Pefili

Held in Ormylia Halkidiki, 8-11 June 2017 meeting for drafting label regulation on “Monastic products and small producers ‘products’, which is a joint effort of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy and GSEBEE.

President GSEBEE Mr. George Kavathas, he informed the delegates establishing the GSEBEE the non-profit company under the name “CENTER AWARD MARK monastic PRODUCTS & PRODUCT SMALL PRODUCERS” with the distinctive title “RULE”, presented a draft label Regulation For these products.

During the discussion that followed, representatives and representatives of the Holy Monasteries developed both from Greece and from abroad.

The result of these is the decision to be completed by the end of July the regulation with the comments and suggestions of participants and the “RULE” logo.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Athanasios Bouras, Member of the Greek Parliament and An. General. Secretary of DSO, MP and Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights of the DSO Mr. Maximus Charakopoulos, the Member of the House of Representatives of Cyprus and member of the Finance Committee the DSO Mr. Elias Myrianthous, monasteries representatives from Greece, Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Egypt, Finland, Scientific Partners, small producers and small businesses, the Mayor Mr. Polygyros. Asterios Zografos, President of Shopping Chamber of Halkidiki Mr. Giorgos Gkilis, representative of His Eminence Metropolitan Kassandra, the Metropolitan Ierissos, Ag. Horus and Ardameriou, and the Consultant Dr Kostas Mygdalis.

The greeting of the President of GSEVEE at the Conference:

“It is with great joy that we are here at the” Meeting for the Preparation of a Signal Award Regulation “, for Monastic Products and Small Producer Products. A meeting that is the product of the course of excellent cooperation between the DOS and the GSEVEE in order to support this pure productive activity of both the Monastic Communities and the very small and small producers.

From our first meetings, and especially after the two-day conference in Sparta from 14 to 17 April 2016, it was found that although society knows and supports in many cases the products produced by these units, this is done without an organized So that they can not be disposed of, but (mainly) only at a local level with limited scope for expansion and in an over-the-top market.

At the same time, the lack of proper labeling for these products limits their recognition and consequently deprives them of their uniqueness. This in a market that, due to globalization and other distorted situations, can create but also enable a badly trained business to acquire something that does not belong to it.

How many and how many “monastic products” are advertised through television, the various forms and the internet without having the slightest connection with them?

Unfortunately, it is a reality, in a world that violates any concept of healthy competition on the altar and only of a poorly understood profitability.

For these very reasons, as I said in Sparta, GSEVEE, which has been expressing and supporting since 1919 the healthy entrepreneurship of very small and medium-sized professionals, craftsmen and traders, responded directly to the call of the IAO to work together To ensure all these productive efforts of the Monastic Communities and the very small producers.

From this point of view, we are reconciling the strategy today, but also defining the terms and procedures to meet the need to safeguard the interests of all these business efforts. Both the establishment and, above all, the performance of the KANON brand in the products produced by these units, we are confident that it will work positively on their recognition.

At the same time, it will help the consumer on his choice, but will also allow producers to easily distinguish their products from the “shelf”.

All of us, it is easy to understand the very importance of this effort of “Editing the Signal Regulation”, since its implementation is the cornerstone on which to rely on the whole success of the project.

I would not like to go into technical details on the regulation today, as during our tomorrow’s work we will be given a detailed report and a presentation of what is provided for it.

The obvious and crystal-clear proposed procedure we are following in the performance of the label is also evident and as GSEVEE we remain open to other proposals that will complement this regulation to ensure the effort and the common goal.

The initiative of Democratic Compatriation to highlight an issue with broader developmental and social dimensions is a tangible example that political planning can and must escape the narrow electoral horizons and the 4-year political cycle. The view that policies have a short-term target is now obsolete and should give way to strategic objectives that are tailored according to the existing political correlation that the social majority has preferred.

