Within the framework of the Federal Republic of Germany’s guest programme, Parliamentary State Secretary Gabriele Lösekrug-Möller welcomed a delegation from Greece made up of members of parliament and high-ranking representatives from other institutions to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for an exchange of ideas. The talks with Dr. Kyriakos Loufakis, President of the Association of the Exporters of Northern Greece, Andreas Chasapis, Chairman of the Eurobank Ergasias S.A., Harry Kyriazis, Chairman of the Research Institute the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), Nikos Manios, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Social Affairs, Member of the Hellenic Parliament, Elissavet Skoufa und Minister a.D. Kostas Skrekas, Members of the Hellenic Parliament, focused on the comprehensive reforms planned by Greece to regain financial stability, self-sustaining growth and increased employment. One of the biggest social challenges is to combat the high number of unemployed in Greece - especially among the young.
With regard to employment and social policy reforms, the Parliamentary State Secretary reported on Germany's experience and the activities of the Federal Government aimed at closer cooperation with Greece.
With the establishment at the beginning of this year of the post of a labour attaché at the German Embassy in Athens, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its willingness to further intensify the exchange of experience with Greece's Ministry of Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity and many other Greek institutions and organisations.