THESSALONIKI CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Presentation to students
of the Angelo State University, Texas, USA
Giorgos Emmanouilidis
TCCI, Studies and Research department
Thessaloniki CCI
Thessaloniki, 28th May 2012
EUROPE
GREECE –
CENTRAL MACEDONIA
REGIONAL UNIT
OF THESSALONIKI

Population: 1.144.052 (2008)

10,2% of country’s population

GDP: 19.449.000.000 €

9,1% of Greek G.D.P. - 2nd in Greece

GDP per capita 17.245 €, 90,2% of national average

G.D.P. composition: 1,8% agriculture,
27,6% Industry and 70,6% Services
THESSALONIKI
INFRASTRUCTURES

The 2nd biggest port in Greece, including a free zone
area, a container terminal, railway infrastructure etc.

The largest organized industrial area of the country.

The biggest International Trade Fair in the Balkans.

Three internationally recognized Universities – over
100,000 students (Aristotle University - University of
Macedonia – International Hellenic University).

The Alexandreion Technological Educational Institute
of Thessaloniki.

The Center for Research and Technology Hellas.
E.U. AND INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN
THESSALONIKI

The European Center for the Development of
Vocational Training (CEDEFOP)

The Black Sea Trade Development Bank

The Private Sector Liaison Office of the World Bank
Group (hosted by the TCCI)

The Euro Info Center
THESSALONIKI CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
TCCI PROFILE

TCCI was established in 1918 and began to operate
in 1919

It’s a Public Authority and the 2nd most significant
Chamber in Greece

Approximately 20,000 commercial firms and
industries are registered in TCCI (registration is
compulsory according to the law)

20 employees
TCCI PROFILE

TCCI task is to develop and promote all economic
activities and in particular commerce and industry in
the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki and the wider area
of Central Macedonia and Northern Greece.

TCCI is an official advisor to the Government on
issues related to the activities of the companies
located in the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki and
also in matters related to the overall economic
growth of the area.
TCCI ADMINISTRATION

The TCCI Board of Directors is elected every 4 years
and comprises 61 members. The board also elects 4
honorary members, while 10 additional members are
appointed by law.

The board elects an administrative committee with 5
members, responsible for most of the everyday
decision making, the representation
of TCCI in
missions, conferences, meetings etc.
TCCI NETWORK
The TCCI participates in:

the International Chamber of Commerce
 the Eurochambres
 the Centre of International and European
Economic Law
 the Association of Balkan Chambers
 The Arab - Greek Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
 The Union of Hellenic Chambers of Commerce and
Industry
 the Hellenic External Trade Organization
TCCI NETWORK







the Greek Export Council
the Regional Council of Central Macedonia
the Regional Fund for the Development of Central
Macedonia
the Society for the development of private
infrastructures in Northern Greece
the Hellenic Network for Corporate Social
Responsibility
The Hellenic Chambers Transport Association
The Chamber Group for the Development of the
Greek Islands
TCCI SERVICES
TCCI Provides its members with:
Registration,
cancellation and company’s history
certificates
Certificates
of origin
Authentification
of the genuine / identical signature of
the companies’ representatives
TCCI provides an one – stop – shop service for the
creation of new enterprises
TCCI provides a General Commercial Registry service
for its members
TCCI SERVICES
TCCI provides its members and other Greek
companies with information concerning:
Members’ registry (companies’ info by sector)
Existing legislation concerning business activities
(Investment incentives Law, Labor Law etc.)
International tenders
Business opportunities in other countries
Customs and tax issues
Funding
opportunities via National Strategic
Reference Framework or European Calls
Foreign countries’ economies (macroeconomic
data, market research, business guides etc.)
Conferences
and fora of business interest
organized in Greece and abroad
TCCI SERVICES
TCCI provides foreign companies with information
concerning:
Members’ registry
 Thessaloniki exporters registry
 Existing legislation concerning the setting up of a
business organization in Greece
 The business environment in Greece (Property and
Labor Law, Investment incentives law etc.)

The Chamber also organizes meetings, conferences
and lectures on current subjects of business
interest
TCCI SERVICES
TCCI hosts the Private Sector Liaison Office to the
World Bank in Greece, which aims at expanding the
cooperation of the Greek private sector with the
WorldBank Group.
Through this cooperation, Greek companies can

be involved in the procurement programmes for the
purchase of goods and services required in WBfinanced projects and

have access to financial and technical assistance for
the realization of investment projects in emerging or
developing economies.
TCCI TRAINING
TCCI organizes training seminars for entrepreneurs,
company executives and employees in subjects such
as:


Communication, marketing and sales
Negotiation techniques
 Management of SMEs
 Business planning
 E- commerce, applied informatics and networks
 Export marketing
 Introduction to accounting
 Basic Knowledge of Italian and Spanish Language
 Occupational Health and Safety
TCCI TRAINING
More precisely, the TCCI provides every year:




A session of vocational training seminars for
employees of its member enterprises (only Small
Enterprises up to 25 employees), programme LAEK
1-25 of the Greek Employment Organisation (OAED).
1.408 employees have been trained since 2005, 256
only in 2012.
A session of seminars addressed to enterpreneurs
and business executives. More than 3.000 persons
have been trained since 1999.
A session of Occupational Health and Safety
seminars for employers who desire to perform the
role of Safety Expert of their enterprise. 747
employers have been trained since 2001.
Other specialised seminars of business interest, in
cooperation with highly qualified trainers
TCCI ACTIVITIES

TCCI participates in official State missions abroad
aiming at the promotion of the Greek economy and
the attraction of foreign direct investments.

