In recent years, many significant reforms have been implemented or planned in the areas of licensing, environmental licensing and spatial planning. Individually, but mostly as a cohesive sum, they already greatly facilitate the daily life of a business. In addition, with their completion, they are expected to further support the modern functioning of the state, on the principle of “clear and known conditions for simple and quick installation, operation”, with “effective protection of the environment, public health.” and public interest with targeted post hoc controls.” In practice, thanks to these reforms, most enterprises, especially those in the manufacturing industry, will be able to quickly realize their planned investments, get to work immediately and know that they will be controlled according to a risk-based plan. These controls will, of course, require companies to be particularly careful in following the rules, but above all, companies will know that they are protecting both the principle of equal competition and the environment.

These transformations were discussed in the context of a digital seminar on reforms to speed up and simplify licensing procedures, organized recently (02.13.2023) by the BSE with the support of regional industry associations (SVAP, SVTSSE, SVSE, SEVPDE and STHEB). .

According to the General Secretariat of Industry, the project to replace a large number of activities, including manufacturing, with a simple notification of bureaucratic permits for installation and operation is of great importance. The supposed trial operation during 2023 of the Unified Information System (OPS-ADE) will further facilitate the daily life of the business, and in addition, it will also manage the checks that will be carried out on the basis of modern practices.

Corresponding progress in reforming is also in the field of environmental licensing, in matters of competence of the General Secretariat for Environment and Water Resources. Here, the rationalization of the classifications of production activities and the supply chain into separate categories has already been carried out recently. That is, the separation of those whose activities require an environmental impact study and those that are assessed as being able to start operations safely for the environment and public health, provided that they comply with specific specifications, the so-called Standard Environmental Commitment-PPD. . With the upcoming update of PPD for manufacturing, this important reform will be completed, which will also contribute to simplifying the daily life of most existing and new enterprises, as well as protecting the environment and ensuring fair competition. At the same time, the launch of the Registry of Evaluators of Environmental Impact Studies is progressing to expedite the process of evaluating cases requiring such a study.

Finally, with regard to clarifying “what is allowed and where” in relation to spatial planning and the urban environment, the project to complete the country’s spatial planning is advancing with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Fund. This technically demanding reform includes the preparation of a Special Spatial Framework for industry, minerals, renewable energy, tourism and aquaculture, as well as the commissioning of the first cycle of the implementation of Local Urban Plans in a short time.

In conclusion, the implementation of this framework, the result of many years of coordinated efforts, with what has already been implemented, as well as with what is being implemented, allows us to look to a future in which the public interest will be more effectively protected and at the same time manufacturing companies will be able to create prosperity and sustainable jobs at a pace unprecedented in the country.

*​​​​​​​​Mr. Panagiotis Skiadas is the head of the working group “Licensing projects and activities” of the BSE.