OECD Economic Surveys: Greece 2020

         Greece’s economy had been expanding by nearly 2% for over three years before the COVID-19 shock. Structural reforms, high primary budget surpluses and debt measures underpinned Greece’s recovery and rising confidence. Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, abruptly interrupting the recovery and adding new challenges to raising inclusiveness, competitiveness and growth. This Survey proposes an ambitious set of reforms to overcome the COVID-19 shock while promoting a stronger and more inclusive growth. Aiding businesses and workers to upgrade their activities and skills and to shift to more promising sectors would accelerate the recovery and enhance resiliency to future shocks. Raising productivity and investment growth will require reducing barriers to competition, increasing the public administration and justice system’s effectiveness, cutting red tape and accelerating the repair of the banking system. Strengthening active labour market programmes, education and training programmes, better supporting carers, and reducing the high labour tax wedge would expand job opportunities and improve inclusiveness. Raising the quality of public spending and improving the effectiveness of the tax system would help Greece to gradually shift the primary budget balance back to surplus, maintain its hard-won fiscal credibility and support inclusive growth.                     SPECIAL FEATURE: REJUVINATING GREECE’S LABOUR MARKET TO GENERATE MORE AND HIGHER-QUALITY JOBS               