The Annual General Assembly of SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at Megaron the Athens Concert Hall, under the banner: “Rising Productivity: A National Imperative, A Shared Responsibility” #SEV4Growth.

The Federation’s leadership presented a detailed review of its work over the past year, while SEV members approved the activity report and the action plan for the 2025–2026 period.

In his address to SEV members, SEV’s Chairman of the Board Mr. Spyros Theodoropoulos emphasized:

• “Greece urgently needs more investment. Yet, Recovery Fund resources remain underutilized. Why? The answer is simple: we are not productive enough.”
• “Productivity is not just an economic indicator – it is a national goal and a shared responsibility. Workers are not to blame for low productivity. The primary responsibility lies with the state, and secondarily, with businesses.”
• “SEV negotiates 76 collective labor agreements, more than any other employer organization. As a key social partner, we are committed to contributing to the social dialogue with both realism and empathy.”
• “Businesses demand more flexibility, less bureaucracy, and operational independence. It is unacceptable that in 2025, we must still seek government permission on when to operate.”
• “We have failed to convince the state that the high energy costs for businesses must be addressed immediately. If the European Commission does not include provisions within the CISAF allowing member states to introduce targeted support for industrial electricity prices, both Greece and Europe will remain competitively disadvantaged.”
• “The new spatial planning framework is not industry-friendly. SEV is conducting its own study and will submit proposals for a functional, investment-oriented land use system.”
• “With the state budget now generating significant surpluses, part of these should be allocated to increase funding, either through the current Investments Law or new tools, and eligibility thresholds must be raised to support larger businesses as well.”
• “We believe that ELEK (formerly LAEK) funds should be made directly available to companies, allowing them to address their own workforce training needs.”

In her detailed report, SEV’s Executive Committee Chair and Vice President of the Board Ms. Rania Aikaterinari outlined SEV’s initiatives over the past year, focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing industry and enterprise. She emphasized SEV’s commitment to a modern and agile labor environment and highlighted efforts such as the Roadmap for greater collective bargaining coverage, the Skills4Jobs initiative, vocational training programs by IVEPE-SEV, and a new AI-focused bootcamp for member companies. She also spotlighted SEV’s actions on equality and inclusion, infrastructure and institutional reform, sustainable development, energy competitiveness, export support, SME and startup growth, and SEV’s active role in European policy dialogue. Finally, she presented SEV’s new organizational structure and efforts to strengthen member relations, regional outreach, and support for the next generation.

Mr. Ioannis Giotis, Executive Chairman of Giotis S.A. and President of the Hellenic Food Industries Association (SEVT), was elected Chair of the 2025 General Assembly. In his opening remarks, he noted: “The General Assembly takes place amid constant upheaval and shifting ground for industry. Globally, tariffs, geopolitical tensions, climate imperatives, and green transition demands pose complex challenges. Nationally, rising production costs and heavy regulation weigh on business activity. In this volatile environment, resilience, adaptability, and continuous evolution are vital. Greece must close the investment gap with the EU average, accelerate digital transformation, and adopt fast-track processes that enable innovation and access to modern financing tools—always with respect for society and the environment.”

Mr. Eftichios Vassilakis, SEV’s Vice President of the Board and Chairman of Aegean Airlines, stressed the pressing need for infrastructure upgrades, especially in ports and rail. While road and privatized airport projects have progressed, public airports and ports remain under-connected and overcrowded. “Privatization alone isn’t enough”, he noted, calling for faster permitting and execution of public works.

Mr. Markos Veremis, Treasurer of SEV’s Board, Partner at Big Pi Ventures, and Chairman of Upstream, emphasized the strong link between technology adoption and productivity. “Greece missed out on previous technological waves but has made great strides over the last five years. Leveraging the potential of AI could be a game-changer. At SEV, we are determined not to miss this opportunity, for our businesses and for the country as a whole.”

Mr. Aristotelis Panteliadis, SEV’s Board Member and CEO of METRO S.A., stated: “National productivity is a shared responsibility among the state, business, and institutions. We must rethink tax policy with citizens and enterprises in mind, aiming to raise incomes and drive sustainable growth. We urge the government to design targeted incentives that truly support entrepreneurship and allow the market to evolve, within the rules, but without excessive intervention.”

