HIMIOFoTS – A large scale integrated infrastructure for the management of the national water resources

Dec 22, 2020

HIMIOFoTS stands for the Hellenic Integrated Marine Inland water Observing, Forecasting and Offshore Technology System. AMBIO has undertaken the promotion of this infrastructure in order to facilitate national policies. Moreover, AMBIO’s goal is to inform companies that can benefit from its uses.

Vision

The HIMIOFoTs project aims to create an integrated infrastructure for the management of the Greek national water resources. It also aims to establish coordination and build synergies. The cooperation is necessary between the institutes and laboratories of the marine environment and inland waters in Greece. The scientific community and the society expect integrated services from this infrastructure.

Objectives

The main objective of HIMIOFoTS is to provide open access to data from marine and inland waters monitoring networks as well as to related forecasting products that may lead to the development of added value products and services. Furthermore, the accessibility to the HIMIOFoTS infrastructure’s nodes is expected to provide the opportunity to the research and academic institutions for the design and implementation of related research activities.

Innovation

HIMIOFoTs is a large-scale national infrastructure. It aims to apply an interdisciplinary management approach through the implementation of state-of-the-art technologies and techniques. Also, it includes innovative solutions in order to support the sustainable development and the provision of relevant services to the society. HIMIOFoTS creates an attractive environment for the further development of the marine and inland water research and technology, and promotes the excellence and the innovation.

Recently, HCMR and AMBIO SA hosted an online meeting. The purpose of the meeting was the presentation of the products and services of the Marine component. The presentation was made to targeted users, to enable them record proposals for the improvement of existing products and services. Also, the goal was to jointly explore the possibility of developing new products and services.

Development Plan for the Greek Economy – Interim Report

Sep 25, 2020

The Pissaridis Committee presented the roadmap for the development plan of the Greek economy, during a teleconference. The Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, chaired the teleconference.

The financial plan submitted by the Committee envisages, among other things, assistance to the unemployed for reintegration into the labor market. Also, it included tax incentives for investments in listed Greek companies and incentives for mergers and acquisitions of companies. Finally, it included the acceleration of justice procedures for cases of significant economic interest.

The Pissaridis Committee’s development plan for the Greek economy is expected to take its final form in autumn. Then, there will be greater clarity about the Recovery Fund. Greece will receive some money in order to deal with the consequences of the health crisis.

As Mr. Mitsotakis stressed, the main goal, among other things, is to increase productivity and labor.

Source: https://int.ert.gr/

AMBIO is an expert in strategy & policy making. This is why we have studied thouroughly about the Pissaridis Committee development plan.

AMBIO focuses on supporting private and public-sector clients through the development and implementation of strategic plans and policy statements. Within this framework, strategy & policy making services include the following:

• National and regional spatial planning
• Development of organisational policy framework
• Development of investment strategies

 

EU Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative

May 27, 2020

The European Commission has set up the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) to help Member States fund their coronavirus crisis response.

Thus, the EU Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative concentrates on the immediate mobilisation of structural funds, to allow for a prompt response to the crisis.

In this regard, a number of very important changes extended the scope of support of the Funds. Also, they provided immediate liquidity and gave flexibility in programme amendments.

So, the first EU Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative package consists of three main elements:

1) €37 billion of European public investment

The Commission proposes not to request Member-States to reimburse unspent pre-financing for the European Structural & Investment Funds for 2019. Because it is important to quickly direct €37 billion of European Public Investment to address the impacts of Corona crisis. They will now be allowed to hold onto this money, which will provide them with a liquidity buffer of about €8 billion. Thus, this will accelerate investments related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

EU Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative

2) Maximum flexibility in applying EU spending rules

The Commission proposes to make Coronavirus related expenditure eligible under structural funds. Its goal is to make sure Member States can fully count on EU budget support to address the crisis. Thus, this will allow healthcare costs to be eligible for reimbursement.

3) Access to the EU Solidarity Fund

As part of this initiative, the Commission is proposing to include public health crises in the emergencies that the EU Solidarity Fund finances. It currently helps Member States go through a range of different natural disasters. These disasters include floods, forest fires, earthquakes, storms and drought.

EU Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative

Source: https://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/

DG MARE: COVID emergency support to the fishing and aquaculture sectors

Mar 25, 2020

The Coronavirus is a severe public health emergency with huge consequences for the EU’s citizens, societies and economies. The fishing and aquaculture sectors have been particularly hard hit by market disruption.

