Responsibilities and obligations will be given to those who make the IACS declaration for 2026 (regards the ICSCs, farmers, geotechnical and accountants and legal persons).
Of course, the responsibility of the CSOs will not invalidate the responsibility of the beneficiary of the aid (producer) for the accuracy and completeness of the information declared.
If incorrect evidence and false supporting documents are declared at the IACC, they will be at risk from five thousand (5,000) to twenty thousand (20,000) euros per infringement and temporary exclusion from the possibility of submitting E.R.E. to two (2) years of aid,
That is what the relevant amendment, tabled in the House's Standing Committee on Social Affairs, as part of a draft law by the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, which brings about changes to the article of Law 5264/2025 (the transfer of OPEKEPE to ADE).
The changes relate to Article 63a for persons, responsibility, penalties and other issues relating to the submission of a Single Application for Aid (AED). Articles 4, 5 and 6 of the amendment regulate specific issues relating to the submission, management and control of the Single Aid Application, after the transfer of all the OPEKEPE responsibilities to the Independent Public Revenue Authority.
Article 4 adds a new Article 63a to Law 5264/2025 and specifies first who may submit, modify and manage a Single Application for aid on behalf of the beneficiary.
These are the Centre for the Submission of Statements, persons engaged in the profession of agronomist, geotechnical or accountant, as well as legal persons or other legal entities active in the respective sectors. The award will only be made by written agreement with the beneficiary. The choice of the person and the remuneration agreement are a private relationship and belong exclusively to the producer himself. At the same time, the assignment of a person who has a direct or indirect economic, professional, family or other personal interest capable of affecting the non-discriminatory performance of his obligations is excluded.
The possibility of submitting applications on behalf of a third party shall be accompanied by clear obligations. Such persons must keep a documentation file for each application, protect the confidentiality of the data and the security of information systems, avoid any conflict of interest and exercise due diligence.
This means that they must check the completeness and correct registration of the data on the basis of the supporting documents delivered to them. If the system data reveal obvious incompatibility, they cannot proceed to finalisation. And, of course, they are not allowed to co-operate in any way and their fault in a false statement.
The responsibility of the professional does not absolve the beneficiary himself of responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of what he states. The framework clearly separates the two responsibilities: the producer is responsible for the information he provides and the applicant is responsible for the way he controls them, registers them and manages the process.
For these obligations to have real content, a clear and proportionate system of administrative penalties is established. For simple infringements, such as incorrect transfer of data to the IACC, breach of confidentiality or lack of compliance with the documentation file, a fine of EUR 5,000 to EUR 20,000 per infringement and temporary exclusion from the possibility of submitting applications for up to two years is provided.
For serious and liable infringements, such as the submission of false, inaccurate or fraudulent evidence, the concealment of critical supporting documents, the use of forged documents, the provision of misleading information to the ADE or the submission of requests under circumstances of conflict of interest, the fine shall range from EUR 20,000 to EUR 50,000 and may be imposed on a temporary or definitive exclusion. A fine for serious infringements shall not be imposed if the person responsible proves that he acted without fault.
Where the infringement is causally linked to an unlawful or undue payment of aid of more than EUR 5,000 per application, the person managing the application shall be liable jointly and in whole to the beneficiary for the reimbursement of the amount.
In the case of a legal person, responsibility shall also be extended to persons who exercised their authority at the time of the infringement. In the event of a recurrence within three years, the proposed fine limits shall be doubled and, where appropriate, temporary exclusion time. At the same time, the right to judicial action against acts of sanctions is expressly enshrined.
Article 4 also states that since the entry into force of the relevant decision of the ADE Commander, existing Quality of Services and Information Security Contracts between OPEKEPE and the Statements Reporting Centres (CSRs) have been automatically terminated. As stated in the relevant decision, the regulation is necessary so that the old contractual framework does not continue to operate alongside the new ADE regime.
Other professional specialties or entities with relevant scientific training or professional experience, as well as a certification procedure, are also allowed to join the framework. The law sets basic conditions, responsibilities and guarantees. The regulatory decision will specify the technical details so that the system can adapt to actual operational needs without creating new legislative gaps.
In particular, the amendment states:
1. Reporting centres (K.Y.D.), as well as natural persons engaged in the profession of agronomist, geotechnical and accountant, as well as legal persons or legal entities active in the respective sectors may, following a written agreement with the beneficiary of the aid, be authorised to submit, modify and generally manage one-off aid applications (hereinafter: «E.A.E.»), under the Integrated Management and Control System (O.S.E.).
persons with direct or indirect economic, professional, family or other personal interest which may affect the non-discriminatory fulfilment of their obligations shall not be contributed to the beneficiary.
2. The persons referred to in paragraph 1 shall be required to:
(a) keep a documentation file;
(b) to comply with confidentiality requirements of data and data coming into their knowledge and to take the necessary technical and organisational measures to protect them, as well as system and information security obligations;
(c) not to be in conflict of interest in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1; and
(d) during the submission process and any other action to the EUHR to exercise due diligence, i.e. to carry out a thorough and correctness check of the data submitted on the basis of the supporting documents submitted, to refrain from finalising such action, where the system data show obvious incompatibility and do not cooperate in any way liable to a false statement.
The responsibility of persons referred to in paragraph 1 as set out in this paragraph shall not invalidate the responsibility of the beneficiary of the aid for the accuracy and completeness of the declared.
3. If a breach of the obligations referred to in paragraph 2 is found, one (1) or more of the following penalties shall be imposed, taking into account the seriousness, extent, duration, degree of fault and repetition of the infringement, as well as any damage caused or potential damage to the budget of the European Union or the State:
(a) for a simple breach of the obligations laid down in paragraph 2, namely:
(a) incorrect representation and transfer to the O.S.R.E. of the data submitted by the beneficiary;
ab) breach of confidentiality obligations; and
(a) failure to comply with a documentation file, a fine of EUR 5 000 (5,000) to EUR 20 000 (EUR 20 000) shall be fined per infringement and temporary exclusion from the possibility of submitting an EUR to two (2) years of aid;
(b) for serious infringements of obligations under paragraph 2, in particular:
(b) the submission of applications with false, inaccurate or fraudulent evidence, otherwise with data for which the system shows obvious incompatibility;
bb) reasons for withholding data or supporting documents which substantially affect the granting, amount or maintenance of the aid;
(b) the use of false or fraudulent documents,
(bd) the provision of incorrect data or misleading information to A.D.E.;
non-compliance with a documentation file;
(bf) submission of applications, in a conflict of interest situation, shall be fined from twenty thousand (20,000) to fifty thousand (50,000) euros and temporary or definitive exclusion from the possibility of submitting an EUHR.
The fines of c. (b) shall not be imposed if the person tested proves that he acted without fault.
Giannis Andrianos in Parliament: Clear rules on agricultural aid
The Deputy Minister for Rural Development and Food, Giannis Andrianos, today in Parliament supported the provisions of Articles 4, 5 and 6 of an amendment tabled in the Bill of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family entitled «Personal Assistant, Early Intervention and other active policies for disabled persons, housing policy arrangements and other provisions».
The rules of the amendment respond to practical and institutional issues arising after the transfer of OPEKEPE's responsibilities to the ADE. In particular, they shall lay down clear rules, obligations and penalties for persons who undertake the submission and management of the Single Aid Applications, specify the relevant powers of the AACC and ensure the continuation of compulsory on-the-spot checks on agricultural aid.
