Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure GR-2022-25/2933 – Updated – measures in Greece
Country | Greece , applies nationwide |
Time period | Temporary, 17 June 2022 – 14 July 2023 |
Context | War in Ukraine, Green Transition, European Semester |
Type | Other initiatives or policies |
Category |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Support for energy bills |
Author | Penny Georgiadou (INE GSEE) |
Measure added | 19 September 2022 (updated 26 April 2024) |
The Greek government, on 17 June 2022 (with the joint Ministerial Decision No 61929/864 - Government Gazette No. 3099), announced the start of the "Recycle-Switch Device" program; a programme that subsidizes the replacement of the old household electric appliances.
The program aims to promote the energy saving in the residential building sector (households) and reduce the energy costs for the average household. At the same time, the program is expected to contribute to the reduction of gas emissions and to achieve the target for a cleaner environment, to improve the balance in energy imports and to reduce the dependence from energy sources, as well as to increase the quality of the life of the citizens.
The program includes the replacement of the old energy-intensive electrical appliances with new friendly environmental and energy-efficient appliances and the recycling of the old appliances.
According to the program "recycle-switch device", as it set with the Decision No. 61929/864 (Government Gazette 3099 on 17 June 2022), beneficiaries are all the households. For the final selection of beneficiaries, social criteria are estimated with a special care for vulnerable households, families with a member with disabilities and large numbered families. Each household is entitled to replace up to three electrical appliances (two air conditioners and a refrigerator or fridge-freezer).
The grant/subsidy is provided through a voucher given by the Program to the beneficiary, which can be used when purchasing a new device in retail stores selling electrical appliances. The subsidy covers from 30% to 50% of the total cost (based on income criteria) and ranges from €135 to €710.
For each purchase of a new device, there is an obligation to deliver for recycling an old device that the consumer alters.
Applications were submitted from 21 June 2022 to 11 July 2022. The purchase of the new appliances initially had a deadline of 16 September 16 (which was extended until 1 November 2022). The measure is funded by the European Partnership Agreement (PA) 2014-2020 and the total cost is estimated at €148 million.
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
08 May 2023 |
On 8 May 2023, the Ministry of Environment, with the fourth amendment (Decision No 47132/721) to the initial Ministerial Decision on 17 June 2022, extended the deadline for the completion of the programme until 14 July 2023. In addition, the total budget for the subsidy of the programme was set at €286 million |
According to Statements by the Minister of Energy in August 2022, 879,026 applications were submitted, of which 151,450 were approved.
After the given extensions and the completion of the "Recycle – Change Appliance" programme, according to an announcement on 14 July 2023, the total beneficiaries of the programme amount to 653,772, covering approximately 74% of households that have applied for inclusion in the programme
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Does not apply to workers | Does not apply to businesses |
Single parents
Disabled People on social benefits People on low incomes |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
|
European Funds
National Recovery and Resilience Facility |
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | No involvement | No involvement |
Form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
There is no involvement of social partners.
There are no social partner reactions to the measure.
Citation
Eurofound (2022), Subsidy to replace old electric appliances, measure GR-2022-25/2933 (measures in Greece), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/GR-2022-25_2933.html
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