Blueprint for more exports
The increase in exports of goods and services to 60% of GDP, from 44.9% in 2023, is one of the main goals of the National Strategic Plan for Exports 2024, which was recently made public. Notably if the exports of services, i.e. tourism, are excluded, the exports of goods correspond to a much smaller percentage of GDP (22.6% in 2023, against 37.1% in the EU).
A key tool for achieving this goal is the 645 actions designed for this year with the aim of promoting exports, attracting investments, developing commercial networks and contacts, but also the further digitalization and simplification of cross-border trade procedures, a field where important steps have been taken in recent years. Notably, in this year’s national plan, emphasis is placed, beyond Greece’s traditional trade partners, on approaching new emerging markets in the regions of Southeast Asia, Central and Latin America as well as sub-Saharan Africa.
With regard to the increase in exports, the target countries in Europe are Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Turkey and the Baltic countries; in the Western Balkans Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia. In the Middle East and North Africa, the targets are Egypt, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The US and Canada, as well as Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, are the targets on the American continent. In Asia, the target countries include Vietnam, Japan, India, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand and in sub-Saharan Africa Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. Finally, Australia is also a target country.
Emphasis will be placed on medicines, aluminum and copper products, agri-food products and beverages, construction materials and paints.
In terms of attracting investment, the target countries in Europe are Bulgaria, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ukraine, Poland and Turkey; in the Western Balkans: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo; in the Middle East and North Africa: Egypt, the UAE, Jordan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia; as well as the US, Canada, India and China.
