Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the economic, social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Greece
Date: 2026-06-03
Institutions: European Commission, Reform and Investment Task Force
Subjects: Greece, budget policy, economic policy, economic recovery, economic reform, employment policy, energy policy, investment, social policy, stability pact

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 3.6.2026  COM(2026) 208 final  Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the economic, social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Greece {SWD(2026) 208 final}  
 
Recommendation for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

on the economic, social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Greece 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Articles 121(2) and 148(4) thereof, 

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1263 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of  29 April 2024  on  the  effective  coordination  of  economic  policies  and  on  multilateral 
budgetary  surveillance  and  repealing  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  1466/97  (1),  and  in 
particular Article 3(3) thereof, 

Having  regard  to  Regulation  (EU)  No  1176/2011  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council  of  16 November 2011  on  the  prevention  and  correction  of  macroeconomic 
imbalances (2), and in particular Article 6(1) thereof, 

Having regard to the recommendation of the European Commission, 

Having regard to the resolutions of the European Parliament, 

Having regard to the conclusions of the European Council, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Employment Committee, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Social Protection Committee, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic Policy Committee, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

1 

2 

Regulation  (EU)  2024/1263  specifies  the  objectives  of  the  economic  governance 
framework,  which  aims  at  promoting  sound  and  sustainable  public  finances, 
sustainable  and  inclusive  growth  and  resilience  through  reforms  and  investments,  as 
well  as  preventing  excessive  government  deficits.  The  Regulation  stipulates  that  the 
Council  and  the  Commission  conduct  multilateral  surveillance  in  the  context  of  the 
European Semester in accordance with the objectives and requirements set out in the 
Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union  (TFEU).  The  European  Semester 
includes, in  particular, the formulation and the surveillance of the implementation  of 
country-specific recommendations. 

Regulation 

Regulation  (EU)  2024/1263  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  29 April 2024  on  the 
effective  coordination  of  economic  policies  and  on  multilateral  budgetary  surveillance  and  repealing 
Council 
ELI: 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1263/oj). 
Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2011 
on  the  prevention  and  correction  of  macroeconomic  imbalances  (OJ  L  306,  23 11 2011  ELI: 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1176/oj). 

(EC)  No 

2024/1263, 

30 4 2024, 

1466/97 

(OJ 

L, 

EN 

1 

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(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

On  16 July 2025,  the  Commission  adopted  its  proposal  for  a  regulation  establishing 
the European Fund for economic, social and territorial cohesion, agriculture and rural, 
fisheries and maritime, prosperity and security for the period 2028-2034 and amending 
Regulation (EU) 2023/955 and Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 (3). The proposal 
aims to increase the effectiveness of Union funding by reducing the fragmentation of 
the  financial  architecture  and  to  support  Member  States  in  the  coordination  of  their 
economic policy in line with Article 175 TFEU. 

On  25 November 2025,  the  Commission  adopted  an  opinion  on  the  2026  draft 
budgetary  plan  of  Greece.  On  the  same  date,  on  the  basis  of  Regulation  (EU)  No 
1176/2011,  the  Commission  adopted  the  2026  Alert  Mechanism  Report,  in  which 
identified Greece as one of the Member States for which an in-depth review would be 
for  a  Council 
needed.  The  Commission  also  adopted  a 
recommendation  on  the  economic  policy  of  the  euro  area,  a  recommendation  for  a 
Council recommendation on human capital in the European Union, and a proposal for 
the  2026  Joint  Employment  Report,  which  analyses  the  implementation  of  the 
Employment  Guidelines  and  the  principles  of  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights. 
The Council adopted the Recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area (4) 
on  21 April 2026  and  the  Joint  Employment  Report  and  the  Recommendation  on 
human capital on 9 March 2026. 

recommendation 

On  29 January 2025,  the  Commission  published  the  Competitiveness  Compass,  a 
strategic  framework  that  aims  to  boost  the  Union’s  global  competitiveness  over  the 
next  five  years.  It  identifies  the  three  transformational  imperatives  of  innovation, 
decarbonisation  and  competitiveness,  and  security  as  critical  pillars  for  sustainable 
economic  growth.  The  European  Semester  is  aligned  with  the  Competitiveness 
Compass,  ensuring  that  Member  States’  economic  policies  are  consistent  with  the 
Commission’s  strategic  objectives,  creating  a  unified  approach 
to  economic 
governance that fosters sustainable growth, innovation and resilience across the Union. 

In  2026,  the  European  Semester  for  economic  policy  coordination  continues  to 
develop  alongside  the  final  stage  of  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  (RRF) 
implementation (5). In the last few years, recovery and resilience plans (RRPs), along 
with  cohesion  policy  funding,  have  been  essential  for  delivering  on  the  policy 
priorities  under  the  European  Semester,  as  the  plans  were  required  to  effectively 
address  all  or  a  significant  subset  of  challenges  identified  in  the  relevant  country-
specific  recommendations  issued  in  recent  cycles,  and  programmes  funded  by  the 
European  cohesion  policy  were  required  to  take  country-specific  recommendations 
into  account.  As  the  RRF  approaches  the  end  of  its  lifetime,  it  remains  essential  to 
sustain  the  reforms  supported  and  implemented  under  it,  including  to  ensure 
consistency and continuity between the RRP and the future NRP Plans. 

