by Alexia Sotiriou

 

Greek exports maintained their dynamic growth in the first quarter of the year, delivering encouraging signs for the export growth outlook in 2023. According to the recent data of the Hellenic Statistical Authority and the Panhellenic Exporters' Federation, in the first quarter of 2023 the value of Greek exports jumped 17.8% totaling 13.713 billion euros compared to 11.640 billion euros in the period January – March 2022, while excluding oil products, the country's exports rose 12,7%. 

 

The value of exports totaled 4.801 billion euros in March, from 4.540 billion March 2022, an increase of 5.7 percent. Excluding oil products exports grew 13%, while excluding oil products and ships exports rose 12.8%. Oils (140.9%), alcohol/tobacco (33.8%), food/livestock (22.6%), machinery (20%), chemicals (11.7%) recorded the biggest percentage growth rates in March, compared with the same month last year. 

 

In the first quarter of 2023 the trade deficit totaled 7.221 billion euros, down 19% compared with the corresponding period in 2022, while excluding oil products the deficit fell 12%. 

 

Greek government outlines that these promising performances is the best proof that export rates serve as the mirror of a competitive economy. Recently, the greek ministry of Foreign Affairs presented the National Strategic Extroversion Plan for 2023, a roadmap of Economic Diplomacy, with 779 actions in 46 target countries.  

 

Deputy Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Kostas Fragogiannis outlined the results of the targeted promotion of the country's economic goals regarding exports and attracting investments during the current government term. 

 

Vasiliki Loizou, Secretary-General of International Economic Relations and Openness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for the development of the 3rd National Strategic Plan for Extroversion, emphasized that the National Strategic Plan for Extroversion is an evolving organism based on the triptych: cohesion, consistency and synergy. Mrs. Loizou stated that the National Strategic Plan for Extroversion is the first step in developing a long-term National Strategy for Economic Diplomacy, a National Strategy with a five-year/ten-year time horizon, that will ensure the penetration of Greek enterprises into new markets and continuous presence in markets of interest. 

 

She also remarked that the 779 actions are subdivided by priority sectors into 355 actions to strengthen exports, 88 to strengthen bilateral relations, 43 actions to enhance multilateral relations, and 30 actions to promote development cooperation.