Ms. Alexandra Papalexopoulou, SEV’s General Secretary of the Board and Executive Board Member at TITAN Group, said: “Europe’s lagging productivity is now a central concern. Over the past two decades, the gap with global competitors -particularly China- has widened. From gross value added and high-tech exports to foreign direct investment, Europe is losing ground. Still, the EU is taking steps in the right direction, with the Letta report on single market integration and Mario Draghi’s upcoming recommendations on competitiveness widely embraced.”

Mr. Andreas Shiamishis, SEV’s Vice President of the Board and CEO of HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings S.A., remarked: “Greece has made major strides in green transition, cutting power-sector CO₂ emissions by over 50% in the past decade through renewable energy. But as energy systems modernize across multiple fronts, gas-fired plants remain essential for system stability and their costs are driven by volatile global fuel markets. What’s needed now are grid upgrades, investment in self-production, and strong partnerships with suppliers. Above all, we need central, realistic policies for a truly just transition that preserves business competitiveness.”

Mr. Vassilis Psaltis, SEV’s Board Member and CEO of Alpha Bank, focused on competitiveness and financing: “Public finances -once Greece’s Achilles’ heel- have become a strength. Still, productivity remains low, due largely to the small average size of firms, lack of scale economies, and limited R&D culture.” He noted that bank lending to businesses rose by 9.5% in 2024, far above the Eurozone average of 1%, but access remains difficult for the many micro-enterprises with unresolved tax and social security obligations. “To improve financing flows to the real economy, we need better financial reporting, stronger governance, and greater focus on scale, extroversion, and innovation.”

As customary, the closed session of the Assembly concluded with remarks by the Leader of the Opposition and President of PASOK, Mr. Nikos Androulakis.

SEV also announces that its annual Open Event (by invitation only) will take place on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

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GOLD SPONSORS        

• ALPHA BANK
• ION S.A. Cocoa & Chocolate Manufacturers
• JTI Hellas

SILVER SPONSORS      

• ACCENTURE
• AEGEAN
• ELVALHALCOR S.A. (ElvalHalcor)
• HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings SA
• METRO S.A.
• MOTOR OIL (HELLAS) CORINTH REFINERIES S.A.
• Olympia Group
• Quest Holdings
• UNI-PHARMA S.A.

BRONZE SPONSORS   

• ELVIAL S.A.
• People for Business
• PUBLIC POWER CORPORATION S.A.

SPONSORS

• ABB SA
• ATHENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT S.A.
• BAT Hellas
• Big Pi Ventures
• Coca-Cola Hellas
• DEMO SA
• DIADIKASIA BUSINESS CONSULTING S.A.
• DIS – Dynamic Integrated Solutions
• ELPEN S.A.
• Goldair Cargo
• HEDNO S.A. Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator S.A.
• Hellas Gold
• HELLENIC DUTY FREE SHOPS
• HELLENIC HYPERMARKETS SKLAVENITIS S.A.
• IMERYS Greece S.A.
• METLEN – Energy & Metals
• NN Hellas
• PAPASTRATOS
• PIRAEUS
• SAP Hellas Single-Member S.A.
• TEMES
• V. KAFKAS SA ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING EQUIPMENT WHOLESALER
• YIOTIS S.A.

RECEPTION SPONSORS            

• Coca-Cola HBC Greece S.A.I.C
• Coca-Cola Hellas
• S. Mentekidis S.A. & Natural Mineral water DIOS

The world is changing rapidly and profoundly as global alliances shift and populism rises. What we are witnessing is not just another era of change but a change of era. Business wants to be part of the solution and ensure that Europe can shape this new era according to its values.

Today, the European business community presents its Ambition for the European Union in 2030. In this paper we set out what is needed to create the right conditions to enhance competitiveness and enable business to play its role in society.

BusinessEurope President Pierre Gattaz said:

“In the view of the European elections, the business community has a strong responsibility to speak up, explain why the European Union is so important for people’s future and to say what needs to be done to ensure that things are going in the right direction.

Companies are the backbone of Europe’s economic stability and people’s prosperity. Entrepreneurs invest, create jobs and make the economy grow. The private sector accounts for 80% of all jobs in the EU; companies in the EU invested almost €200 billion in research and development in 2016; in 2015, companies spent more than €50 billion on vocational training in the EU.

Business is committed to transforming the economic, social, technological, and environmental challenges we are facing into opportunities and defend our European way of life. Let’s together build an EU we can be proud of. The business ambition for Europe in 2030 is to build a European Union with opportunities for all.“

The Public Event of SEV’s Annual General Assembly took place on Thursday, October 24th, 2024, at 19:00 (EET), at Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall.