3 

4 
5 

Proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  establishing  the  European 
Fund  for  economic,  social  and  territorial  cohesion,  agriculture  and  rural,  fisheries  and  maritime, 
prosperity  and  security  for  the  period  2028-2034  and  amending  Regulation  (EU)  2023/955  and 
Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 - COM(2025) 565 final. The proposed Regulation is currently the 
subject of negotiations with the co-legislators. 
OJ C, C/2026/2434, 28.4.2026, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/2434/oj). 
Regulation  (EU)  2021/241  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  12 February 2021 
(OJ  L  57,  18.2.2021,  p.  17,  ELI: 
establishing 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/241/oj). 

the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility 

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(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

6 
7 

in 

addressing 

On  3 June 2026,  the  Commission  published  the  2026  country  report  for  Greece.  It 
country-specific 
assessed  Greece’s  progress 
recommendations and took stock of Greece’s implementation of the RRP. On the basis 
of  that  analysis,  the  country  report  identified  the  most  pressing  challenges  Greece  is 
facing.  It  also  assessed  Greece’s  progress  in  implementing  the  European  Pillar  of 
Social Rights and in achieving the Union headline targets on employment, skills and 
poverty  reduction,  as  well  as  progress  in  achieving  the  United  Nations  Sustainable 
Development Goals. 

relevant 

the 

is  no 

longer  experiencing  macroeconomic 

The  Commission  carried  out  an  in-depth  review  under  Article  5  of  Regulation  (EU) 
No 1176/2011 for Greece. The main findings of the Commission’s staff assessment of 
macroeconomic  vulnerabilities  for  Greece  for  the  purposes  of  that  Regulation  were 
published  on  20 May 2026  (6).  On  3 June 2026,  the  Commission  concluded  that 
Greece 
imbalances.  In  particular, 
vulnerabilities related to government and external debt have receded over recent years, 
supported  by  steady  GDP  growth,  with  budgetary  surpluses  further  contributing  to 
decreases  in  government  debt;  banks’  balance  sheets  have  improved;  the  current 
account  deficit  remains  sizeable,  but  its  favourable  financing  mitigates  external 
sustainability  risks.  Greece  has  implemented  relevant  reforms  to  reduce  its  long-
standing vulnerabilities. While remaining high, the government debt-to-GDP ratio has 
continued  to  decrease  due  to  prudent  fiscal  policy  and  GDP  growth,  which  has  also 
supported an improvement of the negative net international investment position. Both 
government  debt  and  external  debt  ratios  are  expected  to  fall  further.  The  current 
account deficit has remained elevated and is not expected to improve this year, but EU 
financing  and  private  non-debt-generating  financing  are  expected  to  cover  a  large 
share of it. The labour market has improved, with the unemployment rate decreasing 
further. Over the past years, banks have cleaned up their balance sheets. The workout 
of  non-performing  loans  held  by  servicers  outside  the  banking  sector  remains  slow 
though.  Overall  policy  progress  has  been  strong  and  addressing 
the  main 
vulnerabilities, with the government taking a broad range of measures to improve the 
business  environment,  the  labour  market,  and  tax  administration.  Looking  ahead, 
sticking to sound fiscal policies would help further reductions in government debt and 
while  structural  challenges  related  to  labour  productivity  remain,  the  European 
Semester will provide the framework for monitoring progress in structural reforms. 

On  21 January 2025,  the  Council,  upon  the  assessment  and  recommendation  of  the 
Commission, adopted a Recommendation endorsing the national medium-term fiscal-
structural  plan  of  Greece  (7).  The  plan  covers  the  period  from  2025  until  2028  and 
presents  a  fiscal  adjustment  spread  over  four  years.  The  Council  recommended  the 
following  maximum  growth  rates  of  net  expenditure:  3.7%  in  2025,  3.6%  in  2026, 
3.1%  in  2027  and  3.0%  in  2028,  which  correspond  to  the  maximum  cumulative 
growth rates calculated by reference to the base year of 2023 of 6.5% in 2025, 10.3% 
in 2026, 13.7% in 2027 and 17.1% in 2028. 

Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine  and  its  repercussions  constitute  an 
existential challenge for the European Union. The Commission invited Member States 
to request the activation of the national escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact 
in  a  coordinated  manner  to  support  the  EU  efforts  to  achieve  a  rapid  and  significant 

SWD(2026)137 final. 
Council Recommendation of 21 January 2025 endorsing the national medium-term fiscal-structural plan 
of Greece (OJ C, C/2025/661, 10.02.2025, ELI: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/661/oj). 

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increase  in  defence  spending  (8)  and  this  proposal  was  welcomed  by  the  European 
Council  of  6 March 2025.  Following  the  request  of  Greece,  on  8 July 2025  the 
Council, upon a recommendation from  the Commission, adopted a Recommendation 
allowing  Greece  to  deviate  from  the  recommended  maximum  growth  rates  of  net 
expenditure (9). The period when the national escape clause is activated (2025-2028) 
allows Greece to reprioritise government expenditure or increase government revenue 
so that lastingly higher defence expenditure would not endanger fiscal sustainability in 
the medium term. 

(10)  On  30 April 2026,  Greece  submitted  its  2026  Annual  Progress  Report  (10)  on 
adherence  to  the  recommended  maximum  growth  rates  of  net  expenditure  and  the 
implementation  of  reforms  and  investments  responding  to  the  main  challenges 
identified  in  the  European  Semester  country-specific  recommendations.  The  Annual 
Progress  Report  also  reflects  Greece’s  biannual  reporting  on  the  progress  made  in 
implementing  its  recovery  and  resilience  plan  in  accordance  with  Article  27  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/241. 

(11)  Real  GDP  growth  in  2025  was  2.1%  and  HICP  inflation  stood  at  2.9%.  The 
Commission  Spring  2026  Forecast  projects  real  GDP  to  grow  by  1.8%  in  2026  and 
1.6% in 2027, and HICP inflation to stand at 3.7% in 2026 and 2.4% in 2027. 
(12)  Based  on  data  provided  by  Eurostat  (11),  Greece’s  general  government  surplus 
increased  from  1.3%  of  GDP  in  2024  to  1.7%  of  GDP  in  2025.The  increase  in  the 
surplus  in  2025  mainly  reflects  lower  interest  expenditure  and  contained  current 
spending, alongside higher VAT revenues despite the implementation of expansionary 
measures (0.6% of GDP), including cuts in social security contributions, higher public 
sector wages, and targeted household support. Based on policy measures known by the 
cut-off date of the forecast, the Commission Spring 2026 Forecast projects a surplus of 
0.8% of GDP in 2026 and 0.6% of GDP in 2027. The decrease in the surplus in 2026 
mainly  reflects  the  impact  of  tax  cuts  (personal  income  tax,  property  tax  and  VAT), 
increases in pensions and public sector wages,  as well as higher defence expenditure 
and temporary energy support measures. The  further decrease  in  the surplus in  2027 
mainly reflects the full-year impact of the expansionary 2026 fiscal package, a further 
reduction  in  social  security  contributions,  and  additional  increases  in  public  sector 
wages. 

