better reconcile
work and family life. The new law reforming the pension system introduces
incentives for working longer. The NRP also outlines measures to support the
employment and employability of older persons, but further action is needed in terms
of activation policies for older persons, namely to provide them with more
employment and training opportunities.
20. The establishment of a National Fund for Social Cohesion is an important policy
initiative in alleviating poverty in Greece. The fund will support those persons on
low salaries and pensions. The full activation of the fund is essential.