EU Free Trade Agreements with Asian Countries
New Horizons for Greek Exports!
EU Free Trade Agreements with Asian Countries
Athens, 21 October 2025 – The second online session of the FTAs Webinar Series took place successfully on Friday, 17 October 2025, under the title:
“EU–Asian Free Trade Agreements: New Horizons for Your Exports.”
Enterprise Greece, in collaboration with Enterprise Europe Network Hellas and the General Secretariat for International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized a focused informational webinar dedicated to the opportunities offered by the European Union’s trade agreements with the rapidly growing markets of Southeast Asia.
The European Union has already signed and implemented several Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Asian countries, while others are currently under negotiation or near completion. The event aimed to encourage Greek small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to make greater use of these agreements, providing practical tools for accessing key markets such as Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and other leading players in global trade.
The event was addressed by:
• Mr. Dimitrios Skalkos, Secretary General for International Economic Relations Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of Enterprise Greece.
• H.E. Ambassador Ioannis Vrailas, Permanent Representative of Greece to the EU (via recorded message).
• Ms. Anastasia Sarchosoglou, Coordinator of Enterprise Europe Network Hellas and Officer at the National Documentation Centre (EKT), who emphasized the importance of providing information and technical support to SMEs in their export efforts
Keynote speaker:
Mr. Peter Berz, Head of Unit R.2 at the Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security of the European Commission, presented the main benefits of the EU’s free trade agreements, highlighting specific examples of business opportunities for Greek products and services in Asian markets.
Further contributions were made by Mr. Mikolaj Olszewski, Expert at the Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security of the European Commission, and Ms. Elena Makrypidi, Second Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Permanent Representation of Greece to the EU and Deputy Representative at the Council’s Trade Policy Committee. Both speakers discussed recent developments regarding ongoing negotiations for new agreements with Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Mr. George Banos, Partnership Manager at the HELLENIC–ASEAN Business Council, shared practical examples of Greek companies that successfully leveraged EU trade agreements to enter Asian markets, underscoring the importance of local partnerships and a solid understanding of regulatory frameworks.
The event concluded with a lively and interactive Q&A session, moderated by Mr. Alkman Granitsas (Kyklos Associates), during which representatives of businesses, chambers of commerce, and export organizations from across Greece exchanged views and experiences, strengthening the dialogue on the prospects of EU trade agreements in Asia.
The webinar will soon be available on the Enterprise Greece YouTube channel and the National Documentation Centre (EKT) YouTube channel, which also provided the technical and communication support for the event.
EU Free Trade Agreements are opening new horizons for Greek enterprises, granting access to vast markets and enhancing their international presence. Enterprise Greece remains committed to actively supporting the extroversion of Greek SMEs through targeted information, networking tools, and export development initiatives.