The attitude of international institutions and creditors has shown that when the Greek side fails to design coordinates and long-term, it is more vulnerable to blackmail and admonitions, often by imposing regulations unrelated to the environment in which the pathogens occur. The same happened in the case of the new insurance system, where the government, with the minimum adjustment time, gave creditors the opportunity to push for even more painful solutions.

The issue of intergenerational exploitation of the country’s wealthy sources is an issue that puts forward above all the developmental, social and environmental balance. The effort to establish a mechanism of intergenerational balance and sustainability of social policy is not a futile action, it is also the object of contemporary reflection in all the world’s top academic institutions, and it is largely co-ordinated with climate change policies and international Investment – a topical issue due to the Trump’s decisions. At a time when risks and uncertainties are more than just the stakes of the economy, at a time when new generations are experiencing worse social reproduction conditions than their parents have experienced, we all have to give alternatives to defend the future And the rights of young people, which are the basis for the new production model, the viability of insurance, scientific continuity, local development.

The exploitation of mineral wealth as a means of strengthening insurance systems is not a new idea without applying to other countries. It is pioneering, however, in the sense that it constitutes a quasi-basket of values, which extends in the future and can be used for investment and social purposes.

The provision for the creation of the Special Generation Social Solidarity Account is clearly a progressive move that, unlike the sirens of the days, does not mean the partial privatization of social security as a means of improving the financial flows of pensioners. Indeed, in the White Paper of the European Commission on Social Policy, there are excerpts that provide for a retirement option to give homeownership to banking institutions rather than paying lump sums or monthly installments. Contrary to the above, this proposal focuses on the correlation of human capital and natural resources that each country has: as much as resource efficiency is made, both the share in future social welfare is rising. The example of Norway shows that the benefits are many and multiplier. In addition to creating value, a safety net and adjustment is produced in difficult economic times. At the same time, it is a signal to the markets and the various investment funds that the country is working on the basis of a forward-looking design, and this creates a more attractive environment. Young people take advantage of the technology outlook while remaining in the country and contributing to productivity growth, demography and employment. In my forthcoming constitutional review, it is advisable, in my view, to protect the reserves of the funds.

The legislative provision of Law 4162/2013 on the exploitation of the income from the exploitation of hydrocarbons for the insurance system is of course positive as a first step of rehabilitation. GSEVEE certainly believes that it should be extended to various forms of investment / exploitation of public property. There is room for completion with individual interventions and additions relating to:

1) The utilization of percentages from corresponding concession contracts related to the creation of energy networks (eg natural gas and oil pipelines)

2) The inclusion of a percentage on the total real estate of the country in order to create an initial management capital with an investment orientation. In particular, to include in the new Fund agricultural land, which is not recorded as private property and is allocated to producers, cooperatives and other forms of organization for consideration to be added to the insurance system. Respectively, to allocate part of the tax revenue derived from agricultural holdings not included in a farm register.

3) The use of metal deposits (gold, silver, marble and other metals, such as metals such as zeolite) through concession contracts for the creation of pension tools that favor the local development of the mining area.

4) The use of natural preventive, healing and rehabilitation opportunities resulting from the existence of a wealth of natural healing resources and high-quality medical tourism services (apart from the retirement, can cover the health and health infrastructure side of citizens through Partnerships of national bodies with international insurance institutions for health services combined with tourist packages).

5) The use of natural beauty areas, which, in addition to their mild tourism, can be used exceptionally for scientific experiments, technological and medical conferences. The fees will be directed to a fund for research into the environment and the insurance system.

6) Effective use of all forms of renewable energy sources such as geothermal energy, wind farms, photovoltaics.

7) In the Fund set up (special account) there could be a provision for tax-free profits of small and medium-sized enterprises to invest in green technology with a low-interest loan or pooling with other companies to improve the quality of jobs.