(13)  Based  on  the  Commission’s  estimates,  the  fiscal  stance  (12),  which  includes  both 
nationally and EU financed expenditure, was expansionary, by 0.8% of GDP, in 2025. 

8 

9 

10 

11 
12 

Communication  from  the  Commission,  'Accommodating  increased  defence  expenditure  within  the 
Stability and Growth Pact’, Brussels, 19 3 2025, C (2025) 2000 final. 
Council Recommendation of 8 July 2025 allowing Greece to deviate from the maximum growth rates of 
net  expenditure  as  set  by  the  Council  under  Regulation  (EU)  2024/1263  (Activation  of  the  national 
escape clause), (OJ C, C/2025/3965, 20.08.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3965/oj). 
The  2026  Annual  Progress  Reports  are  available  on:  https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/economic-
and-fiscal-governance/stability-and-growth-pact/preventive-arm/annual-progress-reports_en  
Eurostat-Euro Indicators, 22 04 2026. 
The fiscal stance is defined as a measure of the annual change in the underlying budgetary position of 
the  general  government.  It  aims  to  assess  the  economic  impulse  stemming  from  fiscal  policies,  both 
those  that  are  nationally  financed  and  those  that  are  financed  by  the  EU  budget.  The  fiscal  stance  is 
measured as the difference between (i) the medium-term potential growth and (ii) the change in primary 
expenditure net of discretionary revenue measures and including expenditure financed by non-repayable 
support (grants) from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other Union funds. 

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It  is  projected to  be expansionary, by 2.8% of GDP,  in  2026, and  contractionary, by 
1.5% of GDP, in 2027. 

(14)  Based on data provided by Eurostat (13), Greece’s general government debt decreased 
from 154.2% of GDP at the end of 2024 to 146.1% of GDP at the end of 2025.  The 
decrease in the debt ratio in 2025 was mainly driven by nominal GDP growth and by 
the budget surplus. Based on policy measures known at the cut-off date of the forecast, 
the  Commission  Spring  2026  Forecast  projects  the  debt-to-GDP  ratio  to  decrease  to 
140.7% by the end of 2026 and to further decrease to 134.4% by the end of 2027. 
(15)  Based on Eurostat  data (14), total  general  government defence expenditure  in  Greece 
amounted  to  2.4%  of  GDP  in  2025,  corresponding  to  an  increase  of  0.2  percentage 
points  of  GDP  compared  to  the  reference  year  2024.  According  to  the  Commission 
Spring  2026  Forecast,  it  is  projected  at  2.6%  of  GDP  in  2026,  corresponding  to  an 
increase of 0.4 percentage points of GDP compared to 2024. 

(16)  The  Union  continues  to  face  risks  of  energy  supply  disruptions  and  elevated  price 
volatility,  exacerbated  by  geopolitical  tensions  which  affect  global  oil  and  gas 
markets.  Experience  from  the  2022–2023  energy  crisis  has  shown  that  broad  and 
untargeted  measures  entail  large  fiscal  costs  and  are  socially  and  economically 
inefficient. Since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East in February 2026, Greece 
adopted  fiscal  policy  measures  to  mitigate  the  impact  of  high  energy  prices  on 
households  and  firms  (15).  These  include  a  mix  of  social  transfers  and  price  support 
measures, notably an untargeted diesel subsidy (EUR 0.16 per litre) and a targeted fuel 
pass  providing  EUR  50–60  per  vehicle  for  April–May  2026,  as  well  as  a  targeted 
fertiliser  subsidy  to  farmers  covering  15%  of  costs  for  the  agricultural  sector  for  the 
period  of  April  to  August  2026.  Additional  support  comprises  a  one-off  targeted 
transfer  to  families  with  children  (EUR  150  per  child)  and  compensation  to  ferry 
operators  to  contain  transport  costs.  According  to  the  Commission  Spring  2026 
Forecast, the fiscal cost of these measures is projected to amount to  0.2% of GDP in 
2026. According to Commission estimates, if these measures were to remain in force 
until end-2026, their fiscal cost would amount to 0.6% of GDP in 2026. 

(17)  Based on the Commission’s calculations, net expenditure in Greece grew by 3.0% in 
2025 and 2.8% cumulatively over 2024 and 2025. The net expenditure growth in 2025 
is  below  the  recommended  maximum  growth.  When  considering  2024  and  2025 
together,  the  cumulative  growth  rate  of  net  expenditure  is  also  below  the 
recommended maximum growth rate. 

(18)  Based  on  the  Commission’s  calculations,  net  expenditure  in  Greece  is  projected  to 
grow  by  7.3%  in  2026,  and  10.4%  cumulatively  over  2024,  2025  and  2026.  The 
projected  net  expenditure  growth  in  2026  is  above  the  recommended  maximum 
growth  rate,  corresponding  to  a  deviation  of  1.5%  of  GDP  in  annual  terms.  When 
considering 2024, 2025 and 2026 together, the projected cumulative growth rate of net 
expenditure is also above the recommended maximum growth rate, corresponding to a 
deviation  of  0.2%  of  GDP  in  cumulative  terms.  However,  the  projected  deviation  is 
within  the  flexibility  of  the  national  escape  clause  based  on  current  projections  for 
defence spending. 

13 
14 
15 

Eurostat-Euro Indicators, 22 04 2026. 
Eurostat, government expenditure by classification of functions of government (COFOG). 
This reflects the situation at the cut-off date of the Commission Spring 2026 Forecast (4 May 2026). 

