Government of Greece

Policy topics Government of Greece is active on

What Government of Greece has said (80)

• 2026-07-14 “Thank you, Thomas. Allow me to speak in Greek as well. 1st of all, I would like to congratulate the Cypress presidency and Marilena for excellent work during the semester. And I would like to wish you, Thomas, good luck, all the best for your presidency. We fully support your proverb strength with Unity, And we welcome your priorities, competitiveness, European values and security and defense of our continent. And we mostly welcome emphasis you want to give in deepening the EU market to promote the MFF in an ideal scenario. We would like to finish by the end of 20 26 so that we would have time to go on. And we welcome the initiatives on driving forward competitiveness of the EU. We also welcome your priorities on enlargement and the new pact on migration and asylum, with a better return policy. We also agree with your priority, on protecting young children, especially in this very difficult digital environment. This is something that is very important for every European family, and we completely agree with your priority. And, the emphasis on the European cultural heritage as as a part of our identity. We believe that your priorities are the bedrock on which the Greek presidency in 2027 is going to go ahead in the next day. You can count on our support and cooperation. And together with our Lithuanian partners, we're going to continue in order to achieve our priorities for this trio. Thank you very much.”
  EU political integration
• 2026-07-13 “Thank you, Martin. This is a complementary package. Actually, we need to have an autonomous protein system and livestock strategy, and these, objectives should combine, food security and strategic autonomy. Greece supports, this, direction. We need to reinforce, proteins. We need to reduce our dependence by foreign proteins, imported proteins, but all this will depend on their way of implementation. And I'd like to note 3 sections that will be very important for the success of these strategies. 1st and foremost, we need to have a very good regulatory framework that will have common objectives, but at the same time, will recognize the difference of productive models and conditions in each and every country. 2nd factor will be, financing. The success of these strategies will not be judged solely by by the goals they set. It will be also be judged by the means we have at our disposal to achieve this. And I think that we need to think about this main pillar of agriculture. It can't just be money for agriculture. We can't do everything with agriculture money. We need to find other complementary financing and investment tools, and we need to find means for biosecurity, animal diseases, innovation, growth. 3rd factor, these initiatives should not lead to more administrative burden for farmers. No objective is acceptable when we put this on the shoulders of European farmers who, especially in their farms, do face many difficult challenges. It would be a huge mistake to add further burden. So we need a competitive farming, sustainable farming and the European protein system that will reduce our dependencies and will reinforce our food security. Thank you very much for your attention.”
  Agriculture (green)
• 2026-07-13 “Thank you very much, Mr. President. Dear ministers. Greece has co-signed Italy's initiative. We believe it is necessary to maintain. Maintain adequate funding for promotion programs, since they are an important tool for the competitiveness and the extroversion of the European agri food sector. Now, in relation to the Joint Declaration for the Crisis Management, we believe that. We agree that the new cap must be more flexible and have better and more adequate tools for managing crisis. There will be accompanied by adequate EU funding, so that they do not disproportionately burden the Member states and have equal support for all producers. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• 2026-06-29 “Greece has made progress in digitizing the Public Employment Service and collaborating with the European Euro Service to provide guidance on labour mobility and the matching of workers to jobs across member states. The National Social Security Agency participates in the European Social Security Information and Data Exchange System, and their information system contributes to better monitoring of the labour market. At the same time, the use of the digital card has enhanced transparency and compliance with working hours, and the work of the Labour Inspectorate helps identify labour violations through the use of a risk analysis tool, drawing on data from a two. Greece is in a position to contribute its experience and support EU actions aimed at the secure exchange of information and closer cooperation among employment services at cross-border level, with the goal of ensuring appropriate support for the mobility of workers. Regarding the second question, modernising the coordination of social security systems requires adaptation and the response to new working conditions such as telework, self-employment and cross-border job seeking. We believe that priorities should be given to further digitising and simplifying procedures related to applicable legislation. The issuance and verification of portable documents, the exchange of information on unemployment benefits and the management of cases involving multiple jobs and telework. At the same time, it is necessary to develop uniform and effective data sharing mechanisms that will ensure the proper application of coordination rules and combat fraud and abuse. Thank you.”
  EU regulation of cross-border and posted workers
• 2026-06-29 “Thank you. Chair. Greece would like to thank the Italian delegation for bringing this initiative forward. We see value in the establishment of a European day in remembrance of the victims of accidents at work and for the protection and dignity of workers. The choice of 8th August is a powerful one. As already mentioned by our colleagues, the Marcinelle disaster claimed to 62 262 miners from across Europe, among them six Greeks. A tragedy that still resonates with our collective memory of labor mobility and its human cost. We see real value in the day, in a day that keeps workplace safety and the dignity of workers visible on the European agenda. We would welcome further reflection in due course on the precise modalities, and look forward to the Commission's assessment as the initiative is taken forward. Thank you.”
  EU rules on hazardous working conditions
• 2026-06-29 “Housing affordability is one of the most pressing social challenges across Europe, and Greece believes that addressing it requires combining supply side measures, targeting financial support, market regulation and effective governance. So turning to your first question. Our experience shows that the most effective policies are those that increase the supply of affordable housing. So programs such as Renovate and Rent and the new Housing Renovation 2026 initiative Back Home, provide substantial support for renovating vacant dwellings on the condition that they are then offered on long term rentals. We have also introduced tax incentives for long term leases, measures to curb excessive short term rentals in some areas, and reforms to the golden visa framework for students. Financial assistance is complemented by reform, by significant investment in new student accommodation. Young and middle income households benefit from subsidised housing loan programs, and overall, our experience confirms that demand side support works best when accompanied by measures that that expand housing supply. Now, turning to your second question, mobilizing public and private investment requires a stable regulatory framework and attractive financing mechanisms. Greece is developing new public private partnership models for social and affordable housing, including the use of underutilized public land, while making full use of European financing instruments. Our objective is not only to build more homes, but also to ensure their long term affordability through clear social conditions and effective governance. In this context, our National Housing Strategy, which is currently under public consultation, will further strengthen coordination, simplified administrative procedures and establish a dedicated housing policy agency. In conclusion, Chris believes that housing security can only be achieved through an integrated and long term approach, and we are all. We also see significant added value in stronger European cooperation and in making full use of EU financial instruments. Thank you.”
  EU policy on urban development
• 2026-06-29 “Putting this item on the agenda. We very much welcome the EU anti-poverty strategy. And in this context, a life cycle approach and a comprehensive approach are certainly key. Greece plays as well particular emphasis on the principles of active inclusion, combining adequate income support, access to quality and integrated social services, access to employment and activation opportunities. In this framework, the current minimum income framework constitutes a key instrument of Greece's social protection system. While effective implementation requires a strong territorial and local dimension, ensuring that national priorities are translated into accessible services capable of identifying needs at an early stage. So we do have a network of community centres, which is the main operational pillar of Greece's social inclusion system. The community centers function as local entry points, providing information, guidance, referrals and support the use of personalized assessment tools. Also such as the Social Background Integration plan, support the development of individualized intervention pathways tailored to the specific needs of beneficiaries. Preventive action remains essential in breaking the generation and transmission of poverty. Targeting interventions from early stage of life contribute to strengthening equal opportunities and social inclusion. Strengthening activation pathways is also crucial. European funding can support member states in implementing targeted active inclusion measures that combine training, skills development and employment opportunities. Improving the take up of social benefits and services should be treated as a policy objective in itself, with a particular emphasis placed on reducing barriers. To this end, we promote simplified administrative procedures and digitalization, clear and accessible information and personalized support. Integrate integrated and interoperable service delivery. Stronger coordination between social protection and employment services and local level engagement and early identification of needs. In total, improving take up contributes not only to increasing the effectiveness of social policies, but also to strengthening citizens trust in institutions and ensuring that social support reaches those entitled to receive it. Thank you.”
