Greece's agricultural Paying Agency has regained its accreditation after the European Commission concluded that reforms carried out between September 2024 and March 2026 met the requirements set out in an Action Plan.
Greece has secured confirmation from the European Commission that the accreditation of its Paying Agency has been reinstated, marking the restoration of the country’s agricultural payments body after reforms implemented under an Action Plan covering September 2024 to March 2026. The agency now operates as the General Directorate of Audits, Aid and Payments (GDAAP) within the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).
The confirmation was included in an observation letter issued by the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) following an on-site audit conducted between 2 and 5 June 2026, which assessed the implementation of the Action Plan.
The Commission gave a positive assessment of several measures, including the increase in GDAAP’s established staffing positions to 775, plans to recruit 230 new employees with the intention of making those positions permanent, the completion of the selection and appointment of the Director General of GDAAP, the implementation of a conflict of interest management framework, and the development of an anti-fraud strategy together with the operation of a Risk Management Team.
The Commission also examined the integration of the former OPEKEPE into AADE and did not make any observations or recommendations regarding those integration measures.
While confirming the reinstatement of the accreditation, the Commission called for continued efforts to ensure the timely provision of information to the Certification Body, complete staffing, improve supervision of authorised bodies, and fully integrate the new risk management framework into the Management and Control System.
Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis said “The European Commission’s decision marks the restoration of the credibility of Greece’s agricultural payments system. We are building a system based on accountability, strong controls and modern procedures that protects Greek taxpayers, European resources and, above all, honest producers. Today’s development is an important vindication of our efforts, but it is not the end of the journey. We will continue with the same determination to ensure that every euro of support is paid promptly, fairly and with complete transparency to the rightful beneficiaries. Strong institutions mean credibility for the country and justice for its citizens.”
This announcement was made on 2 August 2026.