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(19)  The centralisation and digitalisation of tax and customs administration have been key 
to  increasing  tax  compliance,  with  the  rollout  of  digital  tools  and  strengthened 
compliance systems, also as part of the RRP, contributing to a significant reduction in 
the  VAT  compliance  gap.  To  sustain  this  progress,  it  is  essential  to  maintain 
investment, including IT systems developed with RRF support, by allocating sufficient 
resources  for  system  maintenance  and  in-house  capacity.  At  the  same  time,  the  tax 
system continues to feature a large number of tax expenditures (1,236 cases in 2025) 
with significant budgetary impact, which adds complexity to the tax system and have 
implications for revenue efficiency. A systematic evaluation of tax expenditures would 
lay the ground for rationalising tax expenditures, thereby improve overall transparency 
of the tax system  and support fiscal sustainability. Further  efforts are  also  needed in 
customs administration. While ongoing centralisation of customs administration have 
the 
increased  customs 
centralisation  of  inspections,  strengthening  operational  capacity  and  expanding 
infrastructure  at  major  entry  points,  including  the  Port  of  Piraeus,  would  further 
improve enforcement and revenue collection. 

imports,  completing 

revenues  despite 

lower  overall 

(20)  Greece has continued to take steps to modernise its public administration. Following a 
significant  adjustment  after  2010,  the  size  and  cost  of  the  public  administration  has 
been broadly aligned with the EU average. Greece’s public sector wage bill remained 
broadly  stable  in  2025  at  10.2%  of  GDP,  slightly  below  the  EU  average  (10.3%  of 
GDP).  To  sustain  this,  it  is  key  to  continue  to  apply  the  unified  wage  grid,  while 
maintaining  current  staffing  levels,  including  for  temporary  staff.  The  RRP  contains 
measures to improve the effectiveness of the public administration, including a multi-
level  governance  framework  adopted  in  2023,  which  should  improve  coordination 
between central, regional and local administrations, for example in water management 
and  civil  protection.  Greece  is  expected  to  start  applying  the  governance  framework 
once it has adopted a codified law that will bring all the responsibilities of the regional 
and  local  administration  under  a  single  legal  framework,  which  is  expected  to  be  in 
place in 2026. 

(21)  Progress has been made to reduce non-performing loans on banks’ balance sheets, but 
the resolution  of  remaining  NPLs,  currently largely  managed by credit  servicers, has 
proceeded at a slow pace. Judicial obstacles, such as the long duration of the judicial 
resolution  of  pre-  and  post-auction  disputes,  result  in  low  third-party  interest  and 
unsuccessful  auctions,  delaying  collateral  liquidations.  The  aforementioned  delays  in 
the  liquidation  proceedings  and  the  resulting  dissuasion  of  potential  purchasers  from 
participating  in  auctions  undermines  the  overall  efficiency  of  the  debt  resolution 
framework,  while  it  also  reduces  the  effective  supply  of  properties.  Delays  also 
exacerbate  the  housing  affordability  crisis,  as  many  vacant  residences  are  tied  up  in 
processes  related  to  debt  enforcement.  Recently  adopted  procedural  measures  aim  to 
address the above-mentioned problems by accelerating the resolution of pre- and post-
auction  disputes,  such  as  (i)  procedural  simplifications,  (ii)  measures  to  avoid 
disproportionate concentration of enforcement-related litigation in  metropolitan areas 
and  (iii)  a  digital  platform  to  make  decisive  progress  on  distant  hearing  dates; 
however, their effectiveness cannot yet be ascertained. 

(22)  The systematic, meaningful and timely involvement of local and regional authorities, 
social partners, civil society and other relevant stakeholders remains essential in order 
to  ensure broad ownership  for the successful  implementation  of the Union’s funding 
instruments, as well as in the context of the European Semester. 

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(23)  The implementation  of cohesion  policy programmes,  which encompass support from 
the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF),  the  Just  Transition  Fund  (JTF), 
the  European  Social  Fund  Plus  (ESF+)  and  the  Cohesion  Fund  (CF)  in  Greece,  is 
above the average pace at EU level, both in terms of project selection and payments. It 
is important to keep current momentum, while maximising the impact of investments 
on the ground. Greece is already taking action under its cohesion policy programmes 
to  boost  competitiveness  and  growth.  Nevertheless,  some  areas  may  require  further 
attention in implementing, including those relating to innovation, waste management, 
public  urban  transport,  railways  and  place-based  measures  to  retain  human  capital 
outside the capital region and address demographic decline in less developed regions. 
It is essential to ensure that the new investments identified by Greece in its mid-term 
review  of  the  cohesion  policy  funds,  notably  those  linked  to  the  five  priorities 
identified  in  the  Mid-Term  Review  Regulation  (16),  are  deployed  rapidly  and 
effectively. 

(24)  Greece faces several challenges related to regulatory burden, entry barriers to product 
and  service  markets,  fragmentation  of  research  policy,  lengthy  judicial  proceedings 
and uncertainty due to lack of plans defining land uses. 

(25)  Greece  has  improved  its  regulatory  framework  and  implemented  digital  tools  to 
streamline businesses’ interaction with the State, for example through simplifying and 
digitising  the  licensing  process  for  the  establishment  and  operation  of  businesses. 
However, Greek firms still perceive the required compliance with business regulations 
as  a  major  challenge  to  investment,  as  illustrated  by  surveys  conducted  by  the 
European  Investment  Bank.  Environmental  permitting  continues  to  involve  multiple 
services  and  lengthy  approval  times.  One  reason  is  that  the  regulatory  framework  is 
not completed as not yet all secondary acts have been adopted that would allow for a 
lighter  permitting  process  in  the  case  of  non-substantial  changes.  Also,  sufficient 
capacity and digitalising end-to-end the electronic environmental registry and related 
permitting  processes  for  all  involved  services  would  help  expedite  environmental 
permitting. Further, the legal framework for concession agreements on the seashore is 
outdated  and  hampering  investment  in  existing  and  new  infrastructure.  In  particular, 
infrastructure  relating  to  industrial,  extractive  and  other  supporting  activities  would 
benefit  from  a  distinct  legal  framework,  given  the  highly  complex  safety  and 
environmental requirements. Overall, robust regulatory impact assessments would be a 
key  tool  to  identify  and  address  any  unwarranted  regulatory  burden.  Completing  the 
cadastral mapping and integrate it as part of the public and tax administration’s core 
information  system  is  expected  to  ease  administrative  burden  for  the  private  sector, 
including for farmers. 