At the same time, the proposal of GSEVEE for the management of the debt of professionals, traders and craftsmen remains in force in order to create conditions of intergenerational equilibrium (freezing and capitalization of debts created by the previous system, with acquisition at the end of the life insurance) . We believe that these proposals, if implemented, will act as communicating containers for its reorganization.

The Brussels Economic Forum, held on 1 June in the Flagey area, was attended by a delegation from IME GSEVEE, where proposals and guidelines for the most important challenges facing Economic and Monetary Union were presented, while a text of reflection drafted by the European Commission for The possible scenarios of the Union’s evolution and the deepening of the European project. With this year’s title “Europe at a crossroads: ways of enhancing cohesion, integration and prosperity”, this year’s event was intended to highlight the awareness within the European Union and its institutions of the new role it has to play The EU in the new international environment, tackling internal contradictions and deepening democratic institutions.

Among the speakers of the Economic Forum were Vice-President of the European Commission, V. Bobrovski, Economic Affairs Commissioner P. Moskovis, academics, EU officials, ministers of countries, representatives of European institutions, research institutes and civil society.

The opening speech was made by France’s central banker, Francois Vileroy de Galhau, who put a special emphasis on the reforms being promoted in the member states in the midst of a crisis, as well as on the necessary joint step by the member countries. He also referred to the need to design and implement fewer but more important European projects and tools. The guest speaker, G. Soros, President of the Open Society Foundations, gave the conference a central theme on the need to transform the European Union and especially the Eurozone. Vice-President V. Drobrovskis referred to the significant progress and reforms made in the Member States under review and noted the value and stability advocated by the defense of the European Social Model through actions such as minimum income and the strengthening of youth entrepreneurship and Employment.

The main modules covered in the three thematic panels that followed were: inequalities, European integration and refugee crisis

The first section developed the dimensions of the phenomenon of inequality, which is expanding internationally. In spite of the best performance of the EU in this area (social protection, benefits, life expectancy, etc.), important challenges remain regarding poverty, the reproduction of inequalities due to reduced access to education and information, wages Gender gap. For example, we report that in the EU 20% of the richest households have five times the income of the poorest 20%. At the same time, 9.5% of the working population is considered to be “working in poverty”, while 23.7% of the population is at risk of poverty and social exclusion. It is noteworthy that the uncertainties about the economy, unemployment, business environment create more concern and fear of falling into poverty and unequal treatment (the appointment of a Bourguignon economics professor). In Greece, the absence of a minimum social protection grid and an institutional legal framework for failed entrepreneurs has pushed the risk of poverty and social exclusion to 37%. In addition, it was suggested that the emphasis on small business and micro-scale investments can mitigate the impact of digital transformation and job losses.

In the second section, Commissioner Moskovishi analyzed the problems surrounding the future and the prospects for integration of the European Union. Economic data on public and private debt, the financial sector, growth, unemployment show significant differences between countries, with Greece facing the most important structural and cyclical problems (public debt, unemployment, failure to exit markets). On the other hand, most private debt is in Cyprus (354% of GDP), Luxembourg and Ireland (over 300% both). Britain’s UK exit from the EU may also mark the redeployment of the European financial map and markets, with 46% of the stock value being traded today in London. Extensive mention was made by Economic Affairs Commissioner Moskovic in the Reflection paper on the deepening of the economic and monetary union, which includes proposals on the transition of the European Union into a model of integration and deepening. The text of reflection, as a follow-up to the White Paper, supported three areas of intervention, which should be emerging as central EU policies:

– Complete a genuine banking and financial union, harmonizing financial markets and broadening funding instruments, with supervision

– Developing an effective economic union and fiscal union, focusing on macroeconomic stability and reform initiatives by member countries.

– Strengthening European institutions and consolidating democratic processes with accountable mechanisms at European level and balancing the powers that exist in various informal institutions such as the Eurogroup. In this respect, the institutionalization of the Eurogroup head as a quasi-finance minister of Europe would be a scenario. Indeed, in the first phase of operation, responsibilities could be attributed to internal security, defense and social policy expenditure. Some speakers have made particular reference to the need to harmonize tax systems.

