Takis Theodorikakos, the minister of development, outlined the three pillars of the government's industrial strategy in his speech at an event with the theme "Productive transformation, strengthening investment and industry, for growth and new jobs throughout Greece."

As the Minister explained, the government is developing its strategy on three pillars, in particular: 

• First, we are further improving the business environment, a goal that is specified in interventions to further reduce bureaucracy and improve infrastructure.
• Second, we are developing financial instruments and incentives for investment, with a focus on large investments and disadvantaged regions.
• Third, we are investing in incentives for more innovation and research.

In detail, to improve the business environment, Mr. Theodorikakos presented the institutional interventions to reduce bureaucracy:

The first 4 years saw a series of very important reforms that facilitated business and industry

In particular, we highlight the development of an integrated information system for the digitisation of licensing and supervision procedures, which will be launched in a few days, as part of a reform coordinated by the GGB.

• We are moving into the second wave of changes against bureaucracy. Our goal is to reduce within two years by at least 25% the administrative bureaucratic burden for export enterprises by removing 15 time-consuming bureaucratic procedures. 

Our priority at the Ministry of Development is to make it even easier for companies operating within industrial parks by applying the same reform logic: first I license, then I control, to building and environmental permits. And for this purpose, we are in close cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Energy regarding land use planning issues.

At the same time, we are implementing an infrastructure upgrade program in 20 industrial parks with €90 million, 45 of which is from the Ministry of Development and its RRF program. We are financing with €33 million the development of the flagship 4th Generation Technology Park "ThessINTEC" in Thessaloniki and with €13.2 million the TENEO to carry out investments to strengthen energy substations and energy storage in nine parks. Our aim is to increase this program with another €20 million.

LOGISTICS

Aiming at the creation of sustainable logistics centers and the strengthening of the supply chain, through the National Logistics Strategy, we are planning and proceeding with the creation of two new logistics centres, one in Athens in Thriasio and one in Thessaloniki in the area of the former Gonou camp, in order to relocate to them a large number of transport companies, which will have the direct effect of decongesting central roads and improving traffic in the two cities. Tendering procedures are underway by the Hellenic Investment Fund with a budget of €150 and €300 million, respectively. At the same time, other areas throughout Greece, such as the port areas in Alexandroupolis, Volos, Patras, Corinth, Igoumenitsa, and Serres, are under consideration.

We are also working with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, which is implementing a large program of infrastructure projects that are indirectly or directly related to the productive reconstruction of the country.

Examples include the completion of the E65 road axis and the upgrading of rail links in Northern Greece. 

Low-cost interventions in this programme can have a decisive impact. In particular, projects linking industrial areas to the rail network and the appropriate road network.

OVER €3ΒΙLLION IN THREE YEARS

The Minister also presented the financial instruments and incentives for flagship, strategic and large-scale investments, which will result in over €3 billion being channelled into the market over the next three years.

As the Minister explained, in order to implement this strategy, the Ministry of Development will use the financial instruments at its disposal—both from national resources of the sectoral development programme and from European resources—with full respect for the country's fiscal obligations. The emphasis is on large investments in the border regions, throughout the northern arc of Macedonia and Thrace, and in Thessaly. 

The roadmap for the next two and a half years:

• Maintain the institution of flagship investments after the completion of the RRF (Recovery Fund). As it has been demonstrated—with the €170 million program—great investments can be made in the field of air transport safety, the country's self-sufficiency in materials such as paper, the production of useful products such as alcohol, and the very important contribution to the defence industry.
•  Through the General Secretariat for Private Investment, we are giving absolute priority to the status of large investments that are innovative, use modern technology and are implemented with a low energy footprint. Specifically: €150 million in tax exemptions for the scheme for large investments above €10 million.
•  We are promoting a special General Entrepreneurship Regime for Border Regions and Thessaly of €150 million for investments of more than €1 million to be developed in border regions.
• All large investments above EUR 10 million and investments in border regions are assessed as strategic investments in order to show their importance for our country. Additional incentives for the development of these investments will be provided through fast-track licensing and zoning.

Furthermore, EUR 150 million for the announcement of a processing scheme: EUR 75 million aid and EUR 75 million tax exemption.

For the announcement of an agri-food program that will supplement the €600 million program that the prime minister announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair, we have advanced cooperation with the Ministry of Rural Development.

All these schemes will be announced in February and March, applications will close in May and June, and final results will be out in October and November 2025. And vice versa will happen in 2026. This is a clear and binding timetable so that the market knows with transparency and rules.

∙ To facilitate the financing of large investments, we are setting up a €300 million guarantee fund in cooperation with the European Investment Bank that will lead to the leveraging of €1.5 billion. With very good lending conditions, guaranteed by the Greek State, without any burden on the deficit and debt.

Additionally, the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB) is in charge of running the €500 million Development Law Financial Instrument Guarantee Fund (DeLFI GF). The fund provides a guarantee for a short-term loan against the grant and a long-term loan for the implementation of investment projects of micro, small, and medium enterprises. The Ministry of Development, in cooperation with the Hellenic Development Bank and the Hellenic Bankers Association, is improving the conditions of the Fund so that all enterprises that receive a decision of inclusion can receive a loan.

∙ We continue to support the pharmaceutical industry with €200 million through the so-called investment clowback, together with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health.

∙ To this is added the €102 million program of the Ministry of Development for the digital switchover of SMEs.

∙ It should be noted that 61 strategic investments amounting to €12.5 billion are already underway and being implemented, as well as the NSRF programmes run by the Deputy Minister of Finance for digital and green transformation and support for new SMEs, totalling €1.4 billion.

Furthermore, €100 million from the RRF—through the Hellenic Development Investment Bank—is being channelled to create a technology transfer fund and another €200 million from the NSRF is being used to create the EquiFund II—managed by the European Investment Fund (EIF)—for biotechnology investments.

∙ At the same time, an extremely important programme is being implemented and is progressing with priority for Western Macedonia, Megalopolis in Tripoli and the North Aegean for the Fair Development Transition for a total amount of €2.5 billion.

Over €300 million in incentives and €350 million in infrastructure 
Theodoricakos went on to say that the government is investing over €300 million in incentives for research and innovation and another €350 million to upgrade the infrastructure of research and technology institutes, of which 212 million is from the RRF. In detail: 

∙ We are providing €300 million in funding for the "Research - Innovate" action for research projects of individual SMEs, groups of enterprises or partnerships of enterprises with research organisations and universities.

∙ And, of course, there is the very important package of measures to support start-ups, recently announced by the Prime Minister at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair, extending tax incentives for investors to participate in them.

He concluded that we are going to legislate together with the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, which has made the appropriate preparations.