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According to a bill which yesterday was introduced in Parliament the engineers, advertising agents and tourist guides who are citizens of other European countries would be able to work freely in Greece.

The bill adapts to the Greek legislation the European directive about the serves known in the past as the Bolkenstain or “the directive regarding the Polish plumber”. It caused strong reactions at the time it was introduced. At the end of the day the directive was changed and “the Polish plumbers” became welcomed, however for all these professions applies the labor legislation of the country they work in, and not their country of origin.

In any case in Greece professions like the one of the carriers, the lawyers and pharmacists are excluded and in this way they restrict the room for action. Nevertheless the Ministry of finance has included a long list of professions, which it claims will be of help to the Greek consumers in order to increase the competitiveness in the field of services.”

According to the bill which is signed by the Minister of finances Georgios Papakonstantinou, the Minister of interior Giannis Rangusis and the Minister of economy Luca Katseli, all professionals and private companies who wish to offer their services in Greece will take a permit for the development of their activity without being restricted because of their origin. The presentation of other evidences is also banned and for example in order for a permit to be issued it is no longer needed to have demand on the market or to have been carried out such activity on the territory of Greece in the past, or to be obligatory for the applicant to sign in the register of Greece.

According to the bill in a later stage the conditions need to be revised which excludes the access to some activities like for example territorial restrictions – particularly in the form of limits which are placed in accordance with the population and the sitting of a minimum distance between the various companies offering the same service. Also the obligation, of the person offering the service to act under a certain legal entity as well as the obligation for the minimum and maximum price of the service, with which the businessman must comply, have to be revised. If it is assessed that these restrictions do not serve the public interest then they have to drop out. Also if it is found out that the procedures which the Greek legislation stipulates for the access to a certain activity are not light enough they will have to be changed. And in order for the foreigners who wish to offer their services in Greece to be attended, special Service centers will be created.