Exclusive: full text of Barroso's report on Greece

Exclusive: full text of Barroso's report on Greece

by Costas Papachlimintzos 18 Apr 2012

Cover page of the European Commission document (Photo: Athens News) The Athens News has obtained a copy of the 42-page report on Greece that European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will shortly present to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.   The report calls on the government to implement a number “priority actions”. The mains points are listed below:   Bank recapitalisation should be completed by September 2012, safeguarding the business autonomy of the banks Nominal unit labour costs in the business economy should be reduced by 15 percent in 2012–2014 A timetable for an overhaul of the national collective agreement for the wage-setting system should be prepared by end July 2012, in consultation with social partners A systematic review of export clearance and customs formalities should be completed, stripping away excessive controls and aligning control systems on practices in the rest of the single market Further steps should be taken to make it easier to set up a new company Public procurement legislation should be radically overhauled by the end of the year and the newly created single procurement authority should become fully operational The full implementation of the 2011 law on regulated professions should be finalized before the end of the year, combined with the additional liberalizing measures included in the memorandum of understanding Privatisation of public gas and electricity companies this year Separation of gas and electricity transmission system operation from generation and supply activities A sound regulatory and institutional framework for infrastructure-related assets should be established More effective use of the available European Social Fund resources The comprehensive reform of the tax system should be carefully prepared in the coming months in order to enhance its efficiency and growth-friendliness The reform of the pension system should be finalized through the reform of secondary and supplementary pension schemes and fighting fraud in disability pensions   Here's the full text:  Barosso report on Greece http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/11/54995