Greece Reviews

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OECD identifies hundreds of competition-distorting rules and provisions

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría presented the results of the Competition Assessment Review at a launch event in Athens on 27 November 2013 in the presence of Greece’s Minister of Development Costis Hatzidakis.

> Full text of news release

> Remarks by Angel Gurría

> Download the publication (pdf)

About the book

The Greek authorities have taken important steps in recent years to reinforce competition law, strengthen the Hellenic Competition Commission and liberalise professional services. They have demonstrated the political willingness to address the problem of existing regulatory barriers to competition that have contributed to holding back the economic recovery.

This report is the result of an 11-month investigation by the OECD in cooperation with the Greek authorities into Greece’s food processing, retail trade, building materials and tourism sectors. Using the OECD Competition Assessment Toolkit to structure the analysis, the OECD Competition Assessment Project identified 555 problematic regulations. The Competition Assessment Review of Greece makes more than 320 recommendations on legal provisions that should be amended or repealed.

If these recommendations are implemented, benefits to consumers in Greece and to the Greek economy should arise in all four sectors.

Contents

Assessment and recommendations
Chapter 1. Food processing
Chapter 2. Retail trade
Chapter 3. Building materials
Chapter 4. Tourism
Chapter 5. Obstacles to competition in Greece
Chapter 6. Benefits from removing regulatory barriers to competition in Greece
Annex A: Methodology
Annex B: Overview of Greek competition legislation by sector