Investor’s Ombudsman – Service Description

The Investor Ombudsman handles specific complaints by investors related to State services during the licensing procedure of their investment projects. This service is designed to facilitate the investment procedure in an equitable and impartial process so that investment may grow as a sustainable driver of economic growth and investors may proceed as efficiently as possible with their investment.

In Greece, the Investor Ombudsman is available for investment projects exceeding the value of two million (2,000,000) Euro. The Ombudsman mediates during the licensing procedure and where specific bureaucratic obstacles, delays, disputes or other difficulties arise (related to State services and State actors vis a vis the investor) that lead to intractable differences, a deadlock, a standstill or similar difficulties regarding the investment project.

The Investor Ombudsman provides its services upon request regarding an already existing problem. The service is offered complimentary. 

Investor Ombudsman – Entrepreneurship Mediator

Which services does the Investor Ombudsman offer?

The Ombudsman offers, directly to investors, these services:

• Receives and examines investors’ special requests regarding specific cases of delays or other difficulties preventing the implementation of investment projects.
• Collects supportive documents needed to examine each case.
• Identifies the competent public authorities and the stage of each case.
• Requests and receives comprehensive information on each specific project/case and estimates the factors causing delays.
• Cooperates with the competent authorities to accelerate the resolution of specific cases and monitors the resolution process.

How may an investor address the Investor Ombudsman?

Given that an investor’s project exceeds the value of two million (2,000,000) Euro, and encounters specific obstacles, such as delays, disputes or other difficulties related to State services during the licensing procedure, the investor may submit his/her request for a meeting with the Enterprise Greece Investor Ombudsman either online or by telephone: +30 210 33 55 700.

Arrange your meeting with the Investor Ombudsman now

To arrange your meeting with the Investor Ombudsman: 

•  Online: please click on the right side of this page and submit the 1) date and time that you request a meeting, and 2) complete the contact form. Following the submission of your request, you will receive an e-mail and a personal telephone contact regarding the scheduled date and hour of your meeting with the Investor Ombudsman at the premises of Enterprise Greece
• Telephone / e-mail: please contact the Enterprise Greece Investor Ombudsman: Τ: +30 210 33 55 700, Ε: ombudsman@eg.gov.gr. 

FAQs

Please read Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the Investor Ombudsman, including what kinds of cases fall within its scope. 

{slider What types of investment projects are within the scope of the services provided by the Enterprise Greece Investor Ombudsman? }

Private investment projects, of 2,000,000 Euro or more, facing delays, disputes or other difficulties arising during any stage of the licensing procedure, are within the scope of services provided by the Investor Ombudsman.

{slider What administrative body is entrusted by the Greek Government with the role of the Investor Ombudsman in Greece?}

In April 2013, the Greek Parliament passed a new Law, “Creation of a Development Friendly Environment for Strategic and Private Investments”. This Law established the Investor Ombudsman, an impartial mediator, who provides services upon investors’ request and without a management fee, through Enterprise Greece.

{slider What is the main objective of the Ombudsman for investments in Greece?}

The Investor Ombudsman acts as a statutory mediator to the investor for the resolution of specific disputes or other difficulties arising at any stage of the licensing procedure, and for overcoming special cases of delays in the implementation of investment projects. The Ombudsman makes, concurrently, a concrete contribution to the improvement of the legal framework for investments in Greece by identifying and highlighting major issues that investors encounter during the licensing procedure of specific types of investment projects, and submitting to the political leadership documented proposals for improvements.

{slider What other administrative structures cooperate with the Ombudsman?}

The Ombudsman’s office receives and examines specific, documented requests, related to cases of delays, disputes or other difficulties with public licensing authorities. For each case, the Ombudsman identifies the competent public authorities related to the complaint and the project’s stage at such public authorities. The Ombudsman thereafter establishes and maintains constant and systematic cooperation with the licensing authorities to overcome specific issues delaying or preventing the implementation of the investment projects.

{slider What documentation are investors requested to submit in order to request the services of the Investor Ombudsman?}

During the investor’s first meeting with the Ombudsman, an assigned Account Manager requests and receives a comprehensive account of the main troublesome issues encountered during the licensing procedure and identifies those documents that are crucial for explaining the key causes of delay and the main factors that negatively affect the implementation of specific investment projects. The Ombudsman thereafter examines the particular features of each individual case and cooperates with the competent authorities to accelerate the resolution of complex issues.

{slider What sort of cases can the Investor Ombudsman not undertake?}

a. Cases that are currently pending before the court or those with a judgment already issued by a court are beyond the working scope of the Ombudsman. 

b. The Ombudsman does not deal with complaints concerning transparency issues against public authorities, but can provide information on an appropriate course of action. 

c. The Ombudsman does not intervene in any kind of disputes between private parties.

{slider What is the dual role of the Ombudsman for investments in Greece?}

a. The Ombudsman acts as a statutory mediator to the investor with the purpose of resolving complex issues arising during the licensing procedure at the competent licensing authorities.

b. The Ombudsman makes a concrete contribution to the improvement of the legal framework for investments in Greece by identifying key issues encountered by investors during the licensing procedure and submitting documented proposals to the political leadership for improvements.

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