The third section analyzed the impact of immigration and the refugee problem on EU immigration and labor market policies, and a brief assessment of the EU-Turkey agreement was carried out, which despite the problems seems to halt unscheduled flows of refugees. Today, when the EU is confronted with the aging and the natural decline of the population, migration and labor market relevance is a special challenge. The refugee increased the pressure on member countries, mainly Greece and Italy, and created a new immigration structure. 65.3 million people were forced to leave their homes, 21.3 million became refugees and 10 million people did not belong to any state (mainly from Syria, Iraq).

With regard to internal migration, in the EU, just 4% of its population is working in a country other than the one born, while in the US 30% of them work in a state other than the one born.

Faced with the international challenges faced by the European Union and recent developments, broadening the dialogue on the basis of the Union’s institutions is a positive development, but there remain many issues that seek swift, effective and democratic decisions. GSEVEE systematically monitors and actively participates in the public consultation on issues such as harmonization of economic policies, integration of small and medium-sized enterprises into the development agenda and a single European market, tackling critical international social problems such as refugee, unemployment and inequalities.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EOK), in cooperation with the European Commission, held a conference on 2/6/2017, on the occasion of the European Commission’s White Paper on the Future of Europe: “Issues and scenarios for the European Union of 27 by 2025 “. The event took place in the Senate of the Parliament Hall, presented five possible scenarios for the future of the European Union.

The President of GSEVEE, Mr. G. Kavathas said in his speech “it is clear that the country and the social partners have to closely monitor the agenda on the European scene, as it is clear that the core of Europe must come closer as urgent needs and specificities of the European region.

It is a general assumption that the European construction has received strong shocks during the crisis, both in terms of political legitimacy and representation, as well as administrative and economic efficiency and failure to resolve the problems arising from the redeployment of the world division of labor and Restructuring within the European Union. The super-conservative forces that have taken over the EU’s financial administration over the last 10-15 years have left the agenda for a more creative, united Europe of convergence and cohesion and have shown competitiveness, even among EU countries, as a sovereign demand for Europe 2030. Obvious victims of this new strategy were and remain the countries of the region, which together with their structural weaknesses, bearing the weight of painful reforms and adopt policies which minimally improved if their place in the new economic model. ”

“In this context,” Kavathas continued, “European citizens have been faced with a series of interventions that have increased economic insecurity, increased inequalities, shrunk the welfare state, and widened the North-South gap. At the same time, new challenges emerged within Europe: refugee, regional conflicts, terrorism, political extremism, failure to control the financial fabric.

Euroscepticism, alienation, questioning the European perspective, populism did not occur accidentally. It was the results of defying the expectations of European citizens about the benefits of the process of completing the European vision. It was the result of the withdrawal from the basic European values ​​of solidarity, understanding, communication and dialogue. As a consequence of the prevalence of ethnic embankment in the major economies of Europe. Today it is clear that the institutions in the EU operate less democratically, the European Parliament is not really decisive, economic policies are not decided in a transparent manner. The EESC and the ESC have an important role to play in reversing this climate and consolidating the social dialogue.

British citizens saw the mirror of their future in the context above, and even with marginal rates, they set themselves apart from a European project. Despite the regional differences and peculiarities that can be identified in the case of Britain, Brexit has undoubtedly been the lynx, which has permanently shifted the agenda for the future of Europe. In a sense, that is why we are here today. To discuss and consider what is the right way to mobilize the defensive forces of the common European path, without further delays, without heterogeneous policies. Personally, I believe that the enthusiasm we have seen last time on the European political scene is positive, but it must be honest and courageous to pursue more radical policies and to find solutions in critical areas of economic and social policy. The European Commission and President Hunter rushed to shape a menu of choices for Europe of the future, a White Paper whose pages European leaders are asked to write. Other positive, tedious initiatives on investment mobilization and development (the Juncker package) were preceded. However, we should not be too optimistic if we do not see signs of change in the European context. I believe that a major contributor to the European crisis remains the continuing regression and delay that exists around the Greek issue. If the EU fails to resolve a problem that is less than 2% of European GDP and debt, it is sensible for both citizens and the markets to wonder whether the European construction is capable of responding to a potentially more complex crisis: A crisis that may arise due to political and economic antagonisms with the US, Russia, the European financial sector, the emergence of China as the first economic power, the aggravation of the refugee issue. ”