  Minimum income harmonisation at EU level
• 2026-06-26 “24:47 - 11:27:46): Thank you. So, moving on to, Greece follow-up. Thank you, Michael. Dear colleagues, listening to the supportive comments by most of you, if not all of you, earlier today and comparing them with the fierce public debate we had last December, 1 realizes the distance that has been covered. And therefore, want to express my sincere thanks to Michael and the secret presidency and to the commissioner and all of you for making it happen. Greece has been from day 1 a strong supporter. We've been a strong supporter because we believe not because we believe it's a perfect regulation, but because we believe that it paves the way for a stronger internal energy market, for a stronger internal energy union, which is a must. It's a must if we want to be adhering to our fiduciary duty for affordable and secure energy for our citizens. This is the way to go. Therefore, congratulations, Dan. Congratulations, Michael. And congratulations to all of us. It would have been a huge disappointment if we were to leave this room without a regulation adopted. All of us have comments to make. I have some comments to make. Yes. It's our duty. But the big picture is that this is a a good positive step towards coordinating an internal European energy market. I believe that there has been a good balance when in terms when in in terms of the coordination and the autonomy of the states. On the congestion revenues, to be absolutely sincere, we we believe that it has been watered down a bit, but it's okay. That's what the compromise should be should look like. I mean, not everybody should be happy. Very important, the inclusion of the security for the submarine cables. I would like to echo what Andres said earlier. You're right. The threats for the submarine cables and for our energy infrastructure is not it's all over Europe, and we should be very much aware that the risk of weaponizing energy is coming all over. It's not only coming from from Russia. So we should be this time very conscious about these threats. We would not like to see the 5% to be increased, but we welcome the inclusion of the category for the submarine cables. And we also welcome the reference in article 18 about derisking cross border hydrogen infrastructure on EU level as important and necessary. But overall, we are fully supportive. We were supportive from day 1, and we hope that this moves fast. It's important for the European citizen. Thank you. Thank you, Stavros. So moving to Italy followed by The Netherlands and then Poland. Thank”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• 2026-06-26 “32:52 - 10:34:13): Thank you. So Greece, Bulgaria followed by Malta. Thank you, Michael, and thanks the to the secret presidency for, making this a more balanced text that I think, by the comments that the colleagues have made, reflects the progress that, you managed to succeed. I will be very, very brief. We support the general approach. We support simplification. We support accelerating the permitting process. We echo many of the comments that the colleagues have made. Europe should speed up. It's an existential race for us. On the other hand, I want to be very clear. I echo also what some of our colleagues said in terms of the sensitive balance with the environment that Sarah expressed, in particular, in the dimension of the water. So for those of us that we are supportive and positive on the directive, that doesn't mean that we are not conscious of some of the concerns that colleagues have raised, but we believe that the overall balance is nevertheless overwhelmingly positive, and that's the reason why we support the directive. Thank you. Christos Tavro, Bulgaria followed by Malta followed by Luxembourg. Thank”
  EU policy on permitting for renewable energy projects
• 2026-06-26 “57:15 - 11:58:50): You. So Thank you, Michael. I would also like to be very direct. We support the document presented by the Czech Republic in Slovakia. I want to say that, I don't want to add, to the arguments in favor. I just want to highlight that, when we voted, last March, the this the Repower EU, we recognized that some member states are disproportionately affected by our decision. And if I remember correctly, Slovakia is the country that is, if not the most dis dis disproportionately affected, 1 of the. So I think we need to give the flexibility, and I support the proposal to the countries that they do get the impact of our decision because we need to stop the Russian gas. There is indeed legal and regulatory uncertainty. The proposal of the commission is going to the right direction, but still no 1 is certain that it will address the concerns of the market. And, therefore, I strongly support the, postponement of the 3 years. Especially, we need to be more clear on the 3rd party verification. And I believe that, due to the importance that the energy security has to the national security that in all of our countries, I think this is a measure that I would ask you, to support. Thank you. Thank you, Savros. So, Romanias.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• 2026-06-25 “Yes. Thank you chair. I see that the protection of nature is crucial to the economy. So nature services not only support the economy but guarantee sustainability and long term growth. So having said that, we think that the main relevant tools are nature based solutions and nature credits. When it comes to the to the first one, the nature based solutions. May I say that their incorporation in key intergovernmental agreements and national provisions will help safeguarding ecosystems from damages caused by human activities. Well, when it comes to nature credits, I think companies will benefit from them and the environment as well. Financial institutions will also benefit from such credits as they would be securing loans through that. So in so in a nutshell, for a country like Greece, where the economy relies heavily on tourism and agriculture, Nature service will help hopefully be instrumental in our path to sustainable growth. Now, if I turn briefly to your second question on the enabling framework, may I say that? Well, we see there is a number of possible helping or factors. One would be the establishment of legal framework which promotes nature based solution. This is essential to enable the private sector investment in nature, scientific methods concerning nature based solutions, and nature credits, which are clear and well established companies that promote nature based solutions, which also may be boosted by an incentive based system. And in total, the alignment of environmental policies, in our view, is crucial so that private sector in Europe remains competitive while tackling as well biodiversity loss. Thank you.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• 2026-06-25 “Yes. Thank you. Thank you chair. Modernizing and simplifying rates in a practical way while strengthening its performance. Its enforcement are key to a number of of our current issues. Now the modernization simplification of rates can be achieved, at least in part, by updating technical requirements, including the data that companies are required to submit and the methods used to assess the safety of chemical substances. So in this context, we would propose a more proportionate application of data submission requirements under the registration process, particularly for low risk substances or substances with an already well established hazard profile. At the same the same time, we would propose further improvements in the digitalisation of registration and dossier update processes, as well as the introduction of new approach methodologies. The names, such as in vitro testing and in silico methods, including predictive models for hazard assessment. In that way, we could have reliable results and improve the efficiency of chemical substance assessments and reduce the need for data generated through animal testing. Now, when it comes to compliance, this could be combined, could be reinforced by a combination of legislative and legislative matters. From a legislative perspective, we propose the establishment of harmonised standards for the official control system of reach, ensuring a consistent level of inspections, controls and compliance monitoring. In addition, in addition, controls on imported chemical products should be further strengthened with particular attention to article sold online and from a legislative perspective, we would propose strengthened compliance checks carried out by Echa and the national enforcement authorities, and the use of digital tools could be of substance in this. Finally, strengthening the capacities and skills required for effective enforcement through training of Member States, inspectors and companies personnel is essential. Increasing transparency regarding compliance related data and improving communication throughout the whole supply chain can further contribute to more effective implementation. Thank you.”
  Use of animal testing
• 2026-06-25 “Yes. Thank you very much. Thank you for putting this item on the agenda. We support the objectives of the Water Resilience strategy. And Greece has already taken proactive measures in its water sector, aiming at reducing water losses and digitizing supply networks, utilizing available EU funds. And it's important to keep the availability of relevant EU funds. In the longer term, a regulatory certainty should be provided clarifying the roles and responsibilities of policy makers, regulators and utilities. And there are maybe good practices there, such as the Collaboratory Collaborative, sorry River basin governance model. And then another major challenge for the water sector will be how to generate enough revenues to maintain, upgrade and operate infrastructure while keeping it water affordable. It's a very essential good. And a further challenge is the establishment of a common methodology in the EU in order to estimate the 10% increase in water efficiency. And there. I think it may be worth discussing at some stage whether we should have some more granularity when it comes to this 10% target with different subsectors, whether we and how we can include a tourist industry efficiency in the efficiency equation. And how do we calculate the desired increase of efficiency in agriculture. Finally, we note another challenge would be the implementation of the nature based solutions in the water sector. Then if I turn to your second question may I say that we're doing efforts to integrate remote sensing and other digital methodologies, especially in cross-border and regional monitoring with our neighbors, including our neighbor Bulgaria, present here. And we plan to on developing a centralized water management data portal, which will consolidate all available data. Then if, if I may digitalization will be key with an emphasis on smart meters, digital twins, and remote sensing. And finally, just a brief word on funding to unlock private investment. We need to overcome fragmented markets and unclear return profiles. Their blended finance, de-risking and green bonds could be of particular help. Thank you.”
  EU policy on water management
• 2026-06-25 “Yes. Thank you chair, and thanks to Spain and Sarah for raising the issue of the future of life for us. As for most partners speaking before us, it is essential to ensure that the future EU financial architecture does not undermine the visibility, autonomy, adequate funding and effectiveness of life. Thank you.”
