Giuseppe Antoci, an MEP from The Left group, has asked the European Commission to assess the risks of organised crime infiltrating major EU agri-food hubs, specifically citing the Vittoria fruit and vegetable market in Sicily. In a written parliamentary question dated 13 July 2026, Antoci warns that investigative and judicial activities have revealed potential infiltration into the fruit and vegetable sector, transport, and logistics, and that commercial networks linked to the hub may be used for transnational illicit trafficking, including drug trafficking.
whether the Commission is aware of these risks and will assess their impact on the internal market; whether existing monitoring tools and conditionality instruments are sufficient to prevent EU funds—particularly from the Common Agricultural Policy and cohesion policy—from reaching businesses infiltrated by organised crime; and whether the Commission will consider new EU initiatives to strengthen cooperation among Member States, Europol, Eurojust, and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, as well as enhance checks on supply chain traceability and commercial logistics security.
Antoci’s question signals a push for tighter EU-level oversight and enforcement against criminal infiltration in strategic agri-food hubs, which could affect producers, distributors, and consumers across the internal market. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will indicate the direction of future policy on this issue.