High energy cost was the topic of a meeting between the Presidency of Association of Greek Textile Industries (SEVK) and George Stathakis, Environment & Energy Minister, Greece.
The rising energy cost is hitting the competitiveness of Greek enterprises from the textile industry that burdens productive activity and undermines development of the sector. The Association presented a series of proposals, such as harmonizing high-voltage and low-voltage charges, adopting new directives on state support in energy and environment, a strict timetable of actions to adjust the domestic electricity market to requirements of an EU Target Model and rescheduling of the existing debt of the industry.
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In addition, it also presented a fully-detailed memorandum with the industry’s positions and recommendations over a series of measures needed to rescue textile industries and become a growth tool for the economy once again.
The memorandum underlined, among others, that during the last 15 years, lack of strategic planning by the Government to support Greek production, combined with a wave of imports of textile products from countries with cheap labour and energy cost, has hit the sector, and eventually closing down large traditional factories and raising unemployment in the country.