Turkey
Following on the success of the United States as the Honored Country at the 2018 Thessaloniki International Fair, American companies are viewed favorably in Greece for entrepreneurship, innovation, and advanced technology. U.S. companies have had success finding opportunities to invest and partner with Greek companies in R&D, battery storage, e-vehicle charging networks and traffic management software. Under the leadership of current Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and other U.S. educated technocrats, Greece is encouraging a transformation of the economy to promote innovation.
Exporters of vehicles, OEM parts & components, EV chargers, as well as aftermarket products & accessories should be aware that Greece is part of the European Union and subject to EU standards and regulations. While a pan-European business strategy is critical, individual market entry plans must be developed on a country-by-country and industry-by-industry basis. In principal, approval granted for vehicles or vehicle parts in one EU member state should be accepted by all member states across the EU. However, individual member states may enforce more stringent or additional regulatory requirements for certain product groups and/or applications.
In addition to compliance with the legal requirements of an EU member state as well as relevant EC and UNECE directives and regulations, U.S. exporters of automotive parts are advised to obtain evidence of compliance with relevant technical norms and standards.
Summary
Greece introduced e-mobility legislation in July 2020. The new law offers tax breaks, subsidies and other incentives while also setting the framework for installing charging stations. Together with a progressive pro-environment campaign related to renewable energy, energy conservation, recycling and combatting climate change, the current government has made digitization and modernization of the economy a priority. The mayor of Athens, Greece’s largest city known for its traffic congestion, has acted over the past year to implement ecologically friendly and smart transport solutions. Greece has a well-educated and talented workforce that has been attracting much attention due to the growth of innovation and technology hubs in Athens and Thessaloniki.
GREECE
Market Entry
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