In closing, the President of GSEVEE stressed “the question whether we want more or less Europe based on the five scenarios analyzed by the White Paper, the answer can not be either unambiguous or unilateral. Deepening institutions, completing economic policy requires recognition of errors, widening available tools, developing comparative advantages, strengthening weaker players. “

The President of GSEVEE, Mr. G. Kavathas, attended and talked at the Hellenic Sign Symposium, which took place on 31 May 2017 at the Eugenides Foundation in order to highlight the developmental dimension of the national origin of a product or service, the diffusion of the Hellenic Sign Product and the promotion of sectoral development.

Within the framework of the symposium, organized jointly by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and the Hellenic Academy of Marketing, business executives and academics presented the institutional framework “Made in Greece”, the Greek Signal Institution, as well as successful strategies of Extraversion, Innovation and Branding.

The President of GSEVEE, Mr. G. Kavathas, stressed that “almost five years have passed since the summer of 2012, when we came to GSEVEE, the then draft law (and today is a state law) for the” Greek Products Sign And Services “, which was a demand for years of the business community, but mainly a need of the Greek society, so that in this plethora of imported products on the shelves of the shops there would be an official badge to certify the Greekity of the product and enabling the consumer who wishes to choose. On the other hand, covers the necessity of Greek business and have certified that the Greek character of the product or its products both at home and abroad. ”

The President of GSEVEE added that “regardless of the exceptional significance of the Hellenic Sign for the Greek Product and Services, other actions should be taken to reverse the distorted consumption pattern that we have adopted as a society and which has resulted in squeeze almost everything from Greek commercial shelf.

That’s why it is not only the consumer, but also an occasional latent developmental dynamics in trade, which today is evident from the results, that he shaped the conditions that almost “eliminated” the Greek Producing Machine with devastating consequences. ”

Mr. Kavathas noted that “the Greek flag will independently represent” dead letter “unless combined with other actions that will trigger a dynamic that will turn consumer interest in Greek product. So, with the Hellenic Sign and with a continuous series of actions (like today’s symposium), we can immediately and sovereignly achieve the recycling of the disputed available capital of consumption within the country. This obviously will support sustainability, both businesses and jobs. It is a fact that in almost every area of ​​our productive economic activity (from primary to tertiary) the quality characteristics of our products are mostly exceptional and this should inter alia be interconnected in the consciousness of consumers with the Greek mark “.

“Both GSEVEE and the Citizens’ Movement” consume what we produce “have been trying for almost a decade to sensitize Greek society from the end of our country to supporting everything produced by” Greek hands “.

“Today we are given the opportunity,” continued Mr. Kavathas, “to accept if you want to change standards. And in this change of standards, the role of both the State and the actors of the economy as well as of the citizens is decisive. Most important is the role of commerce, which can be the link between a producer, a craftsman, a professional with a consumer – a citizen.

I firmly believe that we can grow by supporting our own crafts – industries, highlighting the comparative advantages of Greek agro-livestock products, their particular nutritional value, taking advantage of Greek gastronomy and nutrition. GSEVEE and the Citizens’ Movement “consume what we produce” supported and supported every effort like this, which is in fact the realization of the fact that solutions can be simple and at the same time effective. Let us think that if the imports are reduced by 20%, the profit for the national economy will reach 10 billion euros “.