(26)  Professional services, notably lawyers, architects, civil engineers and accountants face 
strict regulations affecting domestic and cross-border provision of services (including 
entry  requirements;  restrictions  on  multidisciplinary  practices  and  advertisement; 
territorial  restrictions;  and,  in  some  cases,  fixed  fee  schedules).  These  professional 
services  also  have  a  low  firm  exit  ratio.  Similarly,  regulatory  restriction  to  intra-EU 
trade  remains,  especially  entry  into  retail,  zoning  and  licensing  requirements.  The 
pharmacy  sector  continues  to  operate  under  strict  establishment  rules,  including 
population  and  geographic  restrictions.  Sector-specific  establishment  rules  are  also 

16 

Regulation  (EU)  2025/1914  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  18 September 2025 
amending  Regulations  (EU)  2021/1058  and  (EU)  2021/1056  as  regards  specific  measures  to  address 
strategic challenges in the context of the mid-term review. 

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more restrictive than in the EU as a whole in the transport and telecom sectors. Within 
the  Single  Market  context,  entry  and  establishment  costs  for  foreign  investors  and 
service providers are increased by frequent changes to tax rules, high compliance costs 
and  regulatory  barriers.  These  constraints  are  especially  pronounced  in  professional 
services and retail, and the transport and network sectors. 

(27)  Research  policy  management  and  funding  sources  remain  fragmented  across  several 
ministries and public entities in Greece, and coordination among these bodies has been 
weak. As regards access to finance, venture capital investment remains well below the 
EU  average  and  local  private  equity,  and  the  growth  venture  capital  market  is  not 
developed.  This  reflects  a  reliance  on  state-backed  initiatives  rather  than  mature 
private markets. At the same time, while access to finance at the seed stage is broadly 
in  line  with  EU  peers,  funding  constraints  persist  once  startups  approach  the  early 
stage  or  growth  stage.  Moreover,  while  public  support  for  business  R&D  has 
increased, private sector spending still lags significantly behind the EU average. Going 
forward, strengthening the governance of research policy and securing long-term R&D 
funding remain key. Greek firms’ financial constraints are further exacerbated by late 
payments,  in  particular  from  the  public  sector.  The  share  of  SMEs  facing  late 
payments from public bodies is far above EU average (33% compared to 20%). 

(28)  Greece’s  innovation  potential  is  further  hampered  by  the  still  low  uptake  of  digital 
technologies  by  businesses,  in  particular  by  SMEs.  Despite  progress  made,  the 
digitalisation  of  SMEs  remains  significantly  lower  than  the  EU  average  (55.95%  vs 
71.39%  in  2025).  Businesses  overall  are  also  lagging  behind  in  the  adoption  of  key 
digital  technologies,  such  as  artificial  intelligence  (AI),  cloud  computing  and  data 
analytics. 

(29)  Greece has made further progress in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the 
justice  system,  by  amending  the  Code  of  Civil  Procedure  to  improve  the  conduct  of 
civil and commercial trials in the first  and the appellate degree and in the context of 
enforcement,  as  well  as  to  digitise  judicial  processes;  also  by  adopting  new 
jurisdictional  arrangements  regarding  disputes  arising  from  public  procurement 
proceedings. A code of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms is under preparation, 
whose scope will also extend to the resolution of public procurement-related disputes, 
but  the  code  remains  to  be  enacted.  However,  the  integration  of  information 
technology in judicial proceedings remains insufficient or sporadic, being still limited 
to a number of courts and not covering all workflows, while the length of proceedings 
before  civil,  penal  and  administrative  courts  is  still  among  the  highest  in  the  EU, 
causing substantial backlogs, affecting in particular the enforcement of contractual and 
property rights, the implementation of enforcement proceedings and the resolution of 
public  procurement  disputes.  Moreover,  there  is  scope  for  further  progress  in  the 
revision of the legal framework on the organisation of courts and the status of judges. 

(30)  Currently, only around 20% of the Greek territory is covered by approved local urban 
plans.  The  lack  of  defined  land  uses  has  led  to  uncertainty  as  regards  permitted 
economic activity and to informal construction which in turn has created unsustainable 
pressure on the environment and infrastructure.  While Greece has made considerable 
progress  with  elaborating  the  urban  plans  through  the  RRF,  the  reform  needs  to  be 
completed to help accelerate investment. 

(31)  Despite  the  growing  share  of  renewable  energy  in  its  overall  electricity  production, 
Greece  remains  highly  dependent  on  fossil  fuels.  Wholesale  electricity  prices  are 
volatile,  exacerbated  by  geopolitical  developments,  and  remain  higher  than  the  EU 

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average, partially due to the high degree of dependency on natural gas for electricity 
generation.  Greece’s  RRP  contains  several  reforms  and  investments,  including 
increasing storage capacity, that are expected to accelerate decarbonisation. However, 
further  actions  are  warranted  to  reduce  Greece’s  fossil-fuel  dependency  and  make 
electricity prices lower, for example designating areas for offshore wind development, 
promoting demand-response and speeding up the roll out of smart meters, completing 
interconnection of islands, reducing losses of the distribution network and reducing the 
costs covered by the final consumer of the electricity retailers’ arrears. 

(32)  Greece records sizeable fossil-fuel subsidies with no phase-out planned by 2030, such 
as the use of coal and coke for industrial uses, which are economically inefficient and 
perpetuate  the  dependency  on  fossil  fuels.  In  particular,  fossil  fuel  subsidies  that 
neither  aim  to  alleviate  energy  poverty  nor  strengthen  energy  security,  hinder  the 
process  of  electrification  and  are  not  crucial  for  industrial  competitiveness,  could 
therefore  be  considered  a  phase-out  priority.  In  Greece,  energy  taxation  continues 
favouring  fossil  fuels  over  electricity,  which  is  sending  a  mixed  price  signal 
considering renewables’ increased share of overall electricity production. As a result, 
final  energy  prices  are  lower  for  fossil  fuels  compared  to  electricity,  with  Greece 
among the EU Member States with the highest electricity-to-gas price ratio. Moreover, 
Greece  remains  the  EU  country  where  diesel  excise  duties  are  particularly  low 
compared  to  petrol  excise  duties,  even  though  diesel  fuel  is  more  environmentally 
harmful. Therefore, a recalibration of energy taxes, coupled with phasing out of fossil 
fuel  subsidies,  could  provide  stronger  incentives  for  electrification.  Finally,  more 
targeted utilisation of revenue sources (e.g. ETS) would allow for sufficient resources 
being  allocated  to  key  support  schemes  (e.g.  RES  account)  as  well  as  further 
promoting  the  decarbonisation  of  industry  and  the  transport  sector,  which  would 
further contribute to Greece’s green transition in a fair and inclusive way. 