Address by the Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Keynote speech by Mr. Guy Verhofstadt, President of European Movement International, former Member of the European Parliament, and former Prime Minister of Belgium.

Speech by Mr. Spyros Theodoropoulos, Chairman of SEV.

H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Ms. Katerina Sakellaropoulou honoured the event with her presence.

🔗 Watch here: https://ow.ly/T4G350TSET6 

👉 Read the press release here

 Watch here: https://ow.ly/T4G350TSET6 

Spyros Theodoropoulos: “Collaboration between the State, businesses, and workers is essential to achieve the investment leap that the country needs”

With the message “Together we achieve more” #SEV4GROWTH, SEV’s General Assembly Open Event took place today, Thursday, October 24, 2024, at Megaron, the Athens Concert Hall, attended by H.E. the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

The event was addressed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, SEV’s Chairman of the Board Spyros Theodoropoulos, and the President of the European Movement International, former Member of the European Parliament, and former Prime Minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt.

In his speech, SEV’s Chairman Mr. Theodoropoulos emphasized that entrepreneurship today faces unprecedented uncertainty in an increasingly unpredictable environment. “Geopolitical turmoil, climate change, technological advances in the Far East and India, and the ongoing economic standoff between the US and China cause major disruptions for businesses. At the same time, the US-led investment competition is intensifying. The urgency of the challenge facing the European Union is clearly highlighted in the Letta and Draghi reports. It is a clear message with which we agree: Europe must change, and it must change now.”

Mr. Theodoropoulos noted that despite this challenging environment, Greece has made significant progress in recent years, including achieving primary budget surpluses, reducing unemployment, securing economic resources through the Recovery Fund and ESPA, achieving investment-grade status, enhancing Greece’s international image, repositioning itself globally as an investment destination, and increasing Foreign Direct Investment.

Referring to the industrial sector, Mr. Theodoropoulos pointed out that it makes significant contributions, supporting the economy and employment. Industry represents 13.4% of Greece’s GDP, employs 1.1 million workers directly or indirectly, ranks first in exports of goods and services, and has tripled its spending on Research & Development in recent years.

However, he stressed that despite this progress, there is still considerable room for improvement. He highlighted both the long-standing issues businesses face and new ones, such as high energy costs, significant fluctuations, labor shortages across all skill levels, and the difficulty for SMEs to secure adequate bank financing. “At the same time, the Greek economy continues to face two critical challenges: improving the current account balance and boosting productivity. As a country, we need to produce more internationally competitive products to increase exports and reduce imports. We need a rapid and substantial increase in productive investments, especially those that create greater domestic added value. Such investments will allow for productivity growth which, while improving, remains low.” He added that productivity is the most critical factor for improving workers’ incomes.

Mr. Theodoropoulos acknowledged that recent announcements by the Ministry of Development are moving in the right direction. He added, however, that Greece needs to make an immediate investment leap that will extend beyond the Recovery Fund. Specifically, he proposed super-deductions for productive investments as an additional investment tool that would apply regardless of company size, industry, or location—whether for expanding or modernizing existing operations or creating new ones. This would prioritize the use of companies’ own resources with tax incentives rather than subsidies.

SEV’s Chairman stressed the importance of cooperation for a prosperous society and economy and called on social partners and the state to create a new social contract for the benefit of all.

Concluding his speech, he addressed business leaders, stating that regardless of the incentives provided by the state, the responsibility for improving productivity remains individual. “We need to invest more in our businesses and our people. We need to transform our companies even faster by adopting technological solutions, digital transformations, and pursuing innovation.”

In his speech, Mr. Guy Verhofstadt emphasized, among other things: We live in a new age of Empires in which not national states but big countries and continental organizations decide on the fate of the world. It is a brutal world based on political, military, economic and technological competition. Is Europe ready for this new world order? The answer is: we are not. We need urgently to build up a European Defense Union and complete our single market (Letta report) especially in the capital services, telecom and digital markets. This will need institutional reforms like the end of the unanimity rule and the establishment of a bigger European budget as proposed in the Draghi report.

