The US State Department and the European Commission expressed their support to Greece and its sovereignty on the islands of the eastern Aegean Sea and called on Turkey to stop airspace violations and overflights, threats and provocative rhetoric. However: The State Department urged both countries to “resolve disputes diplomatically”, while …
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EU Commission revises forecasts for Greece’s economy downwards to 3.5%
The European Commission has revised its forecasts for the Greek economy downwards, envisaging a GDP growth of 3.5% in 2022 and 3.1% in 2023, from 4.9% and 3.5% respectively in its winter forecasts made in last February. On Monday, the Commission released its spring 2022 report on economic growth in …
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European Commission proposes €2.7bn support to Greece for coronavirus repercussions
The European Commission on Monday proposed a 2.7 billion euro financial support to Greece in the framework of SURE program to address the social and economic repercussions from the coronavirus. Specifically, the Commission submitted proposals to the Council to issue decisions aiming at providing 81.4 billion euro support to the …
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Cost of electricity in Greece the highest among EU’s 27
Greece had the highest average cost of electricity among the 27 member-states of the European Union in the first quarter of 2020, a report by the European Commission published on Thursday has shown. The Greek electricity wholesale rate, which is also used to determine the retail rate, stood at 50 …
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EU Commission projects recession in Greece at 9% in 2020
The Greek economy is projected to contract by 9% this year and to grow by 6% in 2021, the European Commission said in its Summer Economic Forecast report released on Tuesday. The EU executive said that Greece’s GDP declined by 1.6 pct in a quarterly basis in the first quarter …
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Vouchers: Commission threatens EU member states with legal steps
The European Commission is taking the first step in legal procedures against countries that are breaching EU law by not insisting that companies provide cash refunds to customers over cancelled travel or holidays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, thus handing out only vouchers. Commission executive vice-president Margrethe Vestager told a …
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EU Tourism: Guidelines for opening internal borders, flights, vouchers
The European Commission released on Wednesday afternoon its EU Tourism recovery package, a so-called roadmap to support the sector and businesses hit by the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The EU Tourism package contains a set of guidelines and recommendations to help member states gradually lift travel restrictions and …
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Tests, no quarantine, travel within EU by June 15: Greece ‘s proposals to Brussels
Emphasis on COVID-19 tests, full airplanes and no 14-day quarantine for those returning from Greece are among the proposals Athens submitted to the European Commission, ahead of the free movement plan “Europe needs a rest” Brussels is expected to publish on Wednesday, May 13. In a 3-page non-paper, Greece is …
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Greece’s economy under triple shock due to pandemic, says Finance Ministry
Greece’s economy will contract by 4.7% in 2020 due to the pandemic crisis but it will return to positive growth with a rate of 5.1%, the Finance Ministry said in its reform program sent to the European Commission in the framework of the European Semester. Unemployment is expected to reach …
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EU Commission issues roadmap to lifting coronavirus containment measures
The European Commission had issued a so-called “roadmap” to lifting coronavirus containment measures. It calls for coordinated lifting of the lockdown measures across the European Union. Stressing that “timing is essential, The Commission recommendations include that actions should be gradual, that internal border controls to be lifted in a coordinated …
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EU: Turkey hasn’t officially announced change in migration policy
Turkey has not officially announced a change to its policy on refugees in its country, the European Commission said on Friday, despite the fact that Ankara opened its gates encouraging refugees and migrants to cross into Greece. We expect Ankara to uphold commitments it made on controlling flows of migrants …
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Greece largely satisfied with EC’s 5th Enhanced Surveillance Report
Finance Minister Christos Staikouras expressed his satisfaction over the European Commission’s 5th Enhanced Surveillance Report on Greece. However, he stressed that “efforts need to be accelerated in order to tackle endogenous and external risks, achieve viable and sustainable growth, create more and good jobs and further stimulate social cohesion. The …
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Education: 1:3 Greek pupils below EU average, Commission report finds
One in three Greek pupils under the age of 15 under-perform in basic studies, compared to a European Union average of 20 percent, according to the findings of the European Commission “Education and Training Monitor 2019” published on Thursday. According to the report, 27.3% of Greek pupils have below the …
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Greek Commission VP Schinas and his cryptic “Protecting our European way of Life”
The former spokesman of European Commission Presidency, Margaritis Schinas, has been nominated as Vice President in the ‘cabinet’ of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Schinas will have the Portfolio “Protecting our European Way of Life.” The portfolio with the weird and mysterious name covers migration, security, employment and education. …
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EU Commission warns Greece relief measures “a risk for agreed primary surplus”
The European Commission released the European Semester 2019 Spring Package with recommendations for all Member States in order to advance sustainable and inclusive economic growth. On its 7-page long report on Greece, the Commission notes that “Greece is currently in the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact and …
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EU Commission warns Greece over waste management on Corfu
The European Commission has sent a stern warning to Greece claiming it is violating European Union environmental laws with regard to waste management on the Ionian island of Corfu. “The Commission is calling on Greece to ensure that EU waste legislation is implemented on the ground in Corfu Island,” the …
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Court of Justice orders Commission & Juncker to return to Greece €72million
The European Court of Justice has ruled that the European Commission has to pay to Greece the amount of more than 72 million euros. The amount refers to EU Agricultural Funds that the Commission has illegally withheld. Greece is to get back 72,105,592.41 euros in funds that the European Commission …
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Tsipras: EU Commission approved Greek budget without pension cuts
The European Commission has approved Greece’s first post-bailout draft budget without requiring the implementation of legislated pension cuts, the Greek prime minister said on Saturday. “The European Commission approved the Greek budget without pension cuts after eight years of austerity,” Tsipras said, calling the development a “success”. There has been …
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European Commission releases data on Funds to Greece to deal with Migration
The European Commission has published a list of recipients of funds to Greece to deal with the migration crisis. An amount totaling 1.6 billion euros has been allocated to non-governmental organizations, international organizations and Greek authorities, even though only half of it has been disbursed. The Commission released €650 million …
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ECB confirms the Greek austerity program was just an experiment with lab rats
The bitter remedy Greece’s creditors prescribed to millions of Greeks during the economic crisis was the wrong medicine. Massive spending cuts and strictest austerity in order to get fresh loans and help from the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Stability Mechanism were based on miscalculations. …
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