(33)  Greece  has  one  of  the  oldest  vehicle  fleets  in  the  EU,  which  is  a  major  reason  why 
Greece’s  transport  sector  is  one  of  the  country’s  main  CO2  emitters.  Greece  would 
benefit from drawing up a comprehensive strategy, including an investment plan and 
reforms, to promote the decarbonisation of the transport sector by expanding the use of 
electric  means  of  transport,  including  improving  the  capacity  and  quality  of  urban 
public  transport.  Further,  by  completing  the  launched  tenders  of  inter-regional  and 
urban  bus  transport  services,  Greece  will  establish  a  more  secure  and  conducive 
environment to promote the upgrading and greening of its bus fleet. The upgrading of 
bus  terminals  in  main  cities  to  promote  inter-modal  transport  would  also  contribute 
positively. Further, the renewal of Greece's passenger shipping fleet, with over 80% of 
its  passenger  ships  being  over  20  years  old  and  lacking  green  technologies,  offers 
significant economic and environmental benefits. A master plan for the renewal of the 
Greek  passenger shipping  fleet  has  been developed as  part of the Greek RRP, and it 
can inform policy decisions on vessel upgrades, port infrastructure, and financing. 

(34)  Greece  is  committed  to  upgrading  its  national  rail  system.  The  ongoing  RRF-
supported  railway  reform  aims  to  make  the  Greek  rail  sector  safer,  more  efficient, 
integrated, modern and responsive to customer demand, with a focus on enhancing the 
capacity and investment of the infrastructure manager. Rolling out the European Rail 
Traffic Management  System and strengthening the operational  capacity of the Greek 
Regulatory Authority for Railways,  including  by addressing resource  constraints,  are 
essential  to  support  these  efforts.  By  developing  a  modern  and  efficient  railway 
system,  Greece can capitalise on its  strategic position as a gateway between Europe, 
the  Eastern  Mediterranean,  and  the  Black  Sea  region,  and  develop  a  reliable, 

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competitive,  and  environmentally  sustainable  transport  system  that  supports  regional 
development, cohesion, cross-border connectivity and economic growth. 

(35)  Greece  is  particularly  vulnerable  to  climate  change  and  related  extreme  weather 
events,  such  as  intense  droughts,  floods,  wildfires  and  heatwaves.  The  increasing 
frequency  and  severity  of  these  events  necessitate  costly  reconstruction  of  affected 
infrastructure  and  the  rehabilitation  of  large  forest  and  agricultural  areas.  At  the 
moment,  Greece  lacks  a  comprehensive  strategy  coupled  with  a  clear  allocation  of 
responsibilities, including the regional and local administration, to plan and implement 
climate adaptation investments. By establishing  a multi-level  governance system  and 
mainstreaming  climate  resilience  considerations  across  the  public  administration  and 
key  sectors  (e.g.  energy  and  transport),  Greece  would  set  up  a  more  conducive 
framework to carry out the required climate-proofing of key infrastructure investment 
in  a  sustainable  and  effective  manner  across  the  country,  including  in  coastal  and 
island regions. This would require prioritising risk-informed planning and mobilising 
adequate  public  and  private  investment,  particularly  in  sectors  where  climate 
vulnerabilities  remain  insufficiently  addressed,  including  transport  and  marine-
dependent sectors which are exposed to significant climate risks. Further, it would be 
beneficial  for  Greece  to  take  a  structured  approach  to  disaster-risk  financing  and  to 
take further policy action to increase the coverage rate of private insurance, including 
by adopting a national strategy for private insurance against natural disasters. While in 
the  last  couple  of  years  Greece  introduced  some  measures  aimed  at  increasing  the 
private insurance coverage, the coverage remains one of the lowest in the EU, and the 
divergence between the Attica region and other regions is high. 

(36)  Greece is  one of the most  water-stressed countries in  the EU,  with  agriculture being 
the main consumer of water resources, accounting for over 80% of total water use. The 
country's water supply is under significant pressure, and the situation is exacerbated by 
prolonged  droughts,  extreme  rainfall,  while  there  is  no  adequate  framework  for 
collecting  and  storing  surface  and  rainwater,  and  the  reuse  of  treated  wastewater  is 
limited. Under its RRP, Greece has developed a new National Water Strategy for the 
efficient and sustainable use of water resources and introduced a pilot initiative for the 
reorganisation of major water service providers. Implementing this strategy, alongside 
investing  in  sustainable  water  management  and  infrastructure,  is  crucial  for  building 
and  maintaining  resilient  infrastructure  and  promoting  the  efficient  use  of  water 
resources.  Under  the  mid-term  review  of  cohesion  policy,  Greece  has  increased 
allocations in water investments. Initiatives to promote circular water management and 
demand management, as well as efforts to raise public awareness about the value and 
safety of adequately treated wastewater, can help alleviate water scarcity and improve 
the overall efficiency of sustainable water supply management. 