  EU political integration
• 2026-06-25 “Yes. Thank you chair. Let me start with a word of appreciation for all the constructive efforts and the work done by the presidency on this file. But our part. We are strongly committed to decarbonisation while preserving the competitiveness of the European industry. What this means is that we must be more ambitious, where decarbonisation technological solutions exist, and more prudent where more time is needed to mature, economically viable solutions. So one size does not fit all different sectors of the economy. But in this particular sector. Road transport Europe does have a competitive advantage as technological solutions for rapid decarbonisation exist. So let me say, of course, that this is not quite the case in some other transport sectors. So Greece supports the continuation of electrification and decarbonisation pathway for road transport, as especially as the recent geopolitical and energy crisis has highlighted, the need to reduce the union's dependence on imported fossil fuel and to strengthen its energy security. In this context, an excessive relaxation of the existing CO2 targets would neither contribute to reducing air pollution nor support the achievement of the union's climate neutrality objectives. So the framework could the framework negotiated could also help, and should also even help strengthen the competitiveness of the European automotive sector, providing greater predictability for manufacturers in the context of rapid technological change and increasing global competition. Additionally, ensuring transparency and environmental integrity and simple regulatory framework will be key to maintaining credibility and effectiveness of the CO2 standards. Let me also underline the importance of developing the necessary enabling conditions, including charging infrastructure, improved consumer access to affordable zero emission vehicles, and the strengthening of the European industrial base in particular when it comes to low carbon materials and metals. Thank you.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2026-06-22 “For us. We need to have the same rules. We need to have the same responsibility in these same seas. Lastly, I would I would like to underline that Greece is at the forefront of European and international efforts to protect the seas. Our Prime Minister at the Our Ocean Conference in Athens and during the third United Nations Ocean Conference in nice, announced that we will be establishing two major marine protected areas in the Aegean and in the Ionian Seas. This is a very conscious investment in the future of our seas and our coastal communities. Dear colleagues. Transitioning towards a more sustainable fishing model will only be successful if our fishers, our European fishers, feel that they are part of the solution. Europe needs healthy stocks, but it also needs vibrant, alive fishing communities. Thank you very much.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you very much to the Commissioner for this information. I would like to confirm that Greece is firmly committed to the objectives of the Med Fish Forever Declaration. For us, small scale coastal fishing is a part of our identity. It is a part of our reality. It's a part of our social and economic reality. At the same time, the experience of the last decades has shown that sustainable management of stocks in the Mediterranean can only be achieved through regional cooperation. All the countries involved in the region. In other words, and we did this with Cyprus. We hosted the Gfcm, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean in on the island of Rhodes recently, and we can see that there is being a lot done on the debate for the next made Fish Forever declaration. And we look forward to having you at the ministerial conference on the 10th anniversary of the Malta Declaration in Greece in 2027, which will contribute to shaping our common vision for the future of the Mediterranean. Thank you.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to continue with this debate, which we started in Cyprus. As for the first question, I believe that the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy are extremely relevant, but I think we need to relook at the tools that we have today, and whether they are sufficiently adapted to the The realities faced by our fishers and administrations. I believe that simplification must be. And a policy that is more understandable, that has no or less administrative burdens is very, very important. Let me reiterate what I stated already earlier today, and that is, scientific knowledge must accompany our decisions. But at the same time, the social and economic dimensions of sustainability must also be taken into account, because without both of these elements, we will not be able to maintain our coastal communities alive. As for the second question, I think that we need to understand that we're living in a very different world compared to 2013. Climate change, energy transition, food security, the need to attract young people to the sector. All of these require a fresh look, a more integrated and strategic approach. And I think this has to do with both fisheries and aquaculture. It's not just about looking at an economic sector per se. It's looking at Europe's ability as a whole to produce quality food, strengthen the resilience of local economies, and sustainably exploit its comparative advantages so that we can become stronger. And lastly, let me reiterate once again what I stated earlier today, and that is that there is a need for a level playing field. European fisheries operate under a rather demanding regulatory framework. They have to bear significant adaptation costs. Therefore, we need to help them. Sure of the fact that those who are doing this activity, those who are working in the seas, will have the same responsibility as we do and will play by the same rules. Thank you very much.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-06-22 “I would like to thank Aloise for highlighting this important issue. Greece fully supports the need for effective controls. We want to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. However, these new obligations need to be implementable. They must not create a disproportionate administrative burden and when applied, or rather with the application of the catch system, we can see that there are some practical difficulties which highlights the importance of, as you were saying early earlier, of simplification, the interoperability of systems and the simplification of these systems. That's why we also call upon the Commission to continue with its efforts to improve the implementation framework, so that these objectives can be combined with the competitiveness and with the functionality of the European fisheries sector. Thank you very much.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Welcome to our new colleagues from our neighbor Bulgaria, from Slovenia, and from, excuse me, from Latvia. I think this is a good and important document. It is a defining document for the future of European fisheries. The Cyprus presidency has on this dossier done an excellent job. I think we have before us a compromise text which is balanced and which takes into account the different priorities and concerns of the member states. We do believe that it is very positive that the text refers to the key areas in terms of support such as data collection, the control mechanisms, but also the improvements that have to do with proportionality and the clarity of the provisions. At the same time, it clearly states that our priorities to support the CFP and fisheries at large will address serious concerns for my country, for example, such as safety, energy transition and, of course, generation renewal. We therefore believe in general that this is a balanced text. It is a realistic basis for us to continue our negotiations. We believe that we achieved much progress. We have clarified key issues and now we have to reach the finish line. And I have now no doubt whatsoever that we will succeed. Thank you very much.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you very much. Greece welcomes the agreement reached on plant reproductive material. We believe that, uh, it is a suitable answer at a time of increased climate and production challenges. Now, with regards to the protection of animals during transport, we support the effort that was made to modernize the regulatory framework. However. The new rules need to take into account the realities of Member States, in particular For us. The needs of island regions need to be taken into account so that animal welfare and enhancing animal welfare goes hand in hand with the sustainability of livestock production and the geographic specificities of our country. Because I know Oliver very well, I know that he understands 100% these idiosyncrasies, and he will tackle them as such. Thank you.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• 2026-06-22 “Thank you, dear Minister, Madam Chair, Commissioner, first of all, for us, protecting the seas is not just an environmental obligation. It is necessary. It is a condition to the protection of our blue economy and of our coastal communities. Greek fisheries is the founding pillar of our coastlines, of our seas, and that is why environmental goals and conserving, preserving stocks need to converge with the support of people and communities that live along these coasts. I'd like to share some points which I deem to which I deem a priority. Firstly, we are dedicated to ensuring that the measures are based on science, on scientific knowledge, and on data. However, we are seeing that in the Mediterranean Sea basins, very often the assessment of shared stocks is not always based on reliable and complete data from all the users of these resources. This needs to be improved. Another point the success of the CFP requires a level playing field. It is not fair, and it is not sustainable that European Union fishers should bear the brunt of the fuel prices, of the management constraints and obligations when the stocks, the very stocks are being exploited by third country fleets which do not apply the same standards, which do not contribute to the collection and exchange of data, and do not play by the same rule book.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-06-16 “This would better support competitiveness, cohesion, agriculture and external action while facilitating discussions with the European Parliament. Greece can support the presidency's efforts towards partial general approaches on the three regulations. That being said, when it comes to the next steps for the end piece, it is essential to implement additional safeguards to ensure predictability and balanced conditionality on pillar two and the European Competitiveness Fund. Excellence must remain the guiding principle, while geographical inclusiveness and SME participation should be strengthened. The crucial role of the Connecting Europe facility should be reflected in the relevant allocations. We also support broadening implementing partners under investigation while preserving the special role of the EIB group regarding global Europe. We favor dedicated allocations for enlargement, stronger safeguards for the geographical pillars, particularly the southern neighbourhood and Western Balkans, and a balanced approach between the eastern and southern dimensions. We welcome the indicative migration target and support close council involvement in the governance of support to Ukraine. Finally, we remain open to common financing instruments where clear European added value exists. Reiterate the importance of a genuine 360 degree approach to external borders, and underline the need for serious discussions on new own resources to ensure that the union's ambitions are matched by adequate and fair financing. Thank you.”
  EU industrial funding (mechanism level: EU-pooled vs nationally-financed) · Own EU resources
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you, Marigelena. 1st of all, I would like to sincerely thank my colleagues from Ireland and Lithuania, Thomas and Sigitas, as well as their teams for their excellent cooperative spirit throughout the process of preparing our 18 month program. I'm happy that this exercise ran very smoothly and that we've, we jointly succeeded in reaching a very good result, which has been presented by Thomas. I would like to also extend my appreciation secretariat for their support and assistance. Ireland, Lithuania, and Greece espouse the same values. We share similar value systems, and we all 3 strive to achieve peace, stability, and security, and progress for our union. Our trio program, which is based on the 3 pillars that Thomas mentioned, reflect our steadfast support towards a rules based global order in respect of international law and safeguarding key principles, including the availability of borders and the respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations in line with the UN Charter. Before I close, I would like to take a moment to say goodbye to the general affairs council. Thank you for your nice words, Thomas. As I move into a different spectrum of duties within the minister of foreign affairs, another colleague of mine, a younger a politician of the younger generation is going to take over, the day to day running of the Greek presidency. He will be responsible about the Greek presidency. And although I will still be involved in certain files that have to do with our common worker, he will represent Greece in Gaka. He's a close friend of mine. He's a very efficient and nice person, and I hope you extend to him all the love and support you have extended to me in the last 3 years. Thank you all. I think I have created close bonds of friendship with most of you. I will always remember my participation here, and good luck to Ireland and Lithuania in the next 1 year. Thank you.”
  EU political integration
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you, Marilyn. And again, many thanks to the Cypriot presidency, yourself and your team for all the efforts to come to a platform on which we can all work. Uh, of course, um, as I said before in my statement, a lot of work needs to be done. But Greece stands ready to support the presidency's efforts towards partial general approach on the three regulations. Um, in my previous statement, as well as in corporate, we have spoken about specific improvements that we consider necessary in its regulations, including, for example, the visibility of the Western Balkans in global Europe, inclusiveness and SME participation in ESF and safeguards to ensure predictability under the peace. Um, I'll stop here and we'll I'm looking forward to further discussion on these issues. Thank you.”
  EU relations with Western Balkans
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you Marilena. First of all, I would like to thank the Cypriot presidency for its tireless efforts in navigating this difficult exercise. We appreciate the good faith attempt to reconcile divergent positions and identify a possible landing zone. Tangible, tangible progress has been made and the whole discussion can move in the in the forward based on what the Cypriot presidency proposed. Nevertheless, more work has to be done, and in this regard, Greece would like to make the following points. Our primary concern relates to the overall size of the budget. While we understand the effort to accommodate those seeking deeper deductions, the union requires a financial framework commensurate with the challenges it faces. We welcome the additional support for sin for member states below 90% of the EU average GNI per capita. However, greater transparency regarding the allocation methodology remains essential. We also support the increased flexibility of the EU facility, but regret the proposed reductions in its size. Regarding the link between financing reforms and the European Semester, Greece supports a performance based approach. However, this connection must be carefully calibrated to preserve funding predictability and ensure effective implementation. We remain concerned by the reductions under chapters two and three. A more sustainable solution would be to revisit the Commission's original proposal on the overall size of the MFF.”
