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The market of izmir: the next goal for outward-looking enterprises of
northern greece
Following arrangements made by FING, a business delegation made up of
forty of FING’s members/enterprises visited Izmir from 26 to 29
September. This delegation visit took place within the framework of the
actions being implemented by FING for the development of an “Innovation
Pole” in the Region of Central Makedonia.
Izmir has a strong business community consisting of many capable
businessmen who are making efforts to open up new markets and who make
the best of any business opportunities that come their way. They
especially wish to co-operate with us Greeks, and thus to open up new
possibilities for co-operation between the two countries.
One of the occurrences that led to our good impression of the business
world in that particular area was the announcement made by our Turkish
colleagues on the first day of our business delegation to Izmir of the
goal they have set with regard to the volume of bilateral trade between
Greece and Turkey. The current trade volume between the two countries
amounts to three (3) billion dollars. Our neighbours aspire to increase
this volume within the next 3-5 years to five (5) billion dollars.
This dynamism is what drives us to open up channels of communication and
to co-operate with the local business community in order to develop
joint business schemes. Furthermore, there are two additional reasons
leading us to Izmir and not to another port or city in Turkey: firstly
Izmir’s size, and secondly its production infrastructure.
Besides, we have already developed partnerships with Istanbul, however
its size and the permanent interest of all businessmen – Greek and
foreign – in Istanbul have led us to open up a new market in our
neighbouring country, which is none other than Izmir. Let us not forget
that Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey and the second largest
port after that of Istanbul.
In addition, its proximity with the islands of the East Aegean and its
production infrastructure, which is very similar to ours in Northern
Greece, have led us to the development of business partnerships in
Izmir. Especially with regard to the issue of the region’s production
infrastructure, I wish to point out the following: it is certain that
Greek enterprises cannot be competitive – in terms of cost – in products
that are considered as “basic” irrespective of their specific sector due
to the cheap labour, and by extension the low cost of production, that
our Turkish peers enjoy. However, our enterprises can provide Turkish
enterprises with know-how for the production of high-added-value
products, which are currently practically unknown to our neighbours, and
especially in the region of Izmir. Besides, this was the context of the
partnerships that arose from our business delegation.
Of course, there are obstacles on the way to opening up a market in
Izmir. The main obstacle is the difficulty of access between the two
markets. The distance between Thessaloniki and Izmir is only fifty
minutes by plane. However, there are currently no direct flights between
the two cities, and in order for one to reach Izmir, he must spend half
a day travelling from Athens and Istanbul, and then on to Izmir. If we
solve this matter, then I believe that we will have taken an important
step towards bringing these two business communities closer.
Lastly, I wish to assure all colleagues that the region of Izmir has
remarkable development prospects. This is why I urge them to directly
explore the business opportunities in the region, since I believe that
they are of direct concern to us and can give us yet another chance to
prove our capability of developing outward-looking activities.
Previous President's Messages
Zero profits for processing industries in Northern Greece in 2010, with one in three businesses reporting losses
Only daring decisions will take the country out of this impasse
The Federation’s Proposals for development
The need to take measures to immediately bolster the economy and improve business competitiveness
A new year – new expectations for growth and development
Developmental measures to offset unemployment benefits with job subsidies
Enhancing "Greek Value" by resolving problems that drag on
Greece’s rise in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook ranking is encouraging news amidst the crisis
The Federation of Industries of Northern Greece making a decisive contribution to manufacturing strategy up to 2020
The government's immediate priorities in 2010 to develop the infrastructure in Thessaloniki and boost the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises
Expectations from the new government: the manufacturing sector should be the new government’s focus
Industry should be among the Government’s policy priorities
Industry centre stage again
Proposals for avoiding the financial crisis
Bold decision-making for avoiding the financial crisis
Prospects for growth in Northern Greece in an environment of international crisis
Investment Law and Northern Greece
The market of izmir: the next goal for outward-looking enterprises of
northern greece
The
new government’s aspirations for thessaloniki and northern greece:
fing’s proposals for development
Thessaloniki and Northern Greece in International Markets
Regional
development policy as an engine for local industrial development
Global
orientation, productivity and realistic management of the National
Strategic Development Plan (NSDP). The challenges for 2007
Investment Law and Northern Greece
The new
legislative framework for research and technology in Greece: a
government nod of approval for the proposals made by the Federation of
Industries of Northern Greece (FING)
Thessaloniki has the potential to become the second pole of development
for Greece and the headquarters for development organizations nationwide
Changing
attitudes to combat unemployment – Proposals for creating closer links
between education and production
Support
for the Regions: From now on, policy actions and not just policy
announcements
The
business community – a force for social cohesion in Northern Greece
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