European Commission suspends Agrofert EU subsidy payments

The European Commission has suspended tens of millions in EU subsidy payments to the Agrofert holding group. The decision stems from an ongoing conflict of interest regarding former Prime Minister Petr Babiš.

According to a letter from EU Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin, the Commission deems the RSVP Trust—a trust fund established to manage Babiš’s assets—insufficient to resolve the conflict. The Commission noted that because the potential beneficiaries of the fund are Babiš’s descendants and he remains familiar with the fund's portfolio, the measures do not adequately eliminate his personal interest.

Agrofert has stated it was not involved in these discussions and maintains that it has complied with both Czech and European Union regulations. The suspension specifically affects payments under the Common Agricultural Policy.