19 April 2018
Memorandum of Understanding between the SG IER&DC and the Athens Stock Exchange

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Secretariat General for International Economic Relations & Development Cooperation (SG IER&DC) and the Athens Stock Exchange (ATHEX), with the purpose of establishing a partnership between the two entities to foster the extroversion of Greek entrepreneurship and to attract international associates-investors.

The purpose of this cooperation is to take initiatives and jointly organise activities that will reinforce the ecosystem of Greek export-oriented undertakings, make better use of the network of Greek expatriates and reduce the costs of access, information gathering and promotion for these companies abroad.

The signing of this Memorandum arose as a need in the framework of the new structures being developed by the European Union, such as the planning of an economic diplomacy strategy and taking advantage of the means available to businesses for accessing and networking in foreign markets. A series of EU initiatives for the sustainable growth of the economy provide new financing sources to businesses and promote the use of capital markets, eliminating any existing obstacles. The Athens Stock Exchange, from its end, is actively working towards offering its listed companies - which are currently raising capital through the issue of shares or bonds - access to the international investor community by supporting their extroversion.

With the opportunity of the signing of the MoU, the Secretary General of International Economic Relations & Growth Cooperation, Mr. Ioannis Brahos, noted the following: "Our cooperation with the Athens Stock Exchange falls under the general framework of interventions undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aiming to increase the range and reduce the cost of specialised information and to further promote abroad Greek export-oriented businesses. It therefore contributes towards the national goal of the Greek economy's growth".

The CEO of the Athens Exchange, Mr. Sokratis Lazaridis, underlined: "As the pace of the capital market globalisation is accelerating, and the need to harness it towards the financing of SMEs is recognised across Europe, the use of the global network of the SG IER&DC is an opportunity that we need to tap into. This applies particularly to a country like Greece, which has an extensive network of expatriates and our Diaspora, a productive fabric which consists of SMEs in its majority and a capital market with a significant presence of international investors. Through this cooperation and the use of economies of scale, we hope to create a stronger capital market ecosystem for supporting the capital needs of the SMEs which produce, create, innovate and promote the creative and competitive side of Greece across the world".

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Memorandum of Understanding

Ioannis Brahos Secretary General of International Economic Relations & Growth Cooperation

Sokratis Lazaridis CEO of the Athens Exchange