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GREECE PROPERTY INVESTMENTS

There are some 450 European Union grants available for the European member countries. The application forms can be a little confusing so specialised companies have been formed to assisted with the granting system. The categories listed below are the main Eu funding grants, within the Government other granting areas for development exist under special programs, where if a commercial business formed to a traditional way i.e. the building is built in stone  with all the architectural features, than grants are available. Also for restoration of historical buildings.

Tourism - Tourism in Greece is one of the most important areas for the Greek economy there are many grants available with additional grants for tourism setout by the Government. The list below indicates most of the grants available for tourism. In some cases local grants are also available.

  Eco-label awarded to beaches and marinas with good environmental management.

  Grants in the frame of the invitation programme of the Community institutions.

  Eco-label awarded for environmental management of tourist infrastructures.

  A prize for greenways or innovative initiatives in this field.

  Grants for projects that promote entrepreneurship and innovation culture.

  Grants to improve language teaching and learning qualitatively and quantitatively.

  Cross-border co-operation programmes with the new neighbour countries.

  Grants for projects that promote various forms of innovation in enterprises and eco-innovation.

  Promotion of energy efficiency and savings.

  Support to cooperation between European regions.

  Loans and risk capital for mainly big industrial and infrastructure projects.

  Loans for projects mainly in the private sector in Asia and Latin America.

  Grants for the promotion of renewable energy sources.

  Loans and grants for banks in order to facilitate their funding actions to SME and municipalities.

  Prize to award the best town twinning actions.

  Grants for information and awareness-raising projects on environmental questions.

  Support to cooperation between European regions at translational level.

  Support to cooperation between European regions at cross border level.

  Guarantees and loans for banks situated in Central and Eastern Europe and CIS.

  Award to newly built or improved museums. 

  Grants for cultural events in the big cities of the European Union.

  Grants to support the development of the Euro-Mediterranean cultural cooperation.

  Prize awarded to a successful EUREKA project aiming at improving Europe's environment.

  Grants for projects promoting the objectives of the European environment policy.

  Grants within the frame of the DG Enterprise and Industry annual work programme concerning very specific projects.

  European network developing cooperation between SMEs, research centres and universities for industrial innovation.

  Prize awarded to SMEs whose participation in a EUREKA project has resulted in outstanding growth.

  Grants in the framework programme for innovation in enterprises, information technologies and energy.

  Specific programme covering cooperation projects in the area of research and technological development, including demonstration activities.

  European label to help European consumers and producers to integrate greener, more environmentally friendly products.

  Grants for the development of an inclusive information society and more efficient and effective services in areas of public interest, and improvement of quality of life.

  Grants in the framework of the unique funding instrument for the development of translational cultural cooperation between cultural players in Europe.

  Eco-label and programmes for environmental management, certification, and sustainable development education, for schools.

  Grants for pre-school and school education up to the level of the end of upper secondary education, and for the institutions and organisations providing such education.

  Grants aimed at supporting cooperation activities in the fields of lifelong education and training and at promoting bodies active at European level in education and training.

  Grants for research projects concerning the socio-economic challenges Europe is facing: growth, employment, competitiveness, etc.

  Grants in the frame of the European Spatial Planning Observatory Network, a network of cooperation between national  planning institutes that will focus on the observation and analysis of territorial and regional development trends in Europe.

  Grants to towns and cities in the border regions and Georgia to fund projects for awareness raising of sustainable development and environmental protection at municipal level.

  Grants to develop commercial and technical know-how at the senior management level of small and medium-sized enterprises.

  Grants in the framework of national sector or regionalised programmes to sustainable regional development in the least favoured regions of the Member States.

 Support for investment economic public and private actors in order to reinforce competitiveness, attractively of regions and employment.

  Assistance to support the candidate and potential candidate in cross-border cooperation.

  Grants that cover regions struggling with structural difficulties and help to reduce gaps in socio-economic development by co financing of productive investment in infrastructures, local development initiatives and business activities.

  Non-repayable aid granted by the European Commission in support of EIB investment activities in the southern Mediterranean countries.

  Loans for small and medium projects for companies and local authorities in Eastern Europe and Central Asian EBRD intervention countries.

  Grants for strengthening Community environment policy and legislation, with a view to promoting sustainable development in the EU.