GOLD SPONSORS: HELLENiQ ENERGY HOLDINGS S.A., METRO AEBE, QUEST ΣΥΜΜΕΤΟΧΩΝ, UNI-PHARMA ΑΒΕΕ, ION A.E. Βιομηχανίας και Εμπορίου Κακάο & Σοκολάτας., ΟΜΙΛΟΣ ΤΙΤΑΝ, ΣΕΒ-ΙΒΕΠΕ

SILVER SPONSORS: AEGEAN, ΜΟΤΟΡ ΟΪΛ (ΕΛΛΑΣ) ΔΙΥΛΙΣΤΗΡΙΑ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΟΥ Α.Ε., ΟΤΕ Α.Ε.

BRONZE SPONSORS: ELVIAL S.A., Pharmathen

SPONSORS: ADAPTIT Α.Ε., AUTOHELLAS ATEE, DAMMA ΣΥΜΜΕΤΟΧΩΝ Α.Ε., DIS – Dynamic Integrated Solutions, GOLDAIR CARGO, IMERYS GREECE S.A., METLEN Energy & Metals, MICROSOFT, OLYMPIA GROUP, ΔΕΔΔΗΕ Α.Ε. Διαχειριστής του Ελληνικού Δικτύου Διανομής Ηλεκτρικής Ενέργειας Α.Ε., ΚΑΤΑΣΤΗΜΑΤΑ ΑΦΟΡΟΛΟΓΗΤΩΝ ΕΙΔΩΝ

SUPPORTERS: ABB SA, ALLIANZ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗ ΠΙΣΤΗ, ALPHA BANK, BAT HELLAS, COCA-COLA 3E ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ Α.Β.Ε.Ε., COCA-COLA HELLAS, DELOITTE, DEMO ΑΒΕΕ, DIADIKASIA BUSINESS CONSULTING ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΟΙ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΕΩΝ ΑΝΩΝΥΜΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ GOOGLE, MAPEI HELLAS, MSD, NN HELLAS, POTAMITISVEKRIS, SAP HELLAS ΜΟΝΟΠΡΟΣΩΠΗ ΑΕ, UTECO SA, Βιομηχανία Μπισκότων & Ειδών Διατροφής Ε.Ι. ΠΑΠΑΔΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ Α.Ε., ΓΕΝΕΣΙΣ ΦΑΡΜΑ, ΓΙΩΤΗΣ Α.Ε., ΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ ΑΕΡΟΛΙΜΕΝΑΣ ΑΘΗΝΩΝ Α.Ε, ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΕΣ ΥΠΕΡΑΓΟΡΕΣ ΣΚΛΑΒΕΝΙΤΗΣ Α.Ε.Ε., ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΣ ΧΡΥΣΟΣ, ΕΤΒΑ ΒΙ.ΠΕ. Α.Ε., ΠΑΠΑΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ

RECEPTION SPONSORS: COCA-COLA 3E ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ Α.Β.Ε.Ε., ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΖΥΘΟΠΟΙΙΑ ΑΤΑΛΑΝΤΗΣ Α.Ε., Σ. ΜΕΝΤΕΚΙΔΗΣ Α.Ε. και το ΦΥΣΙΚΟ ΜΕΤΑΛΛΙΚΟ ΝΕΡΟ ΔΙΟΣ

INCLUSIVENESS SPONSOR: EVENLY

Markus J. Beyrer at the Informal Competitiveness Council in Sofia

The informal meeting of the EU ministers responsible for competitiveness takes place today in Sofia under the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. An industrial strategy for Europe is among the key topics discussed.

BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer, invited to speak at the meeting, underlined: “We must put industrial policy high on the political agenda in the coming months and keep up the pace of the progress achieved in the last months. One of the key points that still needs a thorough reflexion is the long-term vision for the EU’s industry. A key objective of a revised industrial strategy must be to ensure the EU policy can steer positive change and have the tools to handle difficult challenges ahead, be it job changes due to technological development, the effects of an ageing population, or the energy transition.”

Earlier in January, BusinessEurope President Emma Marcegaglia and Director General Markus J. Beyrer sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Boyko Borissov with BusinessEurope’s priorities for the Bulgarian EU Presidency. The Presidency should take full advantage of the current momentum to move forward with discussions that will sustain a strong European Union in the years ahead. Key priorities to make progress on are the Economic and Monetary Union, the next Multiannual Financial Framework and maintaining a high profile for an EU industrial strategy. The EU must also continue developing our European Single Market in line with the Leaders’ Agenda and promoting an ambitious trade policy.