This information note provides Member States with information on possibilities, which are immediately available and which can be used without delay, either under EMFF current rules (chapter 1) or under the new state aid framework adopted by the Commission on 19 March 2020 (chapter 2). It also informs on measures, which will become available once the Coronavirus emergency response package proposed by the European Commission on 13 March 2020 as an immediate European response to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the outbreak has been adopted by the co-legislators and enters into force (chapter 3).

In addition to these measures, the European Commission is currently in contact with the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors as well as with Member State authorities and the European Parliament, to urgently look into further effective support tools.

To read full article, please, visit: https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/press/coronavirus-europeancommission-helps-member-states-support-local-fishing-and-aquaculture_en

Supporting material: Coronavirus DG MARE Fact Sheet, Coronavirus DG MARE Information Note

Source: https://ec.europa.eu/

Financing the green transition: European Union takes action

Jan 17, 2020

The European Union is committed to becoming the first climate-neutral bloc in the world by 2050. This requires significant investment from both the EU and the national public sector, as well as the private sector in order to finance the green transition.

AMBIO is providing services to identify funding sources. Our goal is to assist clients in securing their competitive position and promote future development. For this reason, AMBIO provides access to project and business financing schemes and grants. These programs are available through National, European and International investment initiatives.

EU takes action

The European Green Deal’s Investment Plan – the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan – presented today will mobilise public investment. Thus, it will help unlock private funds through EU financial instruments, notably InvestEU. This would lead to at least €1 trillion of investments.

While all Member States, regions and sectors will need to contribute to the transition, the scale of the challenge is not the same. Some regions will be particularly affected and will undergo a profound economic and social transformation. The Just Transition Mechanism will provide tailored financial and practical support to help workers and generate the necessary investments in those areas.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “People are at the core of the European Green Deal, our vision to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. The transformation ahead of us is unprecedented. And it will only work if it is just – and if it works for all. We will support our people and our regions that need to make bigger efforts in this transformation. To make sure that we leave no one behind. The Green Deal comes with important investment needs, which we will turn into investment opportunities. The plan to mobilise at least €1 trillion, will show the direction and unleash a green investment wave.”

Financing the green transition through two channels: 

The European Green Deal Investment Plan

The European Green Deal Investment Plan will mobilise EU funding. It will create an enabling framework to facilitate and stimulate the public and private investments needed for the transition to a climate-neutral, green, competitive and inclusive economy. Complementing other initiatives announced under the Green Deal, the Plan is based on three dimensions:

• Financing: mobilising at least €1 trillion of sustainable investments over the next decade. A greater share of spending on climate and environmental action from the EU budget than ever before will crowd in private funding, with a key role to be played by the European Investment Bank.
• Enabling: providing incentives to unlock and redirect public and private investment. The EU will provide tools for investors by putting sustainable finance at the heart of the financial system. In addition, EU will facilitate sustainable investment by public authorities by encouraging green budgeting and procurement. Finally, EU will design ways to facilitate procedures to approve State Aid for just transition regions.
• Practical support: the Commission will provide support to public authorities and project promoters in planning, designing and executing sustainable projects.

The Just Transition Mechanism

The Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) is a key tool to ensure that the transition towards a climate-neutral economy happens in a fair way, leaving no one behind. All regions will require funding and the European Green Deal Investment Plan caters for that. The Mechanism provides targeted support to help mobilise at least €100 billion over the period 2021-2027 in the most affected regions, to alleviate the socio-economic impact of the transition. The Mechanism will create the necessary investment to help workers and communities which rely on the fossil fuel value chain. It will come in addition to the substantial contribution of the EU’s budget through all instruments directly relevant to the transition.

The Just Transition Mechanism is about more than funding: relying on a Just Transition Platform, the Commission will be providing technical assistance to Member States and investors. It will make sure the affected communities, local authorities, social partners and non-governmental organisations are involved. The Just Transition Mechanism will include a strong governance framework centred on territorial just transition plans.

Source: https://ec.europa.eu/
To read full article, please, visit: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_17

AMBIO organises International Conference for the Meat sector (UECBV)

More than 220 delegates from Greece and all-around Europe

Nov 19, 2019

Successful International Conference, organised in Athens by AMBIO, functions as a catalyst of developments for the European Meat Sector

The Annual General Assembly of the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) and the Conference of the Young European Meat Committee (YEMCo) that took place in Athens, between 7-9 November, has been named a success!

The conference was hosted by the Greek Interprofessional Meat Organization (EDOK) and was organized by AMBIO.