  Size of EU budget
• “Dear president, Greece considers organic farming to be a key pillar of European agricultural policy, both for the sustainability of production and for strengthening consumer confidence. Regulation 2018 848 was an important step towards modernization and is now in its third year of implementation. This experience shows that the current framework is robust, but it also appears that some targeted adjustments are necessary in order to avoid unnecessary administrative burden and increased costs, especially for smaller businesses, without compromising the high standards of organic production. Well. Thus Greece welcomes the proposal to amend the regulation. The proposed changes are aimed at strengthening and facilitating implementation in practice while maintaining the objectives, principles and credibility of the system. We consider the provisions that reduce the administrative burden on processing and storage facilities to be particularly important, as well as the adjustments concerning small businesses and their participation in producer groups. These are interventions that strengthens the functionality of the regulation and support the development of the sector in practice. With regard to trade with third countries, Greece has no objection to the proposed provision and recognizes the importance of legal certainty and the smooth continuity of trade in organic products in this context. The relevant provisions of the proposals are moving in a direction that ensures market stability during the transition period. At the same time, adjustments to the labelling rules the conjunction with the relevant case law enhance clarity for consumers and this is a political priority for us. In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, Greece has no objection in principle to the proposed framework of amendments, and is participating constructively in the discussion. We consider it important to proceed with realism and consistency, so that the necessary adjustments can enter into force in 2026 for the benefit of producers, businesses and consumers in the European Union. Thank you very much for your attention.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you very much. President, Commissioner and colleagues. Consumer protection and transparency in the food sector is a very important need for the European Union. But those principles are endangered today because there are more and more vegetable origin products on the market. Which are which seem to be and are often advertised as being meat products. That's not just deceptive, but it is deliberately deceptive. It under minds the right of consumers to know what they're buying and to know what they're eating in a clear way and not with impressions. There's a clear solution. We need a clear, binding European protection of traditional names for products of animal origin, not only for accuracy of information, but also for the institutional cohesion of the European market, is a question of transparency and respect for consumers. Thank you.”
  Food labelling harmonisation at EU level
• “Thank you. Chairman. We support what's in the document and would like to thank Germany for the initiative. For the initiative? The rules for the organic producers. Well, that's a sector that's certainly deserving of our support. They certainly do contribute to the green transition and more sustainable agriculture. They also contribute to bringing about environmental and climate targets. So we need to have a workable, simple system. This is a priority for our policy. It certainly should be. We need to lighten the burden so that producers can focus more on their main activity. And then hopefully we will have more organic farmers too. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you very much, chairman. Greece fully agrees with this document. Of course we do, because we signed it. I'm sure you're acquainted with our position, but I would like to spell a few things out. Grace supports policies to reduce emissions in the transport sector, and there is a need to harmonise legislation to adapt it to the. At international level, in terms of maritime transport, that is the way to guarantee competitiveness of European maritime transport. And we support the procedure which has been set up by the International Maritime Organisation, which is to take mid-term and long term measures looking to 2030, in order to reduce greenhouse gases emitted by ships. Of course, there is a need to comply with the with the Green Deal and to take measures. Under directive 959. 2003. So we do hope that measures can be adopted to.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Establish fair commercial conditions so that they do not have to sell below cost financing, public investment and leveraging private capital. To this end, we need clear commitments from the union. A clear framework and a timetable to support farmers income from new resources, in addition to Cap funding, which should itself remain strong. Now, in response to your third question, a strong framework promoting innovation in the agri food sector is important. This can be done through a new model for agri food, enhanced funding, simplified access to new technologies, simplifying regulation for introducing new solutions, education and training. Developing skills. Knowledge transfer by using the ArcGIS framework, which should be a central pillar of the overall effort, and through international cooperation on the competitiveness of the European agri food sector. The Commission's vision is a good basis, But if we want it to be truly effective, we need to ensure funding and more targeted, dynamic policies to address the structural weaknesses of the European agricultural sector. And any success will depend on the Union's willingness to effectively support the primary sector by strengthening its productivity and resilience to challenges. Thank you very much.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you very much. President. Greece shares the concerns on the need to harmonise production standards between the European market and third country markets, particularly with respect to pesticides on imported food. It is necessary now to for us to reform European legislation to close the gaps which allow products to come into Europe, which include substances which are banned here. This asymmetry endangers health as well as the environment and creates unfair competition. Therefore, we think that we should have a legal framework which will discourage the use of substances in the European market, which is dangerous for human health. We must not reward lower production standards from other countries. Thank you.”
  Pesticides & trade
• “Thank you Michael. Dear friends, we are meeting at a time of a crisis, and I think the European citizens are looking to our meeting and to the meetings of this week of the EU Council for a direction and common response to the challenges we are facing. And in that sense, we are fully supportive, and we welcome what the Commission has presented to us. With all due respect to my esteemed colleague from Sweden. Ultimatums is not the way to operate right now. Together, standing united, we can react stronger to a crisis that is evolving. And let me say something. There is an elephant in the room for the European project. And that is the wholesale electricity disparities. If you don't see it, we do. And we used to be two years ago, among the countries of the South Eastern Europe that had doubled the price of the rest of Europe. There was a wall, there was a wall, an electrical price wall, and that divided us. And that was far more than economic. That challenged the cohesion of the European project. Greece. The first ten days of March 2026 has the sixth lowest wholesale electricity price. But that doesn't mean that we forgot the challenge that we had two years ago. Even more now. We need to react. And when people are speaking about a common European EU strategy scenario, this is not something that's going to be imposed by the commission. This is going to be a creation of all our member states.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Thank you, President. Dear colleagues, there is no doubt that the union's farmers are currently facing many different adversities. This happens in Greece as well. We have forest fires that great adversity for many of our citizens [00:21:00] throughout Greece. Extreme weather conditions, prolonged drought, high input and energy costs, but also serious disruptions in trade, in agri food products and in the supply of raw materials due to the war in Ukraine. Consequently, we agree with the concerns of the joint documents initiated by Romania. Providing flexibility to farmers at this time is a key factor in their survival. We believe that the proposal to derogate from the applications of Standard seven and eight of garlic [00:21:30] for 2024 as well can help, while at the same time it will not significantly affect the environmental objective of conditionality. The European family must further react to the. What nature sets in store for us. Many aggressive events. So we really need to speed up our reaction. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you very much. Greece endorses the Danish initiative on digital tools. We firmly believe that the development and interoperability of these tools will foster, I would say, a more seamless environment and have a profoundly positive impact on the single market. In Greece, we are already implementing a digital labor card tool. Workers scan a unique QR code when they start working and when they finish working, and they do so in order to accurately record the working time. This policy not only simplifies employment verification processes, but it also ensures greater transparency and fairness in the labor market. Let me add that since the implementation of this measure, we have seen declared over time to have drastically increased. So we call on the European Commission to actively further explore the integration of digital solutions in order to streamline. Streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and further facilitate the free and fair movement of workers within the EU. Thank you very much.”
  Interoperability requirements for digital platforms
• “Thank you very much, Lars. Dear Commissioner, I really want to thank you for this document. Uh, Greece feels that this is a major breakthrough. I think this is one of the most important documents we have received from the commission in recent years. I note five key elements that stand out for Greece. One is the inclusion of a central EU scenario. Uh, we've been advocating for this for a long time. The need to look at resource endowments across the EU to connect hydro in one place, nuclear in another, solar, offshore wind, whatever resources countries have and see how they can all be brought together. Uh, the second is the gap filling process. We know where the bottlenecks are. But sometimes the bottlenecks shift as our systems shift. So it's really important to be able to identify them and also to leverage all the resources we have, economic but also political, in order to resolve these bottlenecks. The third thing that is really important is emphasizing the better use of the existing system. This is also a topic that Greece has been very passionate about. I think it's very important to to build more, but it is equally important to use what we have better. And I think there the work that Acer has done, looking at both the technological fixes like dynamic light rating and other things, but also the regulatory approach that we have to enforce the rules that we have agreed on to ensure the free flow of electrons across the EU.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank you, Stephanie, and thank you to the Danish presidency for including this pertinent issue in the agenda. I wish you the best of luck for the next six months. It's an issue that we have been supporting, supportive of from the outset, from the beginning, since especially in this current geopolitical environment, we need to further boost our monetary sovereignty. And in this regard, we see that in front of us we have one threat and five opportunities vis a vis the digital euro. Because at the end of the day, it's not solely a technological discussion, it's a strategic discussion. The threat, bluntly put, is not to do it fast enough. There is an opportunity cost of time here because the digitalization of payments, the digitalization of our monetary system will happen. It needs to happen fast enough. And this is why we're fully supportive of setting an objective for reaching an agreement on the package by the end of this year. We believe that the technical discussions can be completed by then. Now, the five Opportunities, in my view, are self-evident. The first one is the further digitization of payments. I agree with many colleagues who spoke before that digital payments should not completely act as an alternative. They should be a they should complement a cash. They should not fully replace it. But at the same time, the benefits of the digitization of payments are self-evident in many countries that are certainly evident in mind. Because if you looked at the status of tax evasion, for instance, in Greece ten years ago, and you look at it today, it's because of digital payments that we managed to have a primary budget surplus of 4.8% and of capturing two thirds of the VAT gap.”
  Digital euro
• “Thank you, President. First of all, allow me to congratulate and wish the new commissioner a success in his duties. Apostolos. All the best on your new adventure. My country supports all efforts towards the improvement of road safety. While Greece has made strides in reducing fatalities, there is still work to be done. Although the number of fatalities in Greece has decreased more than the EU average by more than 50% over the last decade. Yet Greece still ranks seventh out of 27 EU countries in terms of the highest number of fatalities per million inhabitants. The current legislative proposal is moving in the right direction. In our case, successful implementation involves strong cooperation and enforcement by regional authorities. Therefore, it is crucial that Member States and the European Commission cooperate closely to ensure its effective application. Digital tools such as the EU Driving Licence Network should be further improved and utilised extensively. Enhancing these tools will not only streamline processes, but also ensure better coordination and enforcement across all Member States, together with a unified approach and the right technological support. We can significantly enhance road safety and protect our citizens. But is it enough? The answer is definitely no. I will not focus on investments in road infrastructure as this has been discussed many times before. If the European Commission wants to be the game changer for EU countries, then it needs to focus more on prevention via changing the driver behaviour and using as tools a lifelong education and training on road safety matters, as well as awareness campaigns. Thank you.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “Thank you very much, chair. And also many thanks to Austria for its initiative and our collaboration, as well as the other countries on this very, very serious issue which is of interest to all European citizens. Now, we do have grave concerns as concerns the unjustified which basically fragment the single market and increase prices for our consumers and certainly do water down competition. So we do agree with the intention of the commission to tackle this issue. But we do think that our time programme to 2026 doesn't really correspond to the crucial nature of the problem. We would like to ask the Commission, therefore, to work faster and to apply just competition rules and to work closely with national authorities, we need to have also legislative intervention. This is the whole point of the Prime Minister's letter to Commission Ursula von der Leyen last year, because that would mean that we were going to be able to, as a European Union, tackle decisively this issue to make sure that our, our citizens and our businesses also do have the full advantages of a single market. Thank you.”
