1.The key objectives of the Programme shall be: restoring fiscal sustainability, safeguarding financial stability, enhancing competitiveness and growth, and modernising the state and the public administration.
2.Greece shall pursue fiscal consolidation by means of high-quality permanent measures while minimising the impact on disadvantaged people. The Greek authorities commit to ensuring sustainable public finances and achieve sizeable and sustainable primary surpluses over the medium-term that will reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio steadily. The authorities shall accordingly pursue a new fiscal path premised on primary surplus targets of – 0,25, 0,5, 1,75, and 3,5 per cent of GDP in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and beyond, respectively. Greece shall target a medium-term primary surplus of 3,5 % of GDP to be achieved through a combination of upfront parametric fiscal reforms, including to its VAT and pension system, supported by an ambitious programme to strengthen tax compliance and public financial management, and fight tax evasion, while ensuring adequate protection of vulnerable groups. In addition to the measures above, the authorities commit to legislate in October 2015 credible structural measures yielding at least 0,75 % of GDP coming into effect in 2017 and 0,25 % of GDP coming into effect in 2018 to support the achievement of the medium-term primary balance target of 3,5 % of GDP. The authorities commit to take further structural measures in October 2016, if needed to secure the 2017 and 2018 targets. Those would include containing defence expenditure, the planned personal income tax reform and freezing statutory spending. Parametric fiscal measures shall be bolstered by a wide range of administrative actions to address shortfalls in tax collection and enforcement. The Greek Government shall monitor fiscal risks, including court rulings, and shall take offsetting measures as needed to meet the fiscal targets. The authorities intend to transfer at least 30 % of any over-performance to the segregated account earmarked for debt reduction. In addition, another 30 % of the over-performance would be used for clearing unpaid government obligations linked to the past.
3.Greece shall adopt the measures specified below:
(i)take measures in the short term to raise revenues and to target and contain expenditure. Among the measures to raise revenue, Greece shall gradually abolish the refund of excise tax on diesel oil for farmers and increase the tonnage tax. The authorities shall take actions to launch the 2015 property tax (ENFIA) exercise in order to issue bills in October 2015 with the final instalment due in February 2016. They shall also correct identified issues with the revenue measures recently implemented. The authorities also committed to target and contain expenditure by reducing the cost of healthcare and launching the comprehensive social welfare review. The package includes further measures with budgetary impact, such as public administration reforms, reforms addressing shortfalls in tax collection enforcement, and other parametric measures;
(ii)to demonstrate its commitment to credible fiscal policies, adopt in October 2015, a supplementary 2015 budget as needed, the draft 2016 budget and a 2016-2019 Medium-Term Fiscal Strategy, supported by a sizable and credible package of parametric measures and structural fiscal reforms;
(iii)enact reforms of both direct and indirect taxation to improve efficiency, collectability and boost labour supply. To break from past practice and improve the tax and social security payment culture, the Government shall take strong action to improve collection, and neither introduce new instalment or other amnesty or settlement schemes nor extend existing schemes;
(iv)continue reforms that aim at improving the budget process and expenditure controls, clearing arrears, and strengthening budget reporting and cash management. The Government is committed to making the Fiscal Council operational;
(v)take further action in the area of public procurement to increase efficiency and transparency of the Greek public procurement system, prevent misconduct, and ensure more accountability and control. Policies will be agreed with the European Commission, which shall assist with the implementation of an action plan;
(vi)implement fully the existing reforms and also proceed with further reforms to strengthen long-term sustainability, targeting savings of around 0,25 % of GDP in 2015 and around 1 % of GDP by 2016. The package inter alia aims to create strong disincentives for early retirement through increasing early retirement penalties and by the gradual elimination of the grandfathering of rights to retire before the statutory retirement age;
(vii)continue reforming the healthcare sector, controlling public expenditure, managing prices of pharmaceuticals, improve hospital management, increase centralised procurement of hospital supplies, manage demand for pharmaceuticals and health care through evidence-based e-prescription protocols, commission private sector healthcare providers in a cost-effective manner, modernise IT systems, developing a new electronic referral system for primary and secondary care that allows the formulation of care pathways for patients;
(viii)adopt by March 2016 a further series of guaranteed employment support schemes with individualised active labour market measures for participants, using local partnerships, involving the private and social economy sectors and ensuring the efficient and effective use of the resources available.Achieving a fairer society will require that Greece improve the design of its welfare system, so that there is a genuine social safety net which targets scarce resources at those in most need. The authorities plan to benefit from available technical assistance from international organisations for the social welfare review and for the guaranteed minimum income implementation.
4.To safeguard financial stability, Greece shall immediately take steps to tackle Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) and restore liquidity and capital in the banking system. A recapitalisation process of banks should be completed before the end of 2015, which shall be accompanied by concomitant measures to strengthen the governance of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund (‘HFSF’) and of banks. Further measures involve the resolution of Non-Performing Loans (‘NPLs’) and the governance of the HFSF and of banks.
5.To promote growth, competitiveness and investment, Greece shall design and implement a wide range of reforms in labour markets and product markets (including energy) that not only ensure full compliance with European Union requirements, but also aim at achieving European best practices. More open markets are essential to create economic opportunities and improve social fairness, by curtailing rent-seeking and monopolistic behaviour, which has translated into higher prices and lower living standards. In line with their growth strategy, the authorities shall intensify their efforts to bring key initiatives and reform proposals to fruition as well as enrich the agenda with further ambitious reforms that shall support the country's return to sustainable growth, attract investments and create jobs.
6.The Greek energy markets need wide-ranging reforms to bring them in line with Union legislation and policies, make them more modern and competitive, reduce monopolistic rents and inefficiencies, promote innovation, favour the wider adoption of renewables and gas, and ensure the transfer of benefits of all these changes to consumers. The authorities shall adopt the reform of the gas market and its specific roadmap, leading inter alia to full eligibility to switch supplier for all customers by 2018, and notify the reformed capacity payments system (including a temporary and a permanent mechanism) and New Organisation of Markets in Electricity products to the Commission. In any case, by 2020 no undertaking shall be permitted to produce or import, directly or indirectly, more than 50 % of total electricity produced and imported in Greece.
7.There shall be an ambitious privatisation programme and policies which support investment. The Government commits to facilitate the privatisation process and complete all needed Government actions to allow tenders to be executed successfully. In this respect the Government shall complete all actions needed as agreed on a quarterly basis between the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (‘HRADF’), the institutions and the Government. The List of Government Pending Actions has been approved by the Board of Directors of the HRADF. In line with the statement of the Euro Summit of 12 July 2015, a new independent fund (the ‘Fund’) shall be established and have in its possession valuable Greek assets. The overarching objective of the Fund is to manage valuable Greek assets; and to protect, create and ultimately maximise their value which it shall monetise through privatisations and other means.
8.A modern state and public administration shall be a key priority of the Programme. Particular attention shall be paid to increasing the efficiency of the public sector in the delivery of essential public goods and services. Measures shall be taken to enhance the efficiency of the judicial system and to upgrade the fight against corruption. Reforms shall strengthen the institutional and operational independence of key institutions such as the revenue administration and the statistics institute (Elstat).