Greece launches stricter framework for agricultural subsidy oversight
Greece is reshaping how agricultural subsidies are granted and monitored as AADE takes full command of the system and replaces an outdated model known for allowing weak controls. Oversight now stretches from the initial application phase to the final payment stage, introducing a structure modeled on tax style supervision with permanent monitoring and activation of complaint mechanisms.
AADE’s assumption of responsibilities previously held by OPEKEPE comes with new institutional measures designed to modernize operations. A newly established Internal Audit Department for Agricultural Inspections, Subsidies, and Payments will design multi year and annual audit plans, prepare timelines, and track their implementation across all stages. Internal auditing will now apply not only to beneficiaries but also to the processes and services that handle subsidy management.
The department will assess governance systems and internal control mechanisms, check compliance with accreditation criteria, and propose updates to regulations and audit manuals. Interim and final reports will be produced, while teams will verify whether recommendations are being carried out and initiate urgent audits when risks or irregularities appear. Auditors will also receive continuous training on legislation, good practices, and international standards.
A second structural change is the activation of a Department for Planning and Coordinating Off OSDE Inspections, dedicated to complaints management and on site field checks. Programs of physical inspections will be organized by subsidy sector, using both random selection and risk based sampling methods to identify cases requiring scrutiny. Findings will be evaluated centrally so that procedures can be refined and tightened each year.
Inspection data will be fully integrated into AADE’s information systems, and the new department will coordinate with national and EU level auditing bodies. Responses to EU reports will be prepared, complaints will be handled centrally, and oversight of audits by external authorities will be maintained.
This revamped structure begins rolling out as OPEKEPE’s responsibilities are absorbed into AADE, marking the start of continuous recurring checks across beneficiaries, procedures, and services, supported by systematic fieldwork and permanent internal audit functions.
