Answer given by Executive Vice-President Vestager on behalf of the European Commission

11.1.2021

By decision of 2 July 2008[1], the Commission found that Greece granted state aid to Hellenic Shipyards, which was incompatible with the internal market. Now Greece has to recover this aid. The Commission has not issued any decision or directive on conditions for the termination of employment contracts.

Generally, the Commission has been supporting a job-rich recovery in Greece by promoting reforms to enhance competitiveness, to improve business environment, to modernise public administration and to build resilient labour market frameworks, while strengthening social safety nets.

From 2014 to 2020, around EUR 2 billion has been channelled for employment policies in Greece through the European Social Fund (ESF) the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) including the areas of adaptation of workers to change and active inclusion with a view to promoting employability.

• [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2009/610/oj