In a written answer on 29 June 2026, Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen assured that Greek farmers will not bear the consequences of irregularities at the Greek paying agency OPEKEPE, for which the national authorities are responsible. The Commission has performed multiple audits of CAP spending in Greece and imposed financial corrections, with the national authorities required to recover irregularly spent funds from the beneficiaries who committed the irregularities, not from innocent farmers.
The answer responds to a question by Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR), who raised concerns that structural weaknesses in OPEKEPE's management of EU funds, delays in payments, and potential budgetary corrections could harm Greek farmers already facing declining real incomes. Fragkos asked whether the Commission considers it morally right for farmers to suffer due to administrative failures, what measures would protect them, and how the Commission would press for a swift investigation.
in September 2024, the Greek authorities placed OPEKEPE's accreditation on probation due to deficiencies and designed an action plan, which was fully implemented and accreditation reinstated on 12 March 2026. The Commission received the completion report and plans an accreditation audit mission to verify effective implementation. The Commission cannot comment on ongoing investigations by the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
The answer signals a policy orientation of protecting beneficiaries from systemic failures while enforcing accountability on national authorities. No new legislative proposals were announced, but the planned audit indicates continued Commission oversight. Institutional follow-up will focus on the audit mission's findings, which could lead to further corrective measures if deficiencies persist. The answer balances farmer protection with fiscal responsibility, impacting Greek farmers (positive, shielded from penalties), Greek authorities (negative, under scrutiny), EU taxpayers (positive, funds safeguarded), and OPEKEPE (negative, subject to audits).