Commissioner Christophe Hansen, in a written answer on 12 June 2026, sought to reassure Greek farmers that they will not bear the consequences of fraud at the Greek paying agency OPEKEPE, which has been under investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) for an organised fraud scheme in agricultural funds. The answer, responding to a question from ECR MEP Galato Alexandraki, emphasises that under EU rules, payment delays or irregularities lead to reductions in EU reimbursement to Member States, not to cuts in farmers' aid, and that recovery of unduly paid amounts must target the actual perpetrators.
The question, submitted on 22 April 2026, followed EPPO's 1 April announcement that it had requested the waiving of immunity of 11 sitting Greek MPs in connection with the probe, and the Commission's February 2026 report that OPEKEPE had been on probation since September 2024 due to serious deficiencies in its management and control system, with EUR 415 million in financial corrections already imposed. Hansen's answer provides the first update on OPEKEPE's accreditation status since the probation extension expired on 26 March 2026: on 12 March 2026, the Greek Competent Authority informed the Commission that it had reinstated OPEKEPE's accreditation after completing an action plan launched in September 2024. The Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) will assess the effective implementation of that plan in June 2026.
On the protection of genuine farmers, Hansen stressed that it is Member States' responsibility to ensure timely and full payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with area and animal-based payments falling between 1 December and 30 June of the following year. DG AGRI is closely monitoring payment execution and maintains regular contact with Greek authorities, including through CAP monitoring committee meetings. For recovery of improperly paid amounts, the Commission relies on shared management: Member States must recover from beneficiaries who committed irregularities, and the Commission verifies that effective debt management systems are in place, intervening only when system audits reveal issues.
The answer contains no new legislative proposals or numerical targets, instead reaffirming existing legal frameworks and the division of responsibilities between the Commission and Member States. The policy orientation is one of reassurance and procedural oversight, with the Commission positioning itself as a supervisor rather than direct intervenor. Institutional follow-up will focus on DG AGRI's June 2026 assessment of OPEKEPE's action plan, which will determine whether the agency's accreditation remains stable or faces further corrective measures.