The cooperation of AGEA (Agenzia per le Erogazioni in Agricoltura) was announced, which is the official paying agency of Italy, with the Directorate-General for Controls, Aids and Payments (GDELEP former OPEKEPE) of ADE, for the payment of agricultural aid in our country.
«All will be paid in a short time and those entitled to it will be paid»During his visit to Athens, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, stressed the payments made by Greek farmers.
It should be noted that according to statements by former OPECEP commanders, Italy, using land control and monitoring techniques, it has reached the point of paying the basic aid to the producer on the day it submits the IACS declaration.
The relevant communication issued by the HPAT states:
A message of European trust in Greece's changes in the primary sector and in particular in the agricultural payment system was sent by the joint press conference of the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Margaritis Schiena with the Italian Minister for Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, who was in Athens accompanied by the administration of AGEA, one of Europe's most recognized paying agencies.
Margaritis Schinas stressed that restructuring the payment system is one of the most important reforms undertaken in the primary sector, explaining to the Italian Minister the progress already made. «For the first time this year we pay with the new system», stated features, stressing that the adaptation of ADE to the requirements of agricultural aid is a complex but absolutely necessary process.
The minister also sent a clear message to the rural world, confirming that «No Greek farmer will lose what he deserves», and noted that «the only ones who have reason to worry are those who are not entitled to payments». As he stressed, the transition to the new model aims to make payments «with efficiency, speed and transparency», fully restoring the reliability of the system.
At the same time, a strong message of confidence in the changes implemented by the Greek Government in the agricultural payment system and in particular in the transition of OPEKEPE to the new operating model was sent from Athens by the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida
The Italian Minister revealed that close cooperation is already under way between the two paying agencies, saying that this cooperation includes an exchange of know-how, information and good practice, with the aim of accelerating the transition to the new system.
With particular emphasis, Mr Lollobrigida expressed the belief that the reform would deliver results, stating that the process initiated by the Greek Government «to achieve the objectives set for all to be paid in a short time and to pay those entitled to be paid».
He also stressed that Italy is on the side of Greece in this transitional period, noting that «Greece, Italy and our Ministry are available to Greece», while adding that «We are really at the side of the Greek government in order for Greece to overcome this difficult and demanding period of transition to the new payment system».
The two ministers also agreed on the need to maintain strong funding for the Common Agricultural Policy after 2028, expressing concern about potential cutbacks in resources, while discussing the prospects of creating greater goodwill in the primary sector through investment, innovation and better organisation of production.
Common front for Greece and Italy for the future of the CFP, agricultural payments and surplus production
Earlier, during the meeting of the two Greek and Italian delegations, under the Minister for Rural Development and Food, Margaritis Schina and his Italian counterpart, Francesco Lollobrigida, confirmed the common will of the two countries to strengthen their cooperation on crucial issues relating to the future of the European primary sector.
At the heart of the debate was the country's transition to the new agricultural aid management system through AADE, the prospects for the new Common Agricultural Policy, the protection and promotion of the quality of European agri-food products, as well as issues of fisheries cooperation between the two countries.
Particular emphasis was placed on the reform of the agricultural payment system, with the Greek side presenting the steps being taken to switch to the new model of aid management through AADE. The Minister for Rural Development and Food Margaritis Schinas highlighted the complexity of the reform, pointing out that it is a process that is evolving «In motion», as the country must at the same time ensure that the aid is properly paid to producers and build a new, more reliable and effective payment system.
Italy's experience in the field of agricultural payments was a key point in the debate. Italian Minister for Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida stressed the importance of technical preparation and institutional continuity during such transitions, noting that Italy has gone through corresponding modernisation procedures. As he said, the Greek effort is a particularly demanding project, which can create the conditions for greater transparency, technological upgrading and stability in farmers' payments. In the same context, the Italian delegation expressed its intention to actively support the Greek side during the transitional period, while particular attention was given to the cooperation of the competent paying agencies of the two countries.
Οι δύο αντιπροσωπείες αντάλλαξαν επίσης απόψεις για τις εξελίξεις γύρω από τη νέα Κοινή Αγροτική Πολιτική (ΚΑΠ), υπογραμμίζοντας την ανάγκη διατήρησης ισχυρής χρηματοδότησης για τον πρωτογενή τομέα σε μια περίοδο αυξημένων γεωπολιτικών, περιβαλλοντικών και οικονομικών προκλήσεων. Ιδιαίτερη έμφαση δόθηκε στην ανάγκη η επόμενη ΚΑΠ να προσφέρει μεγαλύτερη ευελιξία στα κράτη-μέλη, να μειώσει το διοικητικό βάρος για τους παραγωγούς και να ενισχύσει πολιτικές που προάγουν την ανταγωνιστικότητα, τις επενδύσεις, την καινοτομία και την παραγωγή προστιθέμενης αξίας.
Τόσο η ελληνική όσο και η ιταλική πλευρά συμφώνησαν ότι η ευρωπαϊκή γεωργία καλείται να ανταποκριθεί σε νέες απαιτήσεις χωρίς να αποδυναμωθεί η παραγωγική της βάση. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, συζητήθηκε η ανάγκη η νέα ΚΑΠ να δίνει μεγαλύτερο βάρος στα κίνητρα και λιγότερο στις γραφειοκρατικές διαδικασίες, να στηρίζει ουσιαστικά τους νέους αγρότες και να δημιουργεί τις προϋποθέσεις για έναν πιο ανθεκτικό και εξωστρεφή αγροδιατροφικό τομέα. Παράλληλα, αναδείχθηκε η σημασία της στενής συνεργασίας των μεσογειακών χωρών ενόψει των κρίσιμων ευρωπαϊκών διαπραγματεύσεων για το Πολυετές Δημοσιονομικό Πλαίσιο και το μέλλον της αγροτικής πολιτικής της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης.
Στο τραπέζι βρέθηκαν ακόμη ζητήματα που αφορούν την προστασία των ποιοτικών αγροδιατροφικών προϊόντων της Μεσογείου, με έμφαση στους ελέγχους, την αυθεντικότητα των προϊόντων και την προάσπιση εμβληματικών παραγωγών όπως το ελαιόλαδο, τα γαλακτοκομικά προϊόντα, τα φρούτα και τα λαχανικά.
Στη συνάντηση συμμετείχαν από ελληνικής πλευράς ο Υφυπουργός Αγροτικής Ανάπτυξης και Τροφίμων, Γιάννης Ανδριανός, ο Γενικός Γραμματέας Αγροτικής Ανάπτυξης, Σπύρος Πρωτοψάλτης και ο Πρόεδρος της Διακομματικής Επιτροπής της Βουλής για τον Πρωτογενή Τομέα, Γιάννης Οικονόμου. Την ιταλική αντιπροσωπεία πλαισίωσαν, μεταξύ άλλων, ο Πρέσβης της Ιταλίας στην Ελλάδα, Paolo Cuculi, ο διπλωματικός σύμβουλος, Cesare Morbelli, ο Εμπορικός Ακόλουθος, Mario Savona, καθώς και εκπρόσωποι ιταλικών επιχειρήσεων με παρουσία στην Ελλάδα.