(37)  Greece  faces  challenges  in  waste  management.  Despite  the  introduction  of  a  landfill 
tax  in  2022  around  80%  of  municipal  waste  is  still  being  landfilled.  The  lack  of 
adequate  recycling  facilities  and  the  limited  progress  in  increasing  recycling  levels, 
which remain at only 17.4% compared to 48% in the EU, highlight the need for a more 
comprehensive  and  integrated  approach  to  waste  management.  To  address  these 
challenges,  it  is  essential  to  update  the  regional  waste  management  plans,  in 
accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the  Waste  Framework  Directive  and  invest  in 
solid  waste  management  infrastructure.  This  would  include  the  adoption  of  pay-as-
you-throw  schemes,  the  timely  enforcement  of  separate  collection  programmes,  and 
the  strengthening  of  the  capacity  of  regional  solid  waste  management  bodies, 
particularly in areas such as islands where capacity constraints are exacerbated during 

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peak  tourism  periods.  By  taking  these  steps,  Greece  can  reduce  its  reliance  on 
landfills,  increase  recycling  levels,  and  promote  more  effective  waste  management 
practices. 

(38)  Greece’s  overall  employment  performance  has  been  strong  in  recent  years,  reducing 
the  gap  with  the  EU  average.  However,  the  very  low  labour  market  participation  of 
women is resulting in a gender employment gap that is almost twice the EU average. 
Greece also has a considerable share of young people not in employment, education or 
training  (13.6%  in  2025),  and  vulnerable  groups,  such  as  people  with  disabilities, 
third-country nationals or Roma, face particular difficulties in entering the job market. 
Further encouraging flexible working arrangements and increasing childcare and long-
term  care  services  can  lay  the  ground  for  higher  rate  of  people  in  work,  especially 
young  people,  women  and  vulnerable  groups,  and  improve  job  quality.  Reinforcing 
active labour market policies, and addressing skills mismatches by better orienting the 
education  and  training  systems  to  labour  market  needs  and  by  improving  the 
coordination,  effectiveness  and  outcomes  of  adult  learning  programmes  also  remain 
key.  Although  strategic  frameworks  are  being  put  in  place  and  some  measures  are 
underway,  a  high  share  of  the  population  remains  at  risk  of  poverty,  and  the 
effectiveness  of  social  transfers  is  below  the  EU  average  and  has  been  significantly 
eroding  in  recent  years.  Unmet  medical  care  needs,  the  low  provision  of  long-term 
care, high housing costs and deprivation rates underscore the need for a robust social 
protection  system  and  further  policy  action.  The  availability  of  social  and  essential 
services remains limited to the detriment of marginalised and remote communities. 

(39)  Beyond the economic and social challenges addressed by the RRP and other EU funds, 
Greece faces several additional challenges related to education. Participation in early 
childhood education and care from the age of three to the starting age of compulsory 
education at  primary level  remains particularly  low. In 2019 (latest Eurostat data for 
Greece),  Greece  ranked  last  among  EU  Member  States  in  terms  of  enrolment  rate, 
while the lack of more recent data makes monitoring progress difficult. Participation 
in early childhood education and care at lower ages also remains particularly low. In 
2024,  28.8%  of  Greek  children  below  the  age  of  three  attended  early  childhood 
education  and  care  (EU  39.3%).  The  rate  is  particularly  low  for  children  at  risk  of 
poverty  or  social  exclusion.  Greece  is  invited  to  increase  the  participation  rate  of 
children under the age of three to meet the revised Barcelona target of 42.8% by 2030. 

(40)  According  to  the  latest  OECD  Programme  for  International  Student  Assessment  in 
2022, a high share of Greek 15-year-old students does not achieve a minimum level of 
proficiency  in  basic  skills.  The  underachievement  rates  are  among  the  highest  in  the 
EU  and  have  grown  since  2018  in  all  socioeconomic  groups,  indicating  structural 
challenges  in  the  quality  and  equity  of  the  education  system.  Those  challenges 
undermining  Greece’s  education  outcomes  can  be  linked  to  limited  funding  for 
education  policies,  low  degree  of  school  autonomy,  outdated  students’  assessment 
methods,  and  difficulties  in  implementing  competence-based  teaching  methods  and 
dedicated  teaching  approaches  for  pupils  with  disabilities  and  special  educational 
needs.  Teachers  still  have 
limited  opportunities  for  continuous  professional 
development,  that,  combined  with  the  lack  of  a  teacher  evaluation  culture,  further 
weighs on the quality of education. 

(41)  At  16.6%,  adult  participation  in  training  is  much  lower  than  the  EU  average  and 
significantly  behind  Greece’s  2030  target  of  40%.  With  the  limited  effectiveness  of 
skills forecasting mechanisms, skills mismatches persist. The low performance of the 
vocational education and training system undermines efforts to close the gap with the 

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job  market  demand  for  skills.  Despite  growing  demand,  the  percentage  of  ICT 
specialists  out  of  total  employment  is  the  lowest  in  the  EU,  at  2.5%.  Further,  the 
overall  share  of  adults  with  basic  or  above-basic  digital  skills  stands  at  50.96%  in 
2025,  10  percentage  points  lower  than  the  EU  average.  Addressing  these  challenges 
would  also  contribute  to  supporting  upward  social  convergence,  in  line  with  the 
Commission  services’  second-stage  country  analysis  of  the  Social  Convergence 
Framework (17). 

(42)  House prices have been rising at a high pace since 2019, driven by strong demand and 
subdued  construction  activity.  Domestic  demand  picked  up  in  the  post-pandemic 
period and has remained strong. Foreign demand – which has been incentivised by the 
golden  visa  programme  and  investment  opportunities  in  tourism  –  moderated 
somewhat  in  2025.  Housing  supply  is  constrained  by  years  of  sluggish  housing 
investment  which  remains  low  by  EU  comparison  despite  the  recent  uptick  in 
construction activity. House price and rent increases surpassed income growth, hence 
housing affordability has deteriorated, affecting a large part of the Greek population. 
As  part  of  Greece’s  RRP,  the  national  housing  strategy  and  the  public  property 
reciprocal  exchange  programme  (“Kinoniki  Antiparochi”)  to  provide  private  sector 
developers incentives to invest in affordable and social housing, once adopted, are still 
to be implemented. 

