The crucial role of the Hellenic Export Credit Company ‘Export Credit Greece’ (ECG) for the promotion of economic diplomacy objectives was outlined by Kostas Fragogiannis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, in his speech today, Friday, June 24, 2022, at the virtual forum of the Panhellenic Exporters Association on “New Innovative Tools for Extroversion-Investment-Financing”.
The Deputy Minister emphasized the significance of this organization’s existence particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, as they make up the majority of businesses in our country and are in greater need of support for their internationalization efforts than large multinational corporations.
Mr. Fragogiannis referred to the new guarantee, insurance and financing products provided by ECG noting that the company will offer additional advisory and support services to export companies. In this way, ECG will serve as a one stop shop for the companies’ activities in international markets. As the Deputy Minister pointed out, the new Hellenic Export Credit Company is estimated that will support exports totaling € 8.7 billion over the following five years.
The Secretary General for International Economic Affairs and Openness and President of Enterprise Greece, Ioannis Smyrlis, referred to the close and substantial cooperation between the Greek Government and Greek export enterprises and underlined the active participation of the Panhellenic Exporters Association in the Extroversion Council and its contribution to the formulation of the National Strategy for Extroversion 2022.
Presenting the “Extroversion Toolbox”, Mr Smyrlis said: “In addition to the traditional tools for the promotion of Greek goods and services, such as the participation of our country with a national pavilion at the DUBAI EXPO 2020, we developed an initiative for the expansion of the Green Lanes created during the pandemic period. We also activated the Trade Facilitation Committee in order to simplify and digitize bureaucratic procedures and, in cooperation with local chambers of commerce, we are planning to establish Offices for Extroversion, which will work as our antennae in each Region”.