  Assistance to support candidate countries in preparing for the implementation and management of the Community's common agricultural policy.

Agriculture Fisheries - This European policy covers 2 main issues: Agriculture and Rural Development. Agriculture What does our society expect from the agricultural sector and from the food we eat.

According to a Commission poll, for EU citizens the priority of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should be to ensure that agricultural products are healthy and safe, promote the respect of the environment, protect medium or small sized farms and help farmers to adapt their production to consumer expectations. The aim is transparency, quality and safety and a farm sector in tune with the environment and animal welfare.

Rural development  Rural Development policy 2007-2013.

On 20 February 2006 the Agriculture Council adopted EU strategic guidelines for rural development five months after the adoption of the Council Regulation on support for rural development by the new European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

The guidelines set out a strategic approach and a range of options which Member States could use in their national strategy plans and Rural Development programmes.

Since the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, Rural Development is playing an increasingly important role in helping rural areas  meet the economic, social and environmental challenges of the 21st century. Rural areas make up 90 percent of the territory of the enlarged EU and the new legal framework points more clearly to the direction of boosting growth and creating jobs in rural areas – in line with the Lisbon Strategy – and improving sustainability - in line with the Göteborg sustainability goals.

The future Rural Development policy 2007-2013 will focus on three areas in line with the three thematic axes laid down in the new rural development regulation: improving competitiveness for farming and forestry; environment and countryside; improving quality of life and diversification of the rural economy. A fourth axis called "Leader axis" , based on experience with the Leader Community Initiatives introduces possibilities for locally based bottom-up approaches to rural development.

Employment - In 2005 the European Commission revised its objectives in term of growth, productivity and employment and it re-launched the Lisbon Strategy. In the same year it revised the European Employment Strategy (EES), which  stimulates the national efforts coordination for a reform of the policies of growth and employment.

For 2007-2013 these two references  regards the policy of employment and puts priority on - the modernization of the social protection system - the capacity of adaptation of the workers and the companies to the market trends and also in case of reorganization - the human capital through the improvement of education and its capabilities

In order to reach these objectives the European Commission use two financial instruments. The European Social Fund ESF ( Convergence objective and Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective) and the programme progress.

Other funds programmes linked to employment activity are : Studies on demography and family
EURES, EURODYSSEE, Actions of training in favour of workers organizations and Youth in Action C The following list gives you all the European funds available in this sector:

Environment - Protecting the environment is essential for the quality of life of current and future generations. The challenge is to combine this with continuing economic growth in a way which is sustainable over the long term. European Union environment policy is based on the belief that high environmental standards stimulate innovation and business opportunities. Economic, social and environment policies are closely integrated.

Climate change caused by emissions of greenhouse gases is one of the main challenges facing humanity. The EU is leading international efforts to combat climate change and  have developed a battery of cost-effective measures to help reduce our emissions, including our innovative Emissions Trading Scheme.

Combating the loss of biodiversity is another priority for the EU since implications for ecosystems and citizens are far-reaching. The EU policy framework to halt biodiversity loss in Europe by 2010 and beyond is now largely in place and we must now accelerate the implementation process if we are to meet this deadline.

Nurturing eco-innovation is essential if we are to  tackle these issues successfully as well as many other environmental challenges, such as pollution of our air and water, waste generation and unsustainable use of resources. Real progress will only be feasible if new environmental technologies are developed and promoted throughout the EU. Next to the main environment programmes such as LIFE + or the grant programme of DG Environment, you will find environmental considerations in many other themes, as external cooperation:
EU-China Energy and Environment Environment and Sustainable Management of natural resources including energy

Innovation - The Lisbon European Council of March 2000 set the objective of making Europe the most competitive and dynamic knowledge- based economy in the world by the year 2010.
By emphasizing competitiveness at the heart of the European political agenda, the reinvigorated 'Lisbon process' aims is to make Europe a more attractive place to invest, by boosting the entrepreneurial initiative and creating a productive environment where innovation capacity can grow and develop.

To fully meet the Lisbon goals, a  attention has been given to ensuring coherence and synergy among all actions implemented at the EC level in the field of innovation and competitiveness.
Following the recommendations of the 2003 Spring Council, the European Commission has decided to put forward a proposal for the implementation of a Competitiveness and Innovation framework Programme (CIP) which is meant to become the main legal basis grouping all Community actions in the field of innovation and competitiveness.