(43)  Through  its  RRP,  Greece  has  invested  in  the  shift  towards  a  primary  care-based 
healthcare  system.  Building  on  these  efforts  is  needed  to  further  promote  access  to 
quality and affordable healthcare and reduce the high unmet healthcare needs reported 
by  the  population.  This  includes  ensuring  the  functioning  of  the  personal  doctor 
reform  and  referral  system  and  addressing  the  shortages  of  nurses  and  general 
practitioners, as well as their geographical imbalances which remains a key challenge, 
hindering access to care. Linked to this, Greece still reports the highest proportion of 
out-of-pocket payments across the EU. To help address this, reviewing the scale of co-
payments for healthcare and providing public coverage of dental care is a key aspect. 
Given Greece’s investments in the digital transformation of healthcare, further efforts 
to  increase  digital  health  literacy  will  help  accelerate  uptake  in  e-health  tools  and 
services.  Moving  forward,  making  available  and  leveraging  high  quality  data  from 
across  the  sector  is  critical  to  inform  the  development  of  high-impact  policies  to 
address challenges in the healthcare system. 

(44) 

In view of the close interlinkages between the economies of euro-area Member States 
and  their  collective  contribution  to  the  functioning  of  the  economic  and  monetary 
union,  in  2026  the  Council  recommended  that  the  euro-area  Member  States  take 
action, including through their RRPs, to implement the 2026 Recommendation on the 
economic  policy  of  the  euro  area.  For  Greece,  the  recommendation  (1)  helps 
implement the first, the second, the third and the fourteenth recommendations on the 
euro  area,  recommendation  (2)  helps  implement  the  fourth  recommendation  on  the 
euro area, recommendation (3) helps implement the seventh, the eighth and the ninth 
recommendations on the euro area, recommendation (4) helps implement the seventh 
recommendation  on  the  euro  area  and  the  recommendation  (5)  helps  implement  the 
fifth recommendation on the euro area. 

17 

SWD(2026)122  final  –  Second-stage  country  analysis  on  social  convergence  in  line  with  the  Social 
Convergence Framework (SCF). 

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(45) 

In light of the crucial role of human capital in enhancing the Union’s competitiveness 
and  strategic  autonomy,  in  2026  the  Council  recommended  that  Member  States  take 
action  to  urgently  address  human  capital  related  structural  challenges  in  the  areas  of 
skills  and  education,  which  hamper  competitiveness.  The  2026  country-specific 
recommendations  addressed  to  Greece  can  contribute  to  the  implementation  of  the 
Council Recommendation on human capital in the Union. 

HEREBY RECOMMENDS that Greece take action in 2026 and 2027 to: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Continue adhering to the maximum growth rates of net expenditure recommended by 
the  Council  on  21 January 2025,  while  making  use  of  the  flexibility  under  the 
national  escape  clause  for  higher  defence  expenditure.  Reinforce  defence  spending 
and readiness while ensuring spending efficiency and gradually adapting the budget 
to  sustain  structurally  higher  defence  spending.  Ensure  that  any  measures  taken  to 
mitigate  the  impact  of  the  hike  in  energy  prices  resulting  from  the  crisis  are 
temporary, targeted at protecting vulnerable households or at addressing the needs of 
energy-intensive  firms,  preserve  incentives  for  energy  savings  while  ensuring  that 
their fiscal cost is compatible with the commitments under the EU fiscal framework. 
Continue efforts to improve tax compliance, including through further centralisation 
and  digitalisation  of  customs  and  tax  inspections,  and  improve  the  tax  system's 
transparency  by  evaluating  and  rationalising  tax  expenditures.  Further  improve  the 
effectiveness  and  efficiency  of  the  public  administration  by  fully  implementing  the 
multi-level governance framework. Pursue the ongoing reduction of the stock of non-
performing  loans  held  by  banks  and  credit  servicers  by  accelerating  liquidation-
related court proceedings. 

Ensure continuity of reforms and investments implemented under the Recovery and 
Resilience  Facility.  Sustain  implementation  momentum  under  cohesion  policy 
programmes  building,  where  appropriate,  on  the  reallocation  to  strategic  priorities 
and flexibilities in the mid-term review of the cohesion policy framework. 

Simplify regulation, streamline and digitalise administrative processes. Complete the 
regulatory  frameworks  for  environmental  licensing  and  concession  agreements  on 
the seashore. Remove the high entry barriers to the exercise of professional services 
and  to  business  establishment.  Improve  the  governance  of  the  national  research, 
development and innovation system by reducing the fragmentation of research policy 
management  and  funding.  Facilitate  access  to  finance  for  start-ups  and  scale-ups, 
including  by  developing  local  private  equity  and  venture  capital.  Promote  the 
digitalisation  of  businesses,  in  particular  SMEs.  Continue  efforts  to  streamline 
judicial  proceedings  and  curtail  their  length  by  accelerating  civil  and  public 
procurement proceedings. Complete the urban planning reform through the entry into 
force of urban plans covering the whole territory. 

Promote affordable electricity by developing flexibility solutions and offshore wind 
capacity,  completing  the  interconnections  of  islands  and  improving  the  quality  and 
capacity  of  the  distribution  network.  Recalibrate  energy  taxes  to  incentivise 
electrification and take concrete steps to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, in particular 
in  the  industrial  sector.  Accelerate  the  decarbonisation  of  the  transport  sector, 
complete the reform of bus transport and extend and upgrade the national rail system, 
including  the  deployment  of  the  European  Rail  Traffic  Management  System. 
Strengthen climate resilience by climate-proofing key infrastructure and take steps to 
increase  private  insurance  coverage  against  natural  disaster-related  damages. 

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5. 

Improve water management and infrastructure. Update the waste management plans 
and improve solid waste management, including at regional level and on islands. 

Increase  the  employment  rate  of  women,  young  people  and  vulnerable  groups,  and 
improve job quality by promoting flexible work arrangements and expanding formal 
early  childhood  education  and  care  and  long-term  care.  Improve  educational 
outcomes  by  expanding  teachers’  training  and  evaluation,  and  school  autonomy. 
Continue  streamlining  social  benefits  and  improving  access  to  services.  Expand 
affordable  and  social  housing  supply  including  through  a  new  building  code. 
Promote  access  to  quality  and  affordable  healthcare  by  strengthening  primary 
healthcare,  tackling  shortages  and  geographical  imbalances  of  nurses  and  doctors, 
and reducing out-of-pocket payments. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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