Our company provides a full range of consulting and advisory services in the field of meat industry, for both public and private sector entities.

AMBIO undertook the full implementation, beginning to end, of the conference. This included a full range of services from design and administration of website and e-registrations to management of international delegates. Also, it included event pre-production, event management and media coverage. So, AMBIO organised the international conference for the meat sector (UECBV).

Our CEO said:

“Our wide and deep experience and collaboration with primary sectors offers AMBIO the advantage to be one of the most expertise companies for the implementation of specialized business events such as the Annual General Assembly of the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) and the Conference of the Young European Meat Committee (YEMCo), hosted by EDOK”, says CEO, Mr. Filippos Petridis.

As a result of the thick and intense implementation, which took more than six-months, more than 220 high – profile delegates, including speakers, took part through speeches, panels and lively discussions setting the foundations for policy actions and crucial interventions on critical issues of the Greek and the European meat sector.

The extraordinary mix of participants was consisted by members of European Organizations and corporations, Greek institutions and meat companies. As well as delegates from global scale, such as Japanese and New Zealand organisations and investing funds from Middle East.

Government officials and business representatives

The importance of the international conference for the meat sector (UECBV) was also demonstrated by the high participation of government officials. To name a few, the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. Makis Voridis, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food, Ms. Fotini Arambatzis and the General Secretary of Trade and Consumer Protection, Mr. Panagiotis Stampoulidis, greeted the exclusive audience. Also, the General Secretariat of Agricultural Policy and European Funds Management, Mr. Konstantinos Baginetas as well as the Minister’s Consultant, Mr. Theodosis Athanasas took part.

One of the main factors that attracted the attention was, among other things, the rich agenda that included international speakers and local experts from the private and the public sector. Some of the exclusive names that shared their know-how were the Director of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Development of the European Commission, Mr. Tasos Haniotis, the Director of Copa-Cogeca, Mr. Daniel Azevedo, the Head of Economics Department of the French Livestock Institute (IDELE), Mr. Philippe Chotteau and business executives such as Mr. Andreas Demetriou, President of Ioannina Agricultural Poultry Cooperative and Mr. Nikos Mavrikos, President of the Hellenic Association of Ship Suppliers and Exporters.

Despite a wide range of opinions and viewpoints, all delegates seemed to have agreed unanimously to a common conclusion. To collaborate and work together, as a whole, to face upcoming challenges of business and environmental requirements such as the upcoming European Green Deal.

The new face of Athens Central Market

A daring intervention that could change the character of the city centre and the face of the city.

Mar 8, 2019

The Athens Central Market, or Varvakios, as it is better known, is one of the most important landmarks of Greece’s capital city. It operates since 1886 and has survived all of the challenges of contemporary Greek history. The unique covered structure houses a retail food market.

How does it look to visitors today? The western section of the Varvakios building, home to meat and fish vendors, suffers from multiple technical problems. Equally, the elevated Varvakios Square, which houses the vegetable market, and the underground car-park, are dens of lawlessness and disorder. Merchants and consumers alike have expressed their intense dissatisfaction at the supply problems. The lack of cleanliness, the delinquency, the lack of access for all age groups, and so forth. All of which are problems that degrade the area even further, and prevent the full exploitation of the Market as a “social melting-pot”.

A study by AMBIO S.A. for the Varvakios Market

In recognition of the problematic situation at the Varvakios market, and its potential, AMBIO S.A. Development Consultants conducted a study. The study was for the Central Market and Fishery Organisations.  The improvement strategies can be classified under the following headings: Security, Access, Promotion, Identity.

The goal is to achieve the restoration of security and the facilitation of access in order to bring back circulation to the square. Also, to combat the desertion of the area after the closure, and modernise the facilities to make them accessible. Promotion of the market and projection of its identity, requires uncoupling from its purely commercial nature, and offsetting its identity as a Greek gastronomy hub, by introducing leisure activities. Restoration of the Varvakios Market building and redesigning the market square will contribute to promotion of the city’s cultural capital. Thus, the city of Athens could take advantage of the Market as a tourism product.

The spatial interpretation

The spatial interpretation of the above objectives requires specific steps. The entire Varvakios Market building requires renovation with due respect for its character and historic nature. It is critical to ensure that we will lower the market square to the level of Athinas Street, thus restoring visual contact from the street. Imagine the creation of a visual corridor from the Central Market atrium to Sokratous Street via the square. It would help the market and the market square become a single operational unit. To increase foot traffic and upgrade operation of the square, we should consolidate and rearrange the vegetable market stalls. They are also provided with underground storage space, from which to receive supplies and dispose of waste.

