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Country Commercial Guides FY 2000: Greece Report prepared by U.S. Embassy Athens, released July 1999 Note*

CHAPTER IX. BUSINESS TRAVEL

1. Business Customs

Greek business people are astute bargainers. Success in business dealings depends on a combination of patience and quick judgment. Greeks are warm and cordial in their personal relationships. A wealth of good restaurants and places of entertainment makes it easy for a business visitor to reciprocate the courtesies shown.

Greek is spoken by 96 percent of the people and is used for all business and official purposes. Language is not a major barrier to foreign business visitors since a relatively high percentage of local officials and business people speak English or French.

Athens time is 7 hours ahead of eastern standard time. Government office hours are 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday from October to May. The hours change May through September to 7:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Private sector office hours are 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (with one hour for lunch). Manufacturing establishments operate from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Banking business hours are 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

2. Travel Advisory and Visas

U.S. citizens may enter Greece with a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 3 months. No visas or other formalities are required. Should visitors wish to remain longer, they must submit an application to the immigration authorities at least 20 days before the end of the initial 3-month stay.

Used personal effects of foreigners residing permanently abroad may be imported duty free. Included in the duty free allowance are up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and one liter of liquor. One each of the following articles may also be brought in duty free, provided they are re-exported: still and movie cameras, with suitable film; binoculars; portable radios; portable record players with up to 20 records; and portable typewriters. Travelers must get special permission from Greek police authorities before bringing firearms and ammunition into the country. Flower bulbs, plants, and fresh fruit may not be brought into the country by travelers.

Foreign currency in any amount can be imported freely. However, travelers carrying foreign currency or drachmas exceeding the equivalent of 10,000 EUROs (approximately $9,770) must declare it upon entry. Travelers' checks and other checks, letters of credit, and unendorsed bank drafts issued in the traveler's name need not be declared when entering Greece, since they can be exported freely from Greece.

The export of foreign exchange was liberalized in May 1994. Greek and foreign travelers, however, have to declare any amount exceeding the equivalent of 2,000 EUROs (approximately $1,954) upon their departure.

Greek residents need a certificate from the tax authorities (confirming that the carrier has no outstanding tax obligations) to export foreign currency exceeding the equivalent of 10,000 EUROs.

Mailing abroad of Greek currency, foreign exchange, or checks is forbidden.

3. Holidays

Greek holidays to take into account when planning a business itinerary include the following: New Year's Day, January 1, 2000 (will be observed Friday, December 31, 1999)
Epiphany, January 6, 2000
Kathara Deftera, March 6, 2000 (varies annually)
Independence Day, March 25, 2000
Good Friday, April 28, 2000 (varies annually)
Holy Saturday, April 29, 2000 (varies annually)
Easter Sunday, April 30, 2000 (varies annually)
Easter Monday, May 1, 2000 (varies annually)
May Day, May 1, 2000
Whit Monday, June 19, 2000 (varies annually)
Assumption Day, August 15, 2000
OXI Day, October 28, 2000
Christmas Eve, December 24, 2000 (half day holiday)
Christmas Day, December 25, 2000
Boxing Day, December 26, 2000
New Year's Eve, December 31, 2000 (half day holiday)

There are also several regional holidays celebrated:

Liberation of Ioannina, February 20, 2000 (Ioannina only)
Dodecanese Accession Day, March 7, 2000 (Dodecanese only)
Liberation of Xanthi, October 4, 2000 (Xanthi only)
St. Demetrios Day, October 26, 2000 (Thessaloniki only)
St. Andreas Day, November 30, 2000 (Patras only)

4. Business Infrastructure

The Greek inland surface transportation is through a road and railroad network. Main streets and highways are paved, while secondary roads are generally rough and ungraded. Most roads are two-lane, except for parts of the National Road which have four lanes. The road network is considered to be good, and is being constantly expanded.

The length of the railroad network is 2,500 kilometers. Of this, 1,500 kilometers is of standard gauge and connects Greece with the Former Yugoslavia Republic Of Macedonia and Western Europe in the north, and with Turkey and the Middle East in the east. The remainder consists of narrow gauge tracks used for national routes.

The bulk of Greek industry is located around 20 sea ports. The largest ports are in Athens (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, and Patras. Patras and Igoumenitsa, a port in the northwest of Greece became major gateways for ferrying road traffic between Greece and Italy, due to the war in Yugoslavia. Almost no direct passenger ship service is available between the U.S. and Greece. Cargo services from the United States are provided by American Export Lines, Farrell Lines, Prudential, and Sea Land Service on a regularly scheduled basis with port calls at Piraeus, Thessaloniki, and Patras. Seaborne cargo shipped from the East coast of the United States reaches Greece in 11 or 12 days.

Airline connections to Greece and to other points in Europe and the rest of the world are excellent. Athens is served by 50 airlines. American international air service to Greece is provided by Delta and Tower Air. Delta added a new direct flight from Atlanta to Athens in June 1999. Olympic Airways, the government-owned national carrier, no longer enjoys its full monopoly. Private Greek-owned companies can now operate non-regular, charter flights (passenger and cargo) domestically and internationally. EU liberalization has also opened the Greek domestic market to EU carriers, though non-Greek airlines are still barred from serving the Greek islands.

Greek telecommunications are being upgraded. Digital service and cellular telephony are available. Direct telephone service to 88 countries is available.

The Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE), a state-owned enterprise, will continue to exclusively operate all telephone and radio communications in Greece until the year 2001. All value-added services were deregulated in 1998 in compliance with EU directives. Private cellular telephony was introduced in 1992 and today serves over 3,500,000 subscribers. OTE also operates a fast PABX network available to the business community. ISDN was introduced recently, and although the demand is strong, it is available only on a very limited basis. OTE is also responsible for satellite communications. Coastal and transoceanic radio-telegraph, telephone, and teletype communications are served through six INMARSAT coastal stations.

A satellite station also links Greece with the Intelsat system. Submarine coaxial cables link Greece with France, Cyprus, Lebanon, Italy, and Syria. Radio-electric networks for TV transmission connect Greece with the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Italy, and Turkey, while a tropospheric scanner links Greece with Cyprus and Libya.

Modern and comfortable accommodations can be found in most areas that a foreign traveler is likely to visit. Growing tourist travel makes advance hotel reservations advisable, particularly during late spring and summer. Prices for accommodations compare favorably with those in other Western European countries. Athens has several general hospitals and clinics, including specialized pediatric and maternity hospitals. The level of care at these facilities is good, with the only weakness being that the level of support care is considered fair. Most hospitals are equipped with modern diagnostic equipment and trained technicians. General hospitalization, emergency, and most routine surgery can be handled at local facilities. Athens has many English-speaking doctors, trained in the U.S. or Western Europe, who practice in all specialized fields.

Local restaurants and tavernas are safe and good places to eat, though the enforcement of regulations concerning the storage and sale of food is less strict than in the U.S. Local fruits and vegetables are excellent and do not require any special preparation beyond cleaning or cooking. Most types of meats can be procured locally and are safe. Pasteurized milk is safe for consumption. The water in cities throughout Greece is potable. Bottled water is recommended in small villages and the islands, as the water source may be limited and not well treated.