Organizes business missions abroad with full
support to its members (organization of private
meetings, secretarial services, interpretation etc).

Receives foreign
premises.

Participates in international fairs in Greece and
abroad and supports financially member enterprises
that also wish to participate.
business
delegations
at
its
TCCI PARTICIPATION IN EU
PROGRAMMES

In collaboration with other organizations from
Greece and abroad, TCCI implements projects
aiming at the development of the Thessaloniki area,
the enhancement of the competitiveness of its
members enterprises and the improvement of its
services.

Furthermore, TCCI considers its participation in
projects realised in the
framework
of
EU
programs,
an
opportunity for European cooperation and
networking, not only with other
Chambers, but also with a variety of organisations
like institutes, academia, public bodies, NGOs etc.
TCCI PARTICIPATION IN EU
PROGRAMMES

As a result, the TCCI has participated in the
preparation and submission of a number of different
proposals in the framework of Calls of European
programs, like Interreg, Objective 3, Lifelong
Learning Program, EU enlargement, Intelligent
Energy Europe et al.

Various projects have been implemented since 2004
and others are being actually implemented, while
project proposals are constantly submitted in the
framework of current Programme Calls
TCCI PARTICIPATION IN EU
PROGRAMMES
Actually the TCCI participates as partner in the
implementation of 5 EU projects:

Project “WIDE - Growing of SMEs: organizational
Innovation and Development in MED area”,
programme MED. WIDE aims at strengthening
Micro/SMEs innovation capacities, through strategic
cooperation between MED public and private actors.

Project “LOSAMEDCHEM - How could the logistics
and the safety of the transport of chemicals be
improved in the Mediterranean area”, programme
MED.
LOSAMEDCHEM
aims
at
promoting
environment friendly transport of chemicals in the
Mediterranean region.
TCCI PARTICIPATION IN EU
PROGRAMMES

Project “EGNATIA VAE - Cross Border Vertical Axes
of Entrepreneurship in support Youth and Women”,
programme Greece - Bulgaria 2007 - 2013. The main
project’s objective is the support and promotion of
entrepreneurship in the cross - border regions
adjacent to the Egnatia Motorway vertical axes.

Project “ELIE - Employability: Learning through
International Entrepreneurship”, Life Long Learning
Programme ERASMUS. ELIE’s aim is the
development and piloting of a Learning Framework
that facilitates Employability and Entrepreneurship
in a Cross - Cultural Environment
TCCI PARTICIPATION IN EU
PROGRAMMES

Project “VALO - ECQA Valorisation Expert Training
and Certification”, programme Life Long Learning
Programme Leonardo Da Vinci. The general aims
and objectives of the project are to create a new
certified Valorisation Expert profession, added to the
18 existing certifications of the European
Certification and Qualification Association (ECQA).
TCCI COMMUNICATION TOOLS

The web site of TCCI: www.tcci.gr, which
covers a wide range of issues of immediate
business interest

The trimonthly bulletin sent to members

Frequent
group
fax
and
communications to its members
e-mail
GREEK EXTERNAL TRADE
EXPORTS

Value of Greek exports in 2011:
22,451,020,103€

Importance in the Greek GDP:
10.44%

Significant growth of exports in 2011, of 38%

The growth was due to the increase of
competitiveness of Greek products, thanks to the
reduction of their prices, but also thanks to the turn
of more Greek enterprises to extroverty.

Exports to the EU represent 51% of the total.

Main exported products are foods and beverages,
industrial products, oil products, chemicals.
GREEK EXTERNAL TRADE
EXPORTS
MAIN COMMERCIAL
PARTNERS
%
ITALY
9%
GERMANY
8%
TURKEY
8%
CYPRUS
6%
BULGARIA
6%
USA
5%
UK
4%
FRANCE
3%
GREEK EXTERNAL TRADE
IMPORTS

Value of Greek imports in 2011:

Decrease of imports in 2011, of 9.3%

The decrease was due to the restrictive economic
policy applied in Greece as a result of the severe
financial crisis.

Imports from the EU represent 54% of the total.

Main imported products are machinery, vehicles,
fossil fuels, chemicals and foods.
43,272,609,226€
GREEK EXTERNAL TRADE
IMPORTS
MAIN COMMERCIAL
PARTNERS
%
GERMANY
11%
ITALY
9%
RUSSIA
9%
CHINA
6%
FRANCE
5%
HOLLAND
5%
UK
3%
USA
2%
GREEK EXTERNAL TRADE
BALANCE
Amounts
in million €
2011
2010
2009
EXPORTS
22,451
16,248
14,392
IMPORTS
43,273
47,721
48,087
TRADE
BALANCE
-20,822
-31,473
-33,965
Thank you for
your attention !