Culture - Media : There are many EU initiatives for the promotion of culture: grant programmes, competitions, regulations, European capitals etc.
Since its inclusion in the Treaty on the European Union, cultural cooperation has become a new community competency.

The Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) is preparing a Communication on culture which seeks to address the cultural cooperation in Europe.
The 2007 Communication expected to be published in 2007 has 2 main objectives:
developing active European citizenship, respecting cultural diversity, promoting intercultural dialogue, while keeping a sense of “European identity” complementary to other identities
reach the economic and social objectives of the Lisbon agenda, and the role of creativity in enhancing the competitive edge of Europe.

The aim is to identify common priorities a European ‘agenda’ for culture and to develop new frameworks and methods for  cooperation and dialogue.
The Communication will be adopted by the Commission in the first quarter of 2007 and will launch a broad consultation with all interested parties, which is intended to stimulate the Commission’s future work.

Various aspects of culture are taken into account in the development of the European Union's activities relating to audiovisual policy, regional development, employment and training, research and technological development, agriculture, the information society, tourism and business. and the Culture, 2007- 2013 programme.

The main aim of the European Community's energy policy is to ensure a supply of energy to all consumers at affordable prices while respecting the environment and promoting healthy competition on the European energy market.

Making a single market is a part of the energy policy and has long been a priority of the Community. In March 2001 the Commission adopted a set of measures to open fully the gas and electricity markets  by July 2007.

At international level, the EU is  endeavouring to establish cooperation in the energy field with almost all the main countries and regions of the world, and most particularly with Russia.

Energy - from renewable energy sources is playing a key role in the diversification and sustainability of energy sources and in the campaign to combat climate change. Several programmes have been  set up: "Intelligent Energy for Europe" programme (2003-2006).

The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme CIP(2007-2013)has been adopted to meet the objectives of the renewed Lisbon strategy, and thus stimulate growth and employment in Europe.

Legislative measures have been set up to encourage changes, technological progress is an important means of achieving the objectives of Community energy strategy. The seventh framework programme offers a framework adapted to the development of new energy technologies which must improve the production and consumption of energy in Europe.

With  regards to nuclear energy, Union policy in this area is the responsibility of the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) set up in 1957 on the basis of a separate treaty to that of the European Community. This programme is called the COMPETITIVENESS' AND INNOVATION FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME

Industry -  With globalisation and intense international competition, the European Commission has launched a new industrial policy in 2005 to create better framework conditions for manufacturing industries in the coming years.
The manufacturing industry are very important to the EU, it employs over 34 million people, it accounts for three quarters of EU exports and over 80% of EU private sector R&D expenditure. Whether or not a business succeeds or not ultimately depends on the vitality and strength of the business itself, but the overall environment can help or hinder  business prospects.

The new EU industrial policy will complement work at Member State level to support a strong and dynamic industrial base. It includes seven new initiatives - on competitiveness, energy and the environment, on intellectual property rights, on better regulation, on industrial research and innovation, on market access, on skills, and on managing structural change - which will benefit a wide range of industry sectors.

Seven additional initiatives have targeted  specific sectors such as pharmaceuticals, defence and Information and communication technologies. Underlying the new industrial policy basis is a detailed screening of 27 individual sectors of manufacturing industry and construction. It builds on the success of several joint initiatives undertaken by the Commission with, for example the shipbuilding and car industries. This industrial policy is an important step in the delivery of the Commission’s new Lisbon “Partnership for Growth and Jobs”. FP7 - COOPERATION - 4 NAN SCIENCES, NANOTECHNOLOGIES, MATERIALS, NEW PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES.

Local development - These programmes are listed under the "local development" activity and are linked with the policy for territorial cohesion and cooperation between regional bodies.

The  strategic guidelines of the community are an important part of the new cohesion policy beginning in 2007. On the basis of the strategic guidelines, the Member States draw up their cohesion policy priorities. The guidelines contribute to the realisation of other Community priorities, such as those deriving from the Lisbon strategy and the integrated guidelines for growth and jobs. They are mainly concerned with investment, jobs, knowledge and innovation, territorial cohesion and cooperation.

 The  Government have other tourism programs for Hotels, Golfing complexes with grants available click on the link below.