In closing, the President of GSEVEE stressed “by supporting our products, we support jobs, we support Greece”.

The President of GSEVEE, Mr. G. Kavathas, participated and spoke at the 1st Social Forum held on 30 May 2017 at TITANIA Hotel.

The President of GSEVEE, after congratulating the leadership of the Supreme General Confederation of Pensioners of Greece on the initiative, expressed the hope that the event would be the starting point for a substantial fermentation in public affairs, which would gradually lead to the necessary institutional political and social transformations, To move the country into a new era of growth and self-sufficiency. “I am not talking about autonomy and sufficiency,” said Kavathas, “because at times like today with international complexity and globalization, it is futile to look for solutions from the past, being enclosed in one of our own worlds. With the current initiative of unity, we give the example to political parties, the living society, all the productive bodies to create the conditions, with a sense of national responsibility and social sensitivity, for a new model of dialogue and consultation on the real problems of the country, A new search solution model. It is obviously not the purpose of transforming this action into a new political body, nor the abolition of our trade union independence. Nor do we declare that we have the solutions for every issue and problem that concerns the country. On the contrary, the aim of this event is to set the framework and the priorities to move in a coordinated and unified way, shaping the conditions of social and productive reconstruction in the post-memorandum Greece (when this happens and we wish it to be as soon as possible) “.

The President of GSEVEE pointed out that “Greek society and economy are once again trapped in the Sympligadas stones of a continuous negotiation with the creditors, a negotiation that, every time, regardless of the ruling parties, burden the living conditions of Greek citizens, devaluates The Greek companies, weakens the production base. Based on official data and on the basis of what we experience daily, there is no such thing as a world-wide phenomenon in a time of peace that has made such great sacrifices from the citizens and the productive fabric of a country. GDP fell by 27%, while in Syria by 23%. Enterprises fell by 25%, social protection was downgraded, the unemployed increased. ”

“Everybody has experienced both at the grassroots level and at the level of consultation with international institutions and creditors, deep distrust and disappointment of society for the future and the solutions that have been imposed,” the President of GSEVEE said. “The crisis did not arise on its own,” he said, continuing, “but the effects of the policies pursued have widened the problems to a superlative degree. Both civilian personnel and social actors failed to give solutions, we did not manage to hear, we failed to define as our declaration states our own framework – our own green lines – for the reconstruction of the country. Of course, in the course of things the social partners have de facto been devalued, either at the level of regulation (eg collective bargaining), or at the level of consultation (OECD toolbox, bills introduced as urgent). International institutions, lobbies have virtually replaced all the functions of the social partners and parliamentary groups, while at the same time shrinking time and decision-making processes. As a result of this development, there was less democracy, sloppy decision-making and emphatically transparent. Endless consultations without ever taking into account what the vast majority of social partners have tabled. This substitution process has led civilian personnel to rapid disintegration and redistribution processes and the citizens in resignation from trade union and collective action. It is clear that this course of things, we have a duty to reverse, despite the considerable degree of marginalization of the political system and the trade union movement. ”

Finally, Mr. Kavathas stressed that “the purpose of our initiative is both symbolic and real: on the one hand, we will give a model of political and social behavior, on the other hand we will be prepared to propose and assert tangible policies. It is our duty to intervene in the public debate, to create conditions for the political system, the collective expression of society, the citizens, the new generation. ”

The Forum was attended by: AGSSE (General Confederation of Greek Pensioners) – GSEVEE (General Confederation of Professional Craft Traders in Greece) – Athens Bar Association – ESEE (Hellenic Confederation of Trade and Entrepreneurship – Athens Chamber of Commerce – Supreme Confederation of Polytechnics Of Greece – Union of Taxed Hellenic – Panhellenic Medical Association – Panhellenic Federation of Military – POMIDA (Panhellenic Federation of Real Estate Owners).