Stavros Kafounis, President of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE), is calling for immediate reinforcement of customs services and acceleration of digitalization in order to prevent further disruption to the market.
In a letter addressed to Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Mr. Kafounis expresses the deep concern of the business community over the delays being recorded in customs procedures. These delays, particularly following the introduction of the Customs Control Centers (TEK), are said to be significantly affecting business operations.
Even for simple or low-value shipments, customs clearance is now taking up to three working days, a timeframe that is considered highly burdensome for trade.
Impact on Business Reliability and Competitiveness
These delays are causing a series of serious consequences, such as:
Loss of customer trust due to delayed service
Increased storage and transportation costs, as goods are held in customs
Order cancellations and loss of partnerships, especially where deliveries are time-sensitive
Mr. Kafounis emphasizes that businesses are already facing a challenging environment marked by high costs, intense international competition, and rising prices, and that such administrative bottlenecks worsen the situation.
Staff and Equipment Shortages at Customs
The root causes of the slowdown are identified as:
Lack of personnel in customs offices
Insufficient technical equipment
Manual processes, which increase bureaucracy
Customs staff are struggling to handle a high volume of work without adequate tools and support, leading to slower processing.
ESEE’s Three-Part Request to the Government
In response, ESEE is calling for the government to take three immediate actions:
Reinforce customs services with sufficient staff and infrastructure
Accelerate the digitalization of customs procedures and fully integrate all relevant platforms
Establish regular communication between customs authorities and business associations to address practical issues in real time
“Delays Ultimately Burden the Consumer”
In his statement, Mr. Kafounis notes that resolving customs delays is vital not only for the survival of businesses but for the overall functioning of the economy:
“Businesses need stability, predictability, and speed to operate competitively — especially in today’s challenging climate. Addressing customs delays is critical for entrepreneurship, employment, investment, and the healthy growth of the Greek economy.”
He also points out that goods stuck in customs remain in privately managed storage areas, increasing storage costs for businesses. These costs are then passed on to consumers, further driving up prices and contributing to inflation.
While ESEE supports the need for stricter customs controls and the government’s intention to combat smuggling through the TEK, it concludes that the current system needs immediate reinforcement in both staffing and infrastructure to handle the current volume of transactions efficiently.
