Speech by President GSEVEE Mr. G. Kavvatas at the Hellenic Sign Symposium

The President of GSEVEE, Mr. G. Kavathas, attended and talked at the Hellenic Sign Symposium, which took place on 31 May 2017 at the Eugenides Foundation in order to highlight the developmental dimension of the national origin of a product or service, the diffusion of the Hellenic Sign Product and the promotion of sectoral development.

Within the framework of the symposium, organized jointly by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and the Hellenic Academy of Marketing, business executives and academics presented the institutional framework “Made in Greece”, the Greek Signal Institution, as well as successful strategies of Extraversion, Innovation and Branding.

The President of GSEVEE, Mr. G. Kavathas, stressed that “almost five years have passed since the summer of 2012, when we came to GSEVEE, the then draft law (and today is a state law) for the” Greek Products Sign And Services “, which was a demand for years of the business community, but mainly a need of the Greek society, so that in this plethora of imported products on the shelves of the shops there would be an official badge to certify the Greekity of the product and enabling the consumer who wishes to choose. On the other hand, covers the necessity of Greek business and have certified that the Greek character of the product or its products both at home and abroad. ”

The President of GSEVEE added that “regardless of the exceptional significance of the Hellenic Sign for the Greek Product and Services, other actions should be taken to reverse the distorted consumption pattern that we have adopted as a society and which has resulted in squeeze almost everything from Greek commercial shelf.

That’s why it is not only the consumer, but also an occasional latent developmental dynamics in trade, which today is evident from the results, that he shaped the conditions that almost “eliminated” the Greek Producing Machine with devastating consequences. ”

Mr. Kavathas noted that “the Greek flag will independently represent” dead letter “unless combined with other actions that will trigger a dynamic that will turn consumer interest in Greek product. So, with the Hellenic Sign and with a continuous series of actions (like today’s symposium), we can immediately and sovereignly achieve the recycling of the disputed available capital of consumption within the country. This obviously will support sustainability, both businesses and jobs. It is a fact that in almost every area of ​​our productive economic activity (from primary to tertiary) the quality characteristics of our products are mostly exceptional and this should inter alia be interconnected in the consciousness of consumers with the Greek mark “.

“Both GSEVEE and the Citizens’ Movement” consume what we produce “have been trying for almost a decade to sensitize Greek society from the end of our country to supporting everything produced by” Greek hands “.

“Today we are given the opportunity,” continued Mr. Kavathas, “to accept if you want to change standards. And in this change of standards, the role of both the State and the actors of the economy as well as of the citizens is decisive. Most important is the role of commerce, which can be the link between a producer, a craftsman, a professional with a consumer – a citizen.

I firmly believe that we can grow by supporting our own crafts – industries, highlighting the comparative advantages of Greek agro-livestock products, their particular nutritional value, taking advantage of Greek gastronomy and nutrition. GSEVEE and the Citizens’ Movement “consume what we produce” supported and supported every effort like this, which is in fact the realization of the fact that solutions can be simple and at the same time effective. Let us think that if the imports are reduced by 20%, the profit for the national economy will reach 10 billion euros “.

In closing, the President of GSEVEE stressed “by supporting our products, we support jobs, we support Greece”.