  "Buy European" provisions
• “Thank you. President. First of all, let me thank the presidency for the work done on this file, this sensitive file, despite the fact that the current compromise text moves to the right direction as it preserves the maximum height and axle load. There is space for improvements. Were particularly conscious about the requirements for introducing new EMS systems under article four, and the time frame for introducing the one stop shop in the same context, the permit system introduced under article four A needs more elaboration for reasons of clarity. Finally, this file has interlinkages with the proposal for a revision of the Combined Transport Directive. Thus, we should examine them in parallel. Thank you.”
  EU transport infrastructure integration
• “Thank you, thank you Magnus Greece is a maritime and island nation with 20,000km of coastline. That depends on the scale that you use. But okay, pretty much 20,000km. So whatever has to do with seas is extremely important for us. We have recently declared two very large marine parks. We are very proud of them. But we there see all the challenges that, uh, We have to face in order to have a proper measures to improve good environmental status and implement those measures. So there are elements in the common EU policy that are missing. Sometimes common fisheries policy does not add up with marine protection. Um, also policies that have to do with Common Agricultural policy, uh, because of all the nutrients, uh, sometimes malfunctions of wastewater treatment plants again create nutrients. We have the challenge of plastic pollution coming from, uh, from the land. And we have also tourism and yachting, uh, regulations that sometimes do not contribute to the preservation of Posidonia, for example, or, uh, even to, to avoid having excess nutrients into, To into the sea. So these are big challenges. But a key instrument in that is to engage local societies in developing and participating in these marine protection endeavors and make them agents of of the improvement that this is needed. As regards Marine Strategy Framework Directive, we have a very specific suggestion to make. Uh, I've been around for many years in the in the Environment Council, and I recall that the problem with the Marine Strategy Directive since its inception was that the scale, the geographical scale is very large. So we need to explain to the Greek citizens that the Aegean Sea needs to be saved. But, you know, in the common understanding, it's already in a in a fine state. So not much is needed. But if you take it at a smaller geographical Scale, then it becomes more tangible and the average citizen, the average politician, can understand what you are aiming at. So I think the issue of geographical scale is very important in order to have meaningful measures and meaningful results. Thank you very much.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “Thank you, Max, and the dilemmas behind this discussion of the Savings and Investment union seem to be recurring. So if I am to to codify them in popular terms, I would say that the question is, do we talk the talk or do we walk the walk? Uh, will we be repeating that we agree with the Savings and investment union and then advance our national consideration, the bat. Or will we move on with the agreement? And two stories come to mind very vividly when we're having such discussions, because all of them, in a sense, have similarities, be they cross border consolidation in banks, be they the digital euro or be they elements of the Capital Markets Union. I'll share the stories in the end. But first on the technical aspects, we support the proposal of the Commission. We need to capacity build ESMA because frankly, we cannot do the same thing 27 times. And especially as technological advancements accelerate, this feat will become even more difficult to replicate. Can we keep capacities at the national level? Yes we can. We have already done it through the ECB single supervisory mechanism. It's a very useful reference. We have done it in the past. Centralized oversight can combine with decentralized implementation and execution, and overall, the supervisory intensity can differentiate on the basis of operational need. There are objective criteria that we can have cross border activity, market relevance, the need to preserve a level playing field. Those can help focus the supervisory efforts. And I think that Bertrand offered before a very interesting perimeter in order to be able to find a landing zone. Now, going to the two stories and concluding the first one that comes to mind is the 1846 repeal of the Corn Laws. The UK is not at the table anymore, but I think that when we learn that school Ireland knows this very well, it was a quite vivid example that the UK shows systemic efficiency over national protection.”
  Financial regulation
• “Thank you very much. Madam president, Commissioner, thank you for the very good draft conclusions we have prepared. Life sciences are crucial for promoting RNAi in a plethora of areas such as health. Medical technology, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, bio economy and environment, among others. They can act as a lever to growth for the European economy and strategic autonomy in these critical areas, but also to maintaining and attracting well-educated staff. Innovation in life sciences can respond to the emerging needs of diagnostic and therapeutic methods, ensuring thereby equal access to health services and retaining scientists within Europe. Now, we believe that the DSPs for Research and Innovation and Infrastructures and Partnerships provide a strong basis, therefore, for further progress. So we feel that coordinated action is needed in the EU. All stakeholders must increase and improve access to funding in the private sector, SMEs and start ups. It is crucial for complex legal and administrative barriers being simplified in this intersectoral in the field of medical care. Rather, the improvement of the regulatory framework and facilitation of cross-border clinical trials will accelerate the adoption of new medicines and treatments, thus improving access for patients. So we will support, um, uh, the role of national regulatory authorities in this effort. And as well as investing in them, we support the European health data space with respecting, of course, personal data. Europe can become the largest. And from a scientific point of view, the most important health data hub. Finally, um, we would like to welcome the strategic research and innovation agenda for food systems. Agriculture is facing many challenges, such as climate change and energy, just to mention a few. In addition, it faces the ever increasing problem of young persons reluctance to work as farmers. And of course, we strongly believe that problems do require special attention here too. Thank you.”
  Processing of health data
• “In order to have, um, financial security and strategic autonomy, for example, the shipbuilding sector is one of those or the wire manufacturing sector. When it comes to licensing, we need to ensure the important progress that we have seen in the member states in their national licensing system. And we should give technical aid in order to have interoperability by having alternative solutions in order to, um, make the licensing systems, um, connected in a union level. Regarding the union origin, we need to have a specific geographical scope as a. France correctly said. And we need to have all the necessary measures in order to avoid circumventing and make what is a proposed effective way. It is on low carbon. It is important to give incentives and for the foreign investments, we have to strike the right balance for the scope. As for the threshold, so that we don't reduce the attractiveness of the EU as an investment destination and have make the most of this for the EU. Now, we have heard Italy and other member states say that it is important to accelerate. But that should happen alongside the collaboration of the industry in order to have positive results and not catch them off guard.”
  EU policy on screening foreign investment in strategic sectors and critical infrastructure
• “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to thank Portugal for having raised this question. We agree that. Intelligent agriculture is the future, and it's the future of our productive purpose, because it leads to quality products that are more environmentally friendly. We agree with the fact that the use of drones is important, but the main problem is the absence of data for assessing risks, even though what we need is a proper legislative framework. We'd like the Commission to provide a reliable framework for plant health products and the Authorities in my country are willing to participate in this exercise. There has to be flexibility with regard to the adoption of new technologies, which will improve the competitiveness of our agriculture.”
  Digital and precision farming
• “Thank you. This is the pillar for the construction of a cohesive and well linked European Education Space thereby creating an extroverted network of a new generation of innovative Europeans capable of liaising beyond any linguistic or scientific constraints. The high number of actors participating in European alliances and a very high quality targets all of them render definitely necessary the reassurance by way of a profit financing. We need to ensure the viability of alliances if we are to continue operating as catalysts for a transformation thereby essentially contributing to the academic excellence and European integration. Thank you very much.”
  Public funding for education
• “This directly affects producers income, especially given environmental and climate ambitions can equally be served through pillar two interventions. Alternatively, it's important to allow for the transfer of resources between environmental interventions under the two pillars without limiting the rates foreseen, given that both have the same strategic focus. This ensures maximum use of resources without any loss. We also need more flexibility with regard to changes, notably with regard to strategic plans, we should exhaust all scope for examining changes to environmental interventions without requiring prior amendment of strategic plans and time consuming approval processes by the Commission services. So, based on the principle of subsidiarity and given the specificities of each member State, this will ensure that producers will receive aid in the most realistic and feasible way. Accordingly, strategic plans should be limited in their scope and their detail, the description and analysis of their interventions. Another area where we need to focus is the overlap between the Common Agricultural Policy and other policies, particularly those arising from the Green Deal. The debate should begin immediately, given that it will influence Member States legislative initiatives on sectoral regulation in view to the to the upcoming strategies for soil and biodiversity, we believe that there's still a lot of scope, uh, in spite of the, uh, changes. Uh, so that, uh, with the spirit, with a constructive spirit, we can work together to further improve proposals in order to strengthen agricultural production in a sustainable manner and in balance with our environmental obligations. Thank you very much for France.”
