Increased competition can improve a country’s economic performance, open business opportunities and reduce the cost of goods and services to the benefit of consumers. However, numerous laws and regulations can restrict competition in the marketplace.

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 to improve the country's economic performance. 

Date of publication
7 November 2016

7 November 2016 - In 2016, the OECD carried out an independent policy assessment to identify rules and regulations that may hinder the efficient functioning of markets in 5 sectors of the Greek economy: construction, media, wholesale trade, e-commerce and manufacturing sub-sectors (such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals).

The project team reviewed 1288 pieces of legislations and identified 577 potential restrictions to competition in the sectors examined. A total of 356 recommendations were made and, if applied, could have a positive impact on the Greek economy of around 414 million euros.

OECD Deputy SG Rintaro Tamaki and Mr George Stathakis, former Greek Minister of Economy, current Minister of Environment and Energy, were present at the launch event in Athens.

>> View the report | Greek

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>> Read more about the project. 

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Date of publication
27 November 2013

27 November 2013 - The Greek government asked the OECD to conduct an assessment of laws and regulations undermining competition in the sectors of tourism, retail trade, food processing and construction materials. Using the OECD Competition Assessment Toolkit to structure the analysis, this first report identified 555 problematic regulations and 329 provisions where changes could be made to foster competition.

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

>> Full text of news release

>> Remarks by Angel Gurría

>> Read  the report

A further assessment was published in 2014 to identify competition-distorting rules and regulations in the following manufacturing sub-sectors: beverages; textiles, clothing apparel and leather; machinery and equipment; and coke and refined petroleum products. The report made 88 recommendations on specific legal provisions taking into account EU legislation and relevant provisions in comparable countries, notably EU Member States.