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Doing Business in Greece

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Doing Business in Greece Doing Business in Greece: 2018 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. Table of Contents Doing Business in Greece ___________________________________________ 4 Market Overview ________________________________________________________ 4 Market Challenges ______________________________________________________ 7 Market Opportunities ____________________________________________________ 8 Market Entry Strategy ___________________________________________________ 8 Political and Economic Environment _________________________________ 10 Political and Economic Environment ______________________________________ 10 Selling US Products & Services _____________________________________ 11 Using an Agent to Sell US Products and Services ___________________________ 11 Establishing an Office __________________________________________________ 11 Franchising ___________________________________________________________ 12 Direct Marketing _______________________________________________________ 12 Joint Ventures/Licensing ________________________________________________ 13 Selling to the Government _______________________________________________ 13 Distribution & Sales Channels ___________________________________________ 16 Express Delivery ______________________________________________________ 17 Selling Factors & Techniques ____________________________________________ 17 eCommerce ___________________________________________________________ 17 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 17 Current Market Trends ........................................................................................................................ 17 Domestic eCommerce (B2C) .............................................................................................................. 17 Cross-Border eCommerce .................................................................................................................. 19 Online Payment ................................................................................................................................... 19 Mobile eCommerce ............................................................................................................................. 20 eCommerce Legal Framework ............................................................................................................ 20 Web Resources ................................................................................................................................... 20 Trade Promotion & Advertising __________________________________________ 21 Pricing _______________________________________________________________ 22 Greece Country Commercial Guide, July 2018 2 Sales Service/Customer Support _________________________________________ 22 Protecting Intellectual Property __________________________________________ 22 Due Diligence _________________________________________________________ 23 Local Professional Services _____________________________________________ 23 Principle Business Associations _________________________________________ 24 Limitations on Selling US Products and Services ___________________________ 26 Web Resources _______________________________________________________ 26 Leading Sectors for US Exports & Investments ________________________ 27 Renewable Energy _____________________________________________________ 26 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 27 Leading Sub-Sectors ........................................................................................................................... 28 Opportunities ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Web Resources ................................................................................................................................... 30 Information and Communications Technology (ICT))_________________________ 31 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 31 Leading Sub-Sectors ........................................................................................................................... 33 Opportunities ....................................................................................................................................... 35 Web Resources ................................................................................................................................... 36 Greek Shipping Industry and Marine Services ______________________________ 37 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 37 Best Prospects .................................................................................................................................... 39 Web Resources ................................................................................................................................... 39 Agricultural Sector _____________________________________________________ 41 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 41 Leading Sub-Sectors ........................................................................................................................... 42 Opportunities ....................................................................................................................................... 42 Web Resources ................................................................................................................................... 42 Customs, Regulations & Standards __________________________________ 44 Trade Barriers _________________________________________________________ 44 Import Tariff __________________________________________________________ 45 Import Requirements & Documentation ___________________________________ 46 U.S. Export Controls ___________________________________________________ 46 Temporary Entry _______________________________________________________ 48 Labeling/Marking Requirements __________________________________________ 48 Prohibited & Restricted Imports __________________________________________ 48 Customs Regulations __________________________________________________ 49 Standards for Trade ____________________________________________________ 49 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 49 Standards ............................................................................................................................................ 50 Testing, inspection and certification .................................................................................................... 51 Publication of technical regulations ..................................................................................................... 52 Trade Agreements _____________________________________________________ 53 Licensing Requirements for Professional Services __________________________ 54 Web Resources _______________________________________________________ 54 Investment Climate Statement ______________________________________ 57 Greece Country Commercial Guide, July 2018 3 Executive Summary ____________________________________________________ 57 Trade & Project Financing __________________________________________ 87 Methods of Payment ___________________________________________________ 87 Banking Systems ______________________________________________________ 88 Foreign Exchange Controls _____________________________________________ 89 US Banks & Local Correspondent Banks __________________________________ 90 Project Financing ______________________________________________________ 90 Financing Web Resources ______________________________________________ 91 Business Travel __________________________________________________ 92 Business Customs _____________________________________________________ 92 Travel Advisory _______________________________________________________ 92 Visa Requirements _____________________________________________________ 92 Currency _____________________________________________________________ 92 Telecommunications/Electric ____________________________________________ 93 Transportation ________________________________________________________ 93 Language ____________________________________________________________ 94 Health _______________________________________________________________ 94 Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays _________________________________ 94 Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings _______________________ 96 Travel Related Web Resources ___________________________________________ 97 Greece Country Commercial Guide, July 2018 4 Doing Business in Greece Market Overview Greece continues to present a challenging economic climate as it seeks to emerge from the deepest recession in post-World War II history. Previous governments have made progress in carrying out widespread
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