  Agricultural funding
• “The data from Eurostat shows that an increase in the value of agricultural production by 19% in 2022, in gross added value by 26% and business income by 25% do not really reflect the real situation because inflation is different according to the type and the size of the holdings. Energy and fertilisers have increased the input costs by 23% for large crops and 33% for permanent crops like treat crops. Also, according to the data and forecasts of the European Central Bank on inflation, the real total value of the CFP budget for the period 2021 2027 is going to decrease by 21.95% compared to 2020 and by 34.12% for the last year 2027 compared to 2020. The forecasts of the European Commission as it was presented in the beginning of December 2022, stresses that it is a real danger that agricultural production might be reduced and this would mean an increase of imports. It is very important to find the structural solutions that will allow the increase of available funds in agriculture with specific intense incentives and immediate short term but also long term measures. Thank you very much.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Dear chairman, dear colleagues, we share. We share the reasons given and we believe it's very important to support this sector as described in great detail in the Romanian document. So we support this request and we are in favour of amending the basic regulation in connection with the eligibility for the purchase of breeding animals. This will give access to funding for improving the animal capital, and it will be an important incentive in providing further support to developing farming in the EU with better productivity and profitability. It will contribute towards food security and in achieving our environmental objectives. Thank you very much.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you, Chair. We [00:04:30] consider that the current proposal is balanced and we appreciate the efforts of the Spanish presidency that has improved considerably the text. In fact, we believe that for light duty vehicles, the future relies on electromobility and in general on alternative fuels. Aifa imposes certain obligations to Member states concerning the road network and the associated recharging infrastructure that should be addressed in due time. On the other hand, we acknowledge that in [00:05:00] the case of HGVs, Euro seven standard is instrumental for achieving the Green Deal targets towards a sustainable and green transport system. Now allow me to stress another important factor, which is the cost. Greece doesn't have a car industry. It relies on imports. And for this reason, our main interest is focused on the market and the effects on the effect effects on prices. We need to consider the impact on long hauliers, public transport [00:05:30] entities and in general transport operators. Toward this end, if we wish to consider Euro seven as an alternative way and a mean for better air quality, we should ensure rational prices for consumers and incentives for the renewal of commercial fleets. Thank you.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• “Thank you. Chairman. Commissioner. Colleagues, in the midst of geopolitical turmoil and a climate crisis, the cap being a fundamental tool for agriculture, must maintain its role in preserving the single market, contributing to food security, environmental sustainability, protection of rural areas, and supporting farmers income. The proposals to merge the agricultural and fisheries funds into one single fund per member state entail the risk of reducing the efficiency, the coherence and the adaptability of the policies to the particularities of each sector. It is of critical importance to ensure adequate funding for farming and rural areas, by maintaining the Cap as an independent and autonomous financing tool, relying on two strong pillars. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Finally, for our country, the Blue Dimension and agriculture are very important, combining foods of high nutritional value with a low environmental footprint and prospects for the production of animal feed and bioproducts. While it's important to have an adequate and effectively available funding in order to move forward. Now on the second question, we believe that a balance is needed in five areas using the cap for collaborative investments and new high added value value chains. Meeting biomass needs without compromising food security, with priority given to secondary biomass and a hierarchy of uses so that biomass is directed first to food and high value materials. Circularity, with priority given to soil health and coordination with policies such as renewal, strengthening local processing so that value and employment remain in rural and coastal communities and financial instruments reach the local level. And finally, effective support for the blue Economy. At the same time, it would be useful to have a European forum of regulatory authorities and economy innovators in order to strengthen the exchange of best practices and accelerate the implementation in practice. Additionally, we need to ensure harmonised sustainability criteria at the union level so that the development of bioeconomy enhances rather than degrades ecosystems. In conclusion, we support the ambition for a competitive and nature based bioeconomy. Our priority is to translate the strategy into practical solutions for producers with fair rules, adequate implementation tools and sustainable use of biomass. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you very much indeed, chair, and I'm grateful to the Polish presidency for the excellent work that they've done. On your first question, we believe that all of the results from the mid-term evaluation for the framework program are of great use, and fundamentally, we'd like to recall the increase in high quality proposals and also the difficulties we encounter with funding. Often there is a lack of funding available that only underscores the fact that we need an ambitious budget for the 10th FP in order to ensure that we can tackle international challenges and maintain the EU's competitiveness worldwide. Turning to the next aspect, it's certainly a good idea to continue our cooperation on R and I. That's very important for the future of Europe. But in parallel to that, we need to ensure that all technology readiness levels can come into play. We do think it's a good idea that the percentage of SMEs, so 78% of funding going to SMEs is something that we'd welcome. Then on the widening measures, in order to close the innovation gap to these member states. Well, we need to do more on that front. We believe that the merriest Kokoschka Curie grants are useful, particularly with an eye to sustainability of research institutes and then on the Air Innovation Council. We'd ask for further participation to ensure that those member states that don't have the requisite experience can get the air resources and financing that they require.”
  EU research funding
• “Thank you very much. We'd like to congratulate the European Commission on the communication campaign on aquaculture. This campaign highlights the vital role of this sector in the Union for Greece. Aquaculture is a pillar of sustainable development and production of high quality products, and that's why we will support in practice this initiative the official event to launch the campaign in Brussels. In this event, Greece will be present with a delegation of high level officials who actively contribute to the industry, and we're already planning actions at the national level. We strongly believe that this campaign will enhance public acceptance of aquaculture. It will highlight the quality standards that govern it and help the younger generation discover the opportunities of this sector. Thank you.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• “Dear, dear president, dear Commissioner, I'd like to also welcome on my side the colleagues from Bulgaria and the Netherlands. The energy transition in fisheries and aquaculture is an important step for achieving the goals for competitiveness and sustainability in the sector. However, we are at a very demanding point where the depletion of fossil fuels and an ageing fleet is posing many challenges, especially for coastal fisheries. That's why transition needs to be realistic, taking into account the differences between member states and also between different parts of the fleet. We can support the alignment with the policy on the environmental goals of the EU and the condition that it's going to be accompanied with various social support measures for fisheries communities, like special funding programs for upgrading fleets and coastal Uh, areas, uh, on a regulatory level, it's important to keep the right flexibility as part of the CFP in order to update the fleet, but also have adopt, uh, vessels of low emissions. Uh, at the same time, we need to guarantee that the relevant regulation does not impose further burdens on investments. It is also important to clarify that the adoption of such investments do not reduce to a further reduction in capacity when it comes to funding.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• “Diversification of rural activities should be further enhanced through targeted funding and provision of advisory, consultative, consultative services, while rural proofing will be achieved through strategies targeting the specific characteristics of the regions. A prerequisite here is to ensure adequate funding for the agricultural sector and rural areas by maintaining the Cap as an independent and autonomous financing tool with two strong pillars, and by protecting it from external and unpredictable crisis. So in this context, any change in the way in which the policy's overall resources are allocated to member states should be avoided, given that the possibility of enlargement with the accession of Ukraine to the Union. Now, as regards your second question, the Commission's vision correctly underlines the importance of diversifying farmers income through new complementary sources. However, it is questionable whether this can be implemented realistically without substantial and targeted support, as there are serious challenges currently such as the climate crisis, structural difficulties in the agri food sector sector, market volatility and increased competition. In order to avoid these new sources of income remaining a theoretical objective without real practical implementation, we need the following interventions. Simplifying bureaucracy through access to income diversification schemes, counselling services and training for farmers so they can use new opportunities.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you, Madam Chairman. Ladies and gentlemen, 16 years ago, on the 2nd of July 2008, the Commission proposed the Equality Directive. But [00:20:30] 16 years on, although a compromise text is now available in order to address the opposition, it hasn't yet been adopted by the Council. The principles in it are founding parts of the principles of the European Union. Overcoming discrimination is a part of human rights. [00:21:00] It's already recognised by regional and national bodies as one of the most important principles there are. But still people are complaining about discrimination due to religion, sexual orientation, race and so on. And this is a violation of human rights and they are calling for support and justice. As long as this directive has not been adopted, [00:21:30] the legislative um body of legislation of the EU is still incomplete. As far as as long as this has not been adopted, the EU will be restricted to supporting the victims of discrimination. Greece is therefore pushing for its final adoption as soon as possible. We are all convinced that this is an extremely important piece of legislation [00:22:00] in the area of fighting discrimination, because this will be applied throughout Europe and it will ensure people are protected from discrimination because of sexual orientation, religion, race or gender, etc. and it should be implemented in education and in all services and in all public bodies.”
  EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination
• “Thank you very much, madam chair. Dear colleagues, Greece fully shares the concerns expressed and supports the need for flexibility in the implementation of the decommitment rule under the strategic plan of the cap. Our long standing position is that a transition to an n plus 3 rule is needed for the entire 20 23, 20 27 period in order to ensure effective implementation of interventions and avoid a loss of resources. In the absence of an agreement, we can support, as a temporary solution, we believe, the targeted derogation proposed for the year 2024.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you. Chair. Dear ministers, the European Commission did not set a specific target for the reduction of greenhouse gases [00:10:30] for the farming sector for 2040, which is in the right direction. But European farmers are hit by the harsh financial reality. Increasing prices, energy, fertilisers and interest rates. We have to take into account financial and social consequences of ambitious targets. Yes, we do support the green transition in the farming but with specific proposals. No red tape, uh, [00:11:00] proposals that will not reduce food production and will not lead to conflict with farmers in the EU and the European targets for climate. We can achieve our climate goals with farmers on our side and not against us if we want to continue to produce affordable, high quality products. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you chair, and we would like to thank Austria for this very interesting document. Some observations on my part. First of all, Greece supports the the enhancement of the solidarity lines with Ukraine. And we have already offered possibilities for the use of the ports of Thessaloniki [00:20:30] and Alexandroupolis. And yes, the Green Deal creates a competitive disadvantage for farmers, and there is a danger of the import of huge quantities of very cheap products from third countries. This could increase also sbb's dangers and the introduction of dangerous substances in safe areas. We agree with Austria that we need to use [00:21:00] the structural dialogue in order to have a fair environment to develop agricultural activity. Thank you very much.”
  Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
• “Thank you, dear passenger. Dear, dear president. Dear Commissioner, uh, the debate on national recommendation is inextricably linked to the strategic orientation of the future Common Agricultural Policy and ultimately to the type of European agriculture that we want to build for Greece. These recommendations can be a useful tool for strategic guidance under clear conditions. First of all, the character must remain non-binding in nature. They should not become an indirect mechanism for imposing policy choices or a tool for excessive standardisation of strategic plans, the flexibility of member states and the ability to adapt to national and regional specificities are fundamental elements of the Cap and must be preserved. Secondly, the scope of the recommendations must remain clearly focused on the specific objectives of the Cap um, such as agricultural income and competitiveness, generational renewal, the resilience of farms in rural areas, as well as climate and environmental performance. At the same time, we recognise that some areas covered by the draft regulations, such as the resilience of rural areas or access to knowledge, innovation and digitalisation, are inherently cross sectoral in nature. So it is therefore reasonable for the these recommendations to take this dimension into account. However, this should not lead to a weakening of the autonomy of the cap and must remain the main pillar of support for agriculture and rural areas.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you very much. We must, of course, respect consumer rights and the precautionary principle. However, new adapted legislation is necessary to make full use of new scientific and technical progress in biotechnology, especially for the AgriFood sector. The European Union must not be left behind in terms of both competitiveness and scientific and technological research. This, of course, would negatively affect food safety in Europe as well as the resilience of European food production. Thank you.”
  New Genomic Techniques
• “Chairman. Dear chairman, thank you very much for all the information and all and all the update you provided about the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany. I am certain that competent authorities took all necessary action and followed the relevant protocols and legislation, and that all required measures are being taken for this serious animal disease. Coordinated action and scientific know how has have contributed successfully to limiting the spread, and will help identify the point of entry of this disease. Let me point out that we agree with the choice made by Germany to not vaccinate animals, so we fully share the concerns raised in the final paragraph of the document about additional complications and the impact on trade. Thank you very.”
  Animal diseases prevention and management in the EU
• “Thank you, sir. I was. I was speaking Greek. I would like to thank the Swedish presidency and the Czech presidency for their efforts and for the cooperation. And we also thank the European Commission for its support. The pace of negotiations has been too speedy. We believe we could have dedicated more time to discuss this proposal at council level. In any case, we are expecting that council will be more involved in tourism issues and nonetheless, we support this Presidency proposal for a general approach as this is an effort to find a balance, given that at Member State level we have different procedures and mechanisms to monitor these activities where applicable. We it is important that we ensure a level playing field between the Member states that will opt in and those that will opt out of the procedures included in this regulation for the collection and sharing of data. We are pleased with the fact that our proposal was taken on board and now in Article five we have a safeguard allowing for this proposal to be compatible with existing procedures in many Member States, national procedures. And we also agree with the proposal of the Commission to simplify the procedures when it comes to the automatic determination that an authorisation requirement applies where applicable for hosts. We are also happy with the amendment you made to Article nine, paragraph one, taking into account technical errors that may arise during the data transmission from the host from the platforms to the public authorities. All the best for the negotiations with the European Parliament for that.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• “Thank you Teresa. On September 4th, three years after the extreme storm, Cyclone Daniel hit Greece, especially specifically [00:31:00] the area of Thessaly, and over a period of four days, unprecedented precipitation levels caused extensive flooding which led to human deaths. It also led to big destruction in animal deaths and extensive damages in public and private property. The flooding reached an extent similar to that depicted in the flood maps for 1000 years return period event, but failed [00:31:30] to accurately predict the water depth. We had water depth of five six meters in places where even in that extreme event, we were supposed to have 1 or 2m, and then another extreme storm hit in the 27th of September led to even worse situations because the the floods happened on an already flooded area. The above highlight [00:32:00] the vital importance importance of the flood directive as a tool in strategic planning for flood hazard mitigation, but also its constraints. We must consider how to improve the usefulness of the flood maps under the flood directive to better support the management authorities and the civil protection in a more dynamic way, to become more of an operational rather than a strategic tool. The process of developing the flood maps must be adapted to the new climate reality. We have a new climate. [00:32:30] The return period of 50 or 100 years, as this is currently estimated by using data that refers to longer time periods, seems to be irrelevant as a planning tool, since since the climate in our mind in Greece at least has changed and flooding probabilities cannot be predicted accurately, the climate models cannot help us there as much as we would want. Finally, more emphasis needs to be given to [00:33:00] increasing the resilience of critical infrastructure and adapting all human activities to the inevitable increased frequency of extreme weather events. To sum up, we had tools looking created by the models based on the climate that we used to have. Now we have a new climate and looking at the past, climate is not the way to handle these events. [00:33:30] Now on a more. Well, sorry. Maybe I should stop here. And the next item. You will give me the floor.”
  EU policy on water management
• “Thank you very much, president. Well, first of all, I would like to agree with my Italian colleague who has said that we really have delayed considerably in dealing with the competitiveness issue at this point in time. The major European economies are facing very serious problems. We have social inequality within the member states on the increase. And of course, we do have matters of strategy in terms of the security of EU member states and the EU overall. So we need to move very quickly in terms of stepping up competitiveness, because without that, we're not going to be able to maintain the level of and the living standards of European citizens and cohesion, which is important for stability and political stability in each individual country within the EU. So our proposals would be as following. First of all, we believe that we need to have full use of all the financial instruments to be able to reinforce industrial base innovation as well as applied research, and also to have those industries which are using energy to a great extent and to slimline them. And then of course, in terms of the governance mechanism, we need to have the cohesion between all member states, as well as it being necessary to have a just redistribution in terms of geographical balance.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank [00:06:00] you, Madam Chairman. Uh, Commissioner colleagues, I'd like to thank the Belgian presidency for organizing this, uh, Council on Gender Equality. We have to take it further and organize a better cooperation between the member states, so that we can incorporate the gender dimension into EU policy. That's why this debate [00:06:30] is so topical in having more women in positions of power. And it is a part of a women's political and human rights. And it's also strengthens a state government's governance, uh. Including women in positions of leadership. It's a high on the agenda of the Greek government, with measures such [00:07:00] as a quotas in public, uh, policy debates, uh, and in inclusion of women through equality committees in a local authorities, including the convention on the Prevention of Harassment at Work in all our policies and also fighting against stereotypes. So these [00:07:30] are basic pillars of our steps towards more gender equality. We've made a lot of steps already, but the the road is long and we shall be focusing on building an equal society with equal conditions and opportunities for all. And the fact that Greece has joined the Network on Gender Equality shows that we are committed [00:08:00] to making progress. The European Union is also committed to achieve, uh, equality and promoting women's leadership roles in political decisions. So it shows that progress has been made, but we should continue to focus on making even more progress. And the we will be moving towards a new gender equality policy in the EU and as part [00:08:30] of the Beijing platform. We need to raise awareness in society of how important it is for women to be involved in all decision making positions, and all these measures are can be used as an incentive to promote gender equality and to promote women in all areas of society.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you very much, dear commissioner, dear colleagues. The debate on this new work program is taking place at the time when Europe is called upon to redefine its position, explicitly stating that culture is not merely a specific area for public policy, but a crucial factor for resilience and Europe's presence in the world. So we consider that the council must focus on the following issues. First of all, the strengthening of Europe's cultural resilience, the protection of cultural heritage from natural disasters, environmental threats, armed conflicts and the illicit trafficking of cultural goods is now becoming a key priority for the European Union. Second, the European Union must invest in the sustainable and people centered digital transition of the cultural and creative sectors. We need to find a balanced environment that will ensure technological innovation without undermining intellectual property, autonomy and the professional rights of artists. The artificial intelligence already changing culture. But crucial question is who's going to determine those changes. Culture is created by humans for humans. So this people centered value needs to be central even at the time of artificial intelligence. So the responsibility of how this is going to be done is still human. Third, the strengthening participation in culture and social cohesion must be a key priority. We need to support cultural institutions and at the same time international corporations promoting mobility and cultural exchange. We need to promote the active participation of citizens and culture and creative organizations in policymaking so that it functions as an area of shared European responsibility reflecting the real needs of the cultural ecosystem. The European Union strengthened the geopolitical dimension of culture and its international relations. In an environment of increasing competition between values and narratives, culture constitutes a soft but substantial form of European power. Cultural diplomacy can help promote democracy, pluralism and intercultural dialogue, while at the same time strengthening Europe's presence in neighboring and third countries. In any case, the institutional flexibility of the new work program will determine its success. The council must therefore establish mechanisms that will allow for rapid adaptation to emerging challenges without however undermining the program's coherence. Operational flexibility, the ability to update individual actions during this four year period and a stronger link between policy planning and the European Union's funding instruments are essential prerequisites for a truly dynamic program. Thank you.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Good morning. Thank you very much for the Cyprus presidency for their excellent work. Congratulations. Dear colleagues, Europe has been always, always been something more than just financial union. It's a common place, a common cultural place of value and creativity and freedom. The new European program, AGRA EU, is a particularly important initiative that enhances this cultural identity of the European Union as a whole. The Agra EU program is not only a financial instrument. It is an important political investment to own in the European idea, the enhancement of European cooperation and the support of cultural and linguistic diversity and the strengthening of civic engagement and the protection of social cohesion are important parts of Europe without any discriminations. Particularly important is also the support for the challenges that come from the digital and AI transformation, the protection of human rights and the ethical use of new technologies. These are all important issues that are going to play an important role in the future landscape. We would like to congratulate the Cyprus presidency for the negotiations up to now, and we'll continue the discussion for a program that continues to be ambitious and important for all European creators and citizens. We believe that Agora EU can play an important role as a cultural contract between Europe and its citizens, and its citizens, based on values such as freedom and democracy for humans. Thank you very much.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Chairman. Commissioner. Colleagues, allow me, first of all, to congratulate the new Commissioner of Health, Mr. Varhelyi, for assuming this, uh, very difficult portfolio. Undoubtedly, the protection of public health, and more specifically, uh, young people, is a priority in Greece. A large part of the points covered by the recommendation have been implemented since 2019, more specifically when it comes to protection, public health from secondary smoke. Young people and adults and we have limited. We have included bans in outdoor spaces. But public health suggestion must rely on scientific data and proportionality rules. We need feasible and workable solutions, taking into account the large extent and the large scale of these suggestions to ban out smoking in outdoor spaces without an impact assessment, we would like to point out that the very specific features of our country, in terms of climate and geographical location, will take will have a particular weight. In terms of implementing these suggestions, the Hungarian presidency has indeed done an excellent job in order to find a very delicate balance. But Greece would like to abstain from this vote. I would like to remind to recall that, uh, as regards the directive on smoke products, we would like to first have a full impact assessment, take into account scientific Developments. Unless this takes place, any decision would be hasty and would not help us fully protect public health for EU citizens. Thank you.”
