1. 5 th Annual meeting Vienna, May 7 th – 8 th An update on Greece Konstantinos Limperis Palladian Communications Specialists

2. The professional activity of Public Affairs is not officially recognised or regulated There is no law, no supervising authority, no formal guidelines governing Public Affairs There is little public debate on the subject, in spite of widespread mistrust of the political system and a number of scandals involving public officials Regulation

3. There are very few Public Affairs consultants in Greece and they are not recognised as such Most communication agencies include Public Affairs in their portfolio of services, but it does not amount to a substantial part of their business Clients include mostly foreign firms operating in Greece and a few local companies Meanwhile, several lawyers, journalists, retired politicians, trade unionists and civil servants act unofficially as lobbyists. They do not abide by a specific code of conduct P.A. Practitioners

4. This is not a proper framework to conduct business The profession is open to anyone with a mobile phone, the proper connections and an agenda This situation: gives the profession a bad name Damages the trust of society to the political system and public institutions Consequences

5. The Hellenic Association of Communication Agencies (H.A.C.A.) has identified the problem and has been working to establish a Professional Code of Conduct This will address topics such as Conflict of interest Disclosure of clients’ identity and interests Accuracy of information Dishonest practices However, without political support any HACA initiative will not resolve the issue H.A.C.A

6. Our Association has repeatedly approached government officials and raised the issue We have outlined the problem to the last two speakers of Parliament. They have been sympathetic, but no concrete action has followed. The new government has created a new autonomous Ministry for Transparency with a mandate to fight corruption. We are seeking a meeting with the Minister, a retired judge. Unfortunately, as the economy remains the overwhelming priority, no action is foreseen H.A.C.A

7. Prospects for those involved in lobbying are good Greece is implementing a far reaching program of reforms Changes in the pension and health care systems Deregulation of vital markets Opening up of “closed professions” Reducing the powers of public sector trade unions Extensive privatisation program A huge legislative agenda, threatening established interests and offering opportunities for new players On the plus side