The Greek parliament has adopted a new environmental bill, with the objective to promote investment and accelerate the country’s economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis. The new regulation aims at simplifying investment procedure in renewables, by reducing the average environmental permit issuance period from 8 years currently to 150 days, as the country aims at ending the use of coal by 2028. It also changes rules governing land use, environmental licensing, and the management of protected areas. Most notably, it authorises oil and gas exploration in protected areas and reduces the ability of local governments to block such activities, spurring a strong opposition from environmental groups.
In addition, the text authorises the government to sell another stake in the transport grid operator ADMIE, which owns and operate more than 12,000 km of HV transmission line. In 2017, the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) purchased a 24% stake in ADMIE from PPC, while a further 25% stake in ADMIE has been sold to DES ADMIE, a state-owned company set up for this purpose. The remaining 51% belongs to ADMIE holdings (51% PPC, 13% Silchester International Investors LLP).