Greek Exports Rise to Over 10% of GDP

Exports account for more than 10% of Greece’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or more than €20 billion on an annual basis, recording a 13% growth rate, according to the Panhellenic Exporters Association.
In a report over export trends in the January-August period, the Association estimates that Greek exports grew by 11% (€18 billion) last year, while the Organisation for Economic Cο-Operation and Development (OECD) has revised upwards its projections for a 9.4% growth rate, from an initial 6%.
Presenting the report, the Association Chairwoman Christina Sakellaridi said the figures “confirm the importance of exporting business activity in the effort towards the recovery of the Greek economy.”

 Greek exports -excluding oil products- surpassed €20.5 billion in the September 2010-August 2011 period, an increase by 13.3% compared to the previous 12-month period. The August export figures represent a 32% rise in fuels and oil products, a 42.5% increase in confidential products, a 15% rise in machinery/transport, a 13% increase in industrial products.
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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El Greco`s masterpiece in Thessaloniki

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) “The Coronation of the Virgin,” one of the masterpieces painted by Doménicos Theotokópoulos, widely known as El Greco, is currently exhibited at the Teloglion Foundation of Art in Thessaloniki. 
The oil painting on canvas (57 x 79.3 cm), dates back to 1603-1605, the creative period of the artist. El Greco painted this masterpiece for the chapel of the Hospital de la Caridad near Todelo.
The painting was acquired by the Alexandros S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation in 2008 and is temporarily housed in the National Gallery until the completion of the “Onassis Cultural Centre, Athens.”
“The Coronation of the Virgin” will be on display at Teloglion Foundation until May, 2010.

Olive Oil: Good Taste, Long Life

 (GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greek olive oil received complimentary reviews at the International Conference on excellence in olive oil (“Beyond Extra Virgin” , June 21-23) sponsored by the Culinary Institute of America, together with the University of California at Davis.   The event – the largest conference on olive-oil excellence ever held in North America – explored the best production practices, sensory qualities, and culinary possibilities for the olive oil.  The olive oil industry was represented by the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board and its “Kerasma” project, which selected varieties from the island of Crete and the Peloponnese for this occasion.  Within the framework of the conference, a special event titled “Olive Oil and the Healthy Greek Kitchen” was organised especially for the presentation of case studies associating Greek culinary insight with wellness.  Kerasma: Olive & Olive Oil; Greek News Agenda: Mediterranean Diet- Panel Discussion in New York & Academic Research on Nutrition; Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy: Greek Olives: A Culinary Continuum

Made in Greece Olive Oil

♦ A Legacy That Goes Back To Antiquity

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Nothing is more characteristic of Greece than the millions of olive trees that grow in valleys and mountainous areas. Olive oil is more than one of the leading agricultural products of Greece. The Olive Tree, “the tree that feeds the children” according to Sophocles, is a cultural heritage, reflecting thousands of years of history and tradition. Its systematic cultivation started in the pre-historic times – the Stone and Bronze Age and ever since, it has been a vital element of the economy across the civilisations which flourished in Greece.  Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy: Greek Olives: A Culinary Continuum

♦ Eating Healthy

The increase in Greek exports reflects, to a certain extent, the recent shift towards healthier nutrition, internationally. The Cretan diet includes olive oil in abundance, which is a key factor to longevity. The famous “Seven Countries Study” in the 70’s has proven that the death rate is far lower in Crete, a fact that the study attributed to the regular consumption of olive oil. Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food: Mediterranean Diet & Gourmed: All Olive Oil Recipes; Cretan Olive Oil: www.sedik.gr; Famous brands: www.elais.gr & www.gaea.gr

Learn about Greek Olive Oil

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    Greece is home to 120 million olive trees, more than 12 per Greek citizen. Since up to 70% of Greece’s olive oil is Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the highest standard available, Greece is the world’s leading exporter of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Food and beverage account for €2 billion of Greek exports, with major destinations Italy (22.2%), Germany (17.6%), United Kingdom (8%), United States (5.4%), and Spain (4.6%). In 2008, the Food and Beverage sector grew by 1.2%. Olive oil accounts for almost 12% of the sector’s exports.  Invest in Greece Agency: New Markets, New Opportunities—Olive Oil