  Smoking regulation
• “Mr. chairman, dear colleagues, I would like to thank Latvia and Lithuania for the presentation of the serious problems in the implementation of the permitted margin of tolerance. According to the Revised control regulation based on data, it's clear that there is a risk for fishers to to be in serious infringement for tiny amounts of bycatches of Non-controlled species. We fully understand their concerns, and we want to emphasize that any solution should effectively protect protected stocks without posing a risk for legitimate pelagic fisheries. So we want to encourage the Commission to urgently look for a realistic approach. If necessary, amend the relevant provisions. This would ensure the continuation of fishing activities and a fair treatment for the fishers. Thank you.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• “Thank you. It is time to catch up on the attacks of the Russian embassy. We have thousands of vessels, thousands of kilometers of coastline, hundreds of inhabited islands and hundreds of landing points. So it's very important for the new system to be applied and to monitored quite systematically as far as catch is concerned. We think that the. Participation of third countries in the system as quickly as possible is very important. We've already started an electronic application in Greece, which will be operational at the beginning of 2026. Thank you.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• “Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, let me wish best of luck to the Swedish presidency for this semester. The regulation on animal transport welfare should be improved and we must take into account new technologies and scientific data and good practices and the experience acquired during the implementation of the current legislation. I would also like to stress that the revision should take into account the geographical specificities mostly of islands, remote regions and the different production models. For example, the Greek islands have livestock farming and transport is long distance. Therefore, we should take into account these conditions during the animal transport. The revision should be lead to a simpler and easier to implement regulation and improvement of such some definitions. Finally, I would like to stress that animal welfare is very important to our farmers, consumers and our society because it is important for the high quality of our products. Thank you.”
  EU requirements on animal welfare for farmers
• “Dear colleagues. Given the geopolitical [00:21:30] uncertainties and given the two wars near Europe, we all agree that we want a strong, democratic Europe, but a strong, democratic Europe, without strong culture and without a strong cultural policy, cannot exist. It is obvious that Greece supports Germany. We agree that we need more funding, both from structural funds and from all different programmes. And what's really important [00:22:00] is what Ruth just said. Given that culture is a horizontal policy, and given that a lot of different sectors impacted, we need to find a way that in European legislation, uh, we will be updated. The ministers in charge of culture will be informed and updated because a lot of things change without us really becoming aware of the changes. Thank you.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Thank you very much. Chairman, Commissioner. Colleagues, the multifactor crisis in agriculture Quickly reveal the weaknesses of policy and sped up the implementation of structural interventions, with many of them being included in the first simplification Simplification package in the spring of 2024. One year later, we welcome the Commission proposals to simplify the cap and its implementation, cutting red tape for farmers and the competent authorities and making rules more flexible are a sign that we're moving towards a more functional, versatile agricultural policy that, at the end of the day, is more efficient and farmer friendly. The changes in how the strategic plans are amended constitute a pragmatic approach that makes the whole procedure more rational, without undermining the objectives of transparency and control. As regards the proposed changes to the good agricultural and environmental conditions. The gags. It is encouraging to see that we're moving towards a more balanced path. Sustainability is maintained as a goal. Making things easier for farmers in practice without the burden of excessive requirements. In addition, provisions relevant to organic farmers and small farmers are equally positive. For us, it is particularly important to introduce a new measure to tackle crisis under the current cap. Such a tool would allow member states to respond immediately to crisis and to meet urgent needs. This is a proposal on flexibility submitted by Croatia and Slovenia, which we have supported repeatedly as we recognise its potential. However, the consequences of climate change are dire and permanent and require a new, strong financing tool beyond 2027 with stable funds and long term prospects. Reducing administrative burden, boosting flexibility and simplifying procedures are a fundamental reform breakthrough. This direction is not only desirable but also indispensable. If we want the cap to truly serve the interests of farmers and the agricultural community. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Greece welcomes this Franco-German initiative. And we think this is a way of helping young people to become familiar with and have access to cultural events. So we can also provide financial support to the cultural sector in this way. We have the same kind of initiative in Greece. The pass culture and the young people that benefit from this system can obtain a digital card during the year in which they make their requests, and they receive €150 in the subsequent year.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Thank you. Chair. Greece fully supports the green transition agenda and for that matter, we have adopted two years ago a very ambitious, uh, national climate law. We also support nature restoration law. But right now there is a growing gap between the policies for climate neutrality and the public perception about [00:51:30] the transition to climate neutrality. We need to bridge this gap. Some people feel that the that climate transition is something for the rich, for the upper class, a luxury or another way for the rich get richer. Or the other part believe that we undermine the competitiveness of our industry, and in some cases, we do. And we better face the facts. And, you know, European citizens [00:52:00] are not interested to be safe in the afterlife, in the afterlife. They want to have a good life now, now, and in the immediate future. We need to explain better and simpler the benefits of the transition for each and every different sector. If there are, if there aren't any benefits for a specific sector, we must, uh, have appropriate compensation measures so that no one is left behind. There [00:52:30] are important social impacts, and these should be addressed. Widespread social acceptance is a prerequisite for a successful transition. Renewables and not so much energy efficiency, is the sector that has the greatest potential to contribute to the transition to climate neutrality in the foreseeable future, together with electrification of transport and heating of buildings. To be able to fully exploit the renewables potential, we should tackle the bottleneck [00:53:00] of the electricity networks. We should remove any barriers now. Prevent the development of innovative financing mechanism for the funding of electricity network projects in order to to attract the necessary capital that is there but cannot be exploited. We also need to intensify our efforts to convince the other big emitters to follow similar policies. There is no point in continuously increasing our climate ambition if the others don't follow. [00:53:30] We just keep undermining the competitiveness of our economies. And the best argument? To convince the others to follow is to have a growing economy. So a growing economy and and climate policies should go hand in hand. However, what is even more important is to focus much more on climate change adaptation. Climate crisis is here to stay. They. Later, we realize [00:54:00] that and delay the necessary shift to our focus in our climate policies from mitigation to adaptation. The higher the cost for our societies is. Mitigation policies have already created a self-sustainable business model without the need for a strong state intervention. But adaptation policies still remain quite vague and need substantial economic support, much higher than what is foreseen today to make a meaningful impact. Thank you.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Madam president, we. To support the issue raised by Germany as we face similar problems in certain areas of the provisions implementation and we in turn urge the Commission to make every possible effort to resolve them. Thank you very much.”
  EU Supervision of the Rule of Law
• “First of all, thank you very much, chairman. We too welcome the text, these council conclusions on rural development and would like to thank the presidency for this initiative as it highlights the contribution, the needs and the specificities of the agricultural sector [00:31:30] as a factor that will contribute substantially to the support and development of rural areas. We fully agree with a thorough analysis of these issues in the text. I would only stress the importance of de-population of rural areas and poverty phenomena that particularly affect mountainous, insular and disadvantaged areas. There special attention must be paid, ensuring housing and access to basic services, and [00:32:00] promoting the establishment of small and medium sized enterprises by providing incentives and opportunities must be a matter of concern for us in the near future in order to maintain the existing population and attract new people there in those areas. I conclude by noting that the current geopolitical context makes rural areas a priority for ensuring our food security and reducing external dependencies [00:32:30] in key sectors. In this sense, the long term vision for rural areas up to 2040 and the Rural Pact. Our flagship initiatives of the union, which, following a holistic assessment of the available studies, data and indicators, will feed into the discussions on the adoption of a comprehensive union strategy for rural areas. Thank you. [00:33:00”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• “Thanks very much. President. Commissioner. Colleagues. Today's discussion concerns two very essential legislative proposals which aim to respond to a common demand, which is the need to strengthen farmers position in the agri food chain. Greece firmly supports that step towards a fairer, more balanced European market, which will not leave farmers exposed to unfair trade practices and asymmetrical relations of power. Strengthening cross-border cooperation in enforcement will be a critical tool. In order to effectively protect and producers, the particularly for transactions which go beyond national borders. These are not just technical steps, they're political ones which will help to support Parliament's position throughout Europe. Thank you.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain