Based on recent data from Eurostat, European Commissions for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moscovici estimated that prices in Greece were going down, which he argued is necessary in order to restore competitiveness and better distribute the burden of the economic adjustment.

As such, the European Commissioner urged Athens to carry on implementing reforms in order the further improve market conditions. Mr. Moscovici added that the Greek government has agreed to take steps towards facilitating competition and simplifying the authorization procedures for investments.

Mr. Moscovici’s statement in came in response to a question posed by SYRIZA MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis, who agued that the first tow bailout programs implemented in Greece were “complete failures” and demanded to know how the Commission intends to support the Greek government’s efforts to restore healthy competition without undermining SMEs.