Operating licenses for 897 professions are abolished

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A major reform step in tackling bureaucracy was announced by Development Minister Kostas Skrekas, who has decided to abolish the requirement for operating licenses for 103 industrial and manufacturing activities involving 897 professions.

This saves two to three months of time and an average of €1,500.
These professional activities account for 14.3% of GDP.
As mentioned, a study has been conducted on activities that do not require a license. Work will commence with a simple notification to the General Commercial Registry (GEMI), followed by an inspection. However, the licensing stage is abolished for the majority of activities, general operating conditions are created where necessary, the possibility of self-compliance by the company or third-party certification is provided, prior licensing is maintained only with specific exceptions, and inspections under actual operating conditions are strengthened.

The 103 industrial activities, according to the international statistical classification, cover 7 sectors, 24 branches, 67 groups, 129 classes, 408 categories, and 897 subcategories.

“This first step in deregulation concerns approximately 900 activities and applies only to manufacturing. In other words, it concerns only the Ministry of Development, but with the decisions that will be issued in the near future, we are moving towards a new production model that prioritizes production over consumption,” said the Secretary General for Industry, George Stergiou, noting that studies will also be conducted for other medium- and high-risk professions. A senior official at the Ministry of Development commented that the primary concern is to facilitate entrepreneurship in the country, and to do this, bureaucratic obstacles must be reduced and “eliminate them, especially for the benefit of new entrepreneurs.”

This concerns the following sectors:

  • Crop and animal production, hunting, and related activities
  • Food industry
  • liquor store
  • textile production
  • Manufacture of clothing
  • Leather and leather goods industry.
  • Industry wood and manufacture products from wood and cork, except for furniture – Manufacture of items of basketry and mats and matting
  • Paper manufacturing and paper product manufacturing
  • Printing and playback of pre-recorded media
  • Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products.
  • Manufacture of metal products, except machinery and equipment.
  • Manufacture of electronic computers, electronic and optical products
  • Manufacture of electrical equipment
  • Manufacture of machinery and types of equipment
  • Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers.
  • Manufacture of other transport equipment
  • Manufacture of furniture
  • Other manufacturing activities
  • Repair and installation of machinery and equipment
  • Supply of electricity, natural gas, steam, and air conditioning
  • Water collection, treatment, and supply.
  • Wholesale and retail trade – repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
  • Storage and transport support activities.