EU Commission Restores Accreditation to Greek Payments Agency

The European Commission has reinstated full accreditation to the Greek Payments Organization, now operating as the General Directorate of Controls, Subsidies and Payments (GDELEP) of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. The decision follows an on‑site inspection carried out from 2‑5 June 2026, which gave a positive assessment of the action plan implemented between September 2024 and March 2026.

Key points highlighted include the increase of staff to 775 positions with plans to hire an additional 230 employees, the appointment of a new director, the introduction of a conflict‑of‑interest management framework, an anti‑fraud strategy and the establishment of a risk‑management team. The Commission did not raise concerns about the integration of the former OPEKEPE into AADE but called for continued reforms, especially in staffing, oversight of authorized bodies, timely data provision to the Certification Authority and full implementation of the new risk‑management system. Greek Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis and Rural Development Minister Margaritis Schoinas welcomed the move as restoring transparency, accountability and trust in the agricultural payments system, while AADE head George Pitsilis noted the return to normality after the 18‑month suspension.