Leisure and educational activities in the Market, extends opening hours

The Varvakios atrium is decongested by rearranging the stalls and creating a “pocket” configuration that separates standing and moving customers. The introduction of leisure and educational activities in the Market, extends opening hours and creates incentives for visiting the Varvakios. The operational consolidation of the Varvakios Market with Theatrou Square is suggested as a way of linking the Market to the rest of the urban area.

The importance of the intervention

Through the above proposals, all of the fragmented, unused areas transform into a cohesive hub of retail food trade. Including modern equipment, supply and waste disposal facilities, as well as leisure, education and green uses. The intervention is sure to bring increased commercial demand for space, and the Varvakios Market will become a vehicle for upgrading retail food trade in the centre of Athens.

The most important benefit is that the new face of the Market can create the necessary leverage to promote the upgrading of the entire city of Athens. It can act as a catalyst for linking other commercial pockets in the city. The proposed intervention will organise transport, supply, branding and communication policy, creating unity among the markets of Athens, and establishing this network as a commercial, cultural and tourism product.

The daily newspaper KATHIMERINI has published an article on the above subject.

You can contact us for more information about this project.

AMBIO will co-organise the Greek Aquaculture Congress 2018

Greek Aquaculture as a Basic Pillar of Development of the National Economy

May 8, 2018

AMBIO will co-organise the Greek Aquaculture Congress in 2018. The theme of the conference: Greek Aquaculture as a Basic Pillar of Development of the National Economy

The Aquaculture Sector is currently the most dynamically growing animal food production industry. The average annual growth rate since 1970 is 8.8%, when for collective fisheries the corresponding average growth rate is only 1.2%, while for livestock and poultry farming it is 2.8%.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank forecasts, by 2030 more than 65% of fisheries products will come from aquaculture. The World Bank notes that, the annual per capita consumption of fish was around 19 kg, thanks to aquaculture products. However, that annual per capita consumption varies according to the economic growth of each region from 7 kg in developing countries to 28 kg in the most developed ones.

Employment and aquaculture

Regarding employment, aquaculture is a productive activity with significant socio-economic implications, supporting the economic and social cohesion of entire regions, particularly in Asia. According to FAO, aquaculture employs directly 19 million people worldwide. It is worth noting that 95% of jobs in aquaculture are in Asia and the remaining 5% in Latin America & the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, North America and Oceania.

Global raise in the production

The increase in production is the general trend prevailing in all continents with the sole exception of Oceania. However, the unequal distribution of activity remains, as 92% of world production (97.56 million tonnes) is produced in the Asian countries, with China, Indonesia and India at the top of the world ranking.

The European Union produces 2.8% of the world production (2.98 million tons) with an almost stable output since 2000 and a spectacular increase in imports from third countries of competitive low-cost products. Indicatively Europe imports 68% of seafood consumption and only 10% comes from aquaculture.

In Greece, according to the latest available data, 63% of seafood harvested comes from aquaculture and the remaining 37% comes from wild catches.

Aquaculture: export oriented industry

The Aquaculture industry in Greece is export oriented as approximately 78 % of the production is sold overseas, while the remaining 22% is sold in the domestic market. According to the National Statistics Agency (ELSTAT), Greece has exported to 32 countries globally the Greek sea bream and sea bass, in 2016. By far the largest market for Greek products is the EU as Greece exports more than 90% of fish products there and a small percentage to North America and other countries.

Concerning the international environment, third-country competition is still growing, particularly from Turkey, which is constantly increasing its production. As a result, in 2016 Greek producers witness the biggest difference in the selling price between Greek and Turkish products, especially in sea bream.

The basis for dialogue

It is important to have an organized and open -at the same time- institutionalized process of exchange views and experiences within and outside Greece. Dialogue and concrete conclusions to be drawn, making proposals and creating the momentum needed by the fast-growing sector in the public domain. Something that will effectively enhance the promotions’ demands and the overall position of the industry.

The Greek aquaculture congress will take place under the auspices of the HE the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos and the International Institution General Fisheries Commission for Mediterranean.

 

Sources:

Federations of Greek Maricultures, Annual Report – Aquaculture in Greece 2017
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 2016. The state of world fisheries and aquaculture
European Union (EU), 2016. Trade Fair of Aquaculture Products Produced in Greece.