Greece

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Hellenic Cabinet meeting

    The Hellenic Government actively supports and subsidizes IT-related efforts and investments. Shortly before 1999, reports indicated that efforts were not as widespread as needed and were not bringing the desired outcome. So, subsequent efforts had to be part of a consistent national IT policy. This was formulated in 1999 and has been followed quite successfully ever since.


    As is the case with any nation that wants to remain competent in the information era, Greece needed to formulate an official IT policy. This was done in 1999, when a 100-page official IT policy paper was published by the Prime Minister's Office (accessible at www.infosociety.gr).
    Ever since, Greece has taken considerable steps toward implementing its IT policy. By 2002, all Greek public schools will be connected to the Internet. At the same time, the Greek government agencies have started offering their services on-line. This latest feature ("e-government") has still a long way to go before becoming very popular, but has already been highly acclaimed by people and entities who have to regularly deal with the public sector.
    Legislation has also changed in keeping up with the times and the challenges ahead. Currently Greece is considered as very close to the European average. For more details, see under page Legal Environment.
    The Hellenic Government and especially the Ministry of Development have set aside funds for the support of Greece's course in the information world. The "Information Society" action plan has an implemenation horizon up to 2006, with projected funds in excess of €2.8 billion. Assessment of synergy of the plan's initiatives is measured by constructing a matrix, according to the methodology in the Handbook No. 7 of the MEANS ("Analysing the Synergy and Cross - Impacts of Programmes: An Empirical Method"). Then, progress of each action is translated into a percentage of the projected 2006 outcome and compared to the authorised schedule. So far, most initiatives are within schedule and the results are more than satisfactory. Greece is projected to have reached the European average in all indeces related to IT by the end of the program in 2006.