Our View: Greece, Germany & Europe

Germany was the honored country at this year’s Thessaloniki International Fair, marking a reset in Greek-German commercial relations.

With 130 German companies and organizations taking part, and the presence of German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, the event underscores the improved relationship between the two countries since the European financial crisis. In fact, that relationship has been getting steadily stronger for several years now.

In the last decade, FDI from Germany has jumped almost fourfold, from €105 million in 2014 to €516 million in 2023, totaling approximately €4 billion and making Germany the fourth largest foreign investor in Greece. In the five-year period 2014-2018 German FDI inflows to Greece totaled about €1.5 billion, while in the five-year period 2019-2023 they rose to €2.5 billion, almost double.

There are mutual opportunities for both countries in sectors like energy, pharmaceuticals, logistics, technology and defense, just to name a few. But the importance of what our two countries offer one another is far broader: it’s about deeper commercial cooperation in Europe.

Europe faces challenges, and ever greater integration among European partners holds the key to our success. Greece and Germany are rising to the challenge.