Greek – Azeri Energy Plans

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, arrived in Greece yesterday – the first Azeri president to officially visit the country – with a delegation of officials from the Azeri state gas company. Aliyev expressed confidence that this trip would inaugurate a new era in bilateral relations, and emphasised the issue of energy security, noting that Azerbaijan had done much to give the rest of the world access to its considerable energy resources. President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias received his counterpart on Monday and held talks on ways to further develop bilateral relations between the two nations. Aliyev also met with Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis and talks focused on the supply to Greece of 1 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year from Azerbaijan, as well as the signing of a four-party state agreement on the Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline. Greek and Azeri officials also signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on renewable energy sources. Greek News Agenda: Greece Turkey Interconnector; Secretariat General of Information: About Brand Greece – Energy Policy of Greece ; Centre for Renewable Energy Sources;

OSCE Chair at Munich Security Conference

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis presided over a panel on “NATO, Russia, Oil, Gas and the Middle East: The future of European security,” at the main plenary session of the 45th Munich Security Conference, where she emphasized Greece’s willingness to move forward with the dialogue on European security issues. Europe faces common threats and security challenges, and the OSCE remains the forum for dialogue on security issues, she said. “There appears to be widespread consensus that, to say the least, we need to engage in a dialogue on security issues. It goes without saying that – provided that there is agreement by all 56 OSCE participating states – Greece stands ready to organise meetings at any level that could launch, or more generally facilitate, such a dialogue,” Bakoyannis noted. In her speech, she touched upon several points, including European security, common interests and common values – such as respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law, observing territorial integrity, refraining from the threat or use of force – as well as the continuation of OSCE work in Georgia. Lastly, she underlined the considerable advantage of such meetings, namely that the participants have the possibility of “speaking far more openly than in ordinary forums.” Bakoyannis is in Tirana today as part of her Balkan countries’ tour, where she will be meeting with Albanian President Bamir Topi, Prime Minister Sali Berisha and her counterpart Lulzim Basha. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Speech of FM Dora Bakoyannis at the 45th Munich Security Conference

Chinese President visited the island of Crete

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Concluding his visit to Greece, Chinese President Hu Jintao yesterday visited the island of Crete where he paid visits to the archaeological site of Knossos (see picture) and the Museum of Heraklion, capital city of the region. Accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos, the Chinese President joined the olive harvesting process and stated that “Cretan olive oil has already started entering the Chinese market.”  Kathimerini daily: Cretan olive oil heading east to China; Greek News Agenda: Greece and China Shake Hands  Secretariat General of Information: About Brand Greece- Export Goods: a new-found emphasis on quality & Agricultural Produce, Greek food, Olive oil

Visit Greece: The Mani Region

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    The Mani region of the Peloponnese is characterised by grey rocky mountains. With fertile land scarce, blood-feuds were a way of life, so families constructed towers to use as refuges. In the Diros caves, once inhabited by Neolithic people, visitors are taken on a boat trip along the subterranean river through narrow tunnels and immense caverns filled with clusters of stalactites and stalagmites. “Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese” by Patrick Leigh Fermor is part travelogue, part evocation of the past and a glorious fusion of imagination and history by one of the greatest of Greece’s philhellene writers. Fermor’s account of his journey through Mani peninsula, an inspiring and untouched region of the Peloponnese, unlocks the secrets of the local people and culture whose roots stretch back to Byzantium. Sir Patrick Michael Leigh Fermor, is a British author, scholar and soldier, who played a prominent role behind the lines in the Battle of Crete during World War II. He is considered as one of the world’s great travel writers. The Mani Peninsula attracts visitors for its magnificent castles, stunning scenery, and superb beaches. Mani is also known for unique culinary products and what is probably the world’s best extra-virgin olive oil. Webguide: www.maniguide.info

Energy Pact Greece – Romania

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Forging closer energy ties, Greece and Romania signed a bilateral energy deal yesterday within the framework of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis’ official state visit to Bucharest. The deal will enhance bilateral cooperation in the oil, natural gas and electricity sectors, said the premier, looking forward to Romania’s major electricity exporting capacities. Greece’s economic presence in Romania is highly active and translates into a trade volume of over €1 billion per year. More than 800 Greek companies are established in Romania having invested around €3 billion. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Bilateral Relations – Romania