The Athens Stock Exchange will organize shortly two conferences, one regarding the international accounting standards and the other regarding the corporate governance.

Both subjects are of importance for the companies that are listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, as they improve the information provided to the investing public, contribute to its greater protection, increase the transparency of the listed companies and their degree of attraction regarding Greek and foreign investors, while they contribute to the increase of the competitiveness of the market.

The first conference, regarding the international accounting standards, will take place on March 8, 2002 and the Minister of National Economy and Finance, Mr. N. Christodoulakis, and the Chairman of the Capital Market Commission, Mr. S. Thomadakis, will participate as speakers.

The Chairman of Chartered Auditors and Accountants, Mr. H. Alamanos, and executives · representatives of all the large auditing firms of the country will participate as speakers.

The importance of the introduction of the international accounting standards for the listed companies, a general description and effect, the policy of the European Union regarding the international accounting standards, the organizing regarding their supervision by the Capital Market Commission Capital Market Commission, the issues that must be faced at the initial application of the international accounting standards, as well as the significant differences between the international and Greek accounting standards will be presented at the conference.

The second conference, regarding the corporate governance, refers to the presentation of the study that was drawn up by the Athens Stock Exchange in co operation with the Center of Financial Studies and Training of the Athens University and it refers to the methodology regarding the evaluation of the standard of corporate governance of the companies listed on the Athens Stock Exchange.

This conference will take place on March 20, 2002 and the Chairman of the Capital Market Commission, MR. S. Thomadakis, the Chairman of the Association of Hellenic Industry, Mr. L. Antonakopoulos, the Chairman of the Institutional Investors Association, Mr. C. Spanos, the Chairman of the Association of companies listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, Mr. S. Theodoropoulos, and other business executives from the ΣΒΕΕ and the Commerce and Industry Chamber will participate as speakers.

The results of the study of the Center of Financial Studies and Training of the Athens University that will be presented are important and, among others, they report that the Greek market, in its entirety, shows a relatively satisfactory respect for the principles of corporate governance.

They also note that the adoption of an active policy of compliance with the international ‘good practices' that has already started by Greek companies must be adopted by all of them.

Finally, they stress that the policy of corporate governance is a dynamic and consequently, a continuous process for the companies, under the continuous developments in the sector of the companies. The continuous improvement of the statutory framework, the structures of corporate governance and the undertaking of new research activities regarding the said issue are always of the utmost importance.