As part of cross-checks carried out by the Independent Public Revenue Authority (AADE) using data from OPEKEPE, covering beneficiaries of agricultural subsidies for the years 2020–2024, cases were identified in which large numbers of land parcels were added to and subsequently removed from property declarations (E9 forms) in 2025, without adequate or documented justification.

These cases concern individuals who unjustifiably received high amounts of subsidies in relation to their actual productive capacity as professional farmers, as evidenced by their tax profiles. AADE auditors are currently examining approximately 3,000 cases involving farmland owners and their tenants.

So far, the first 50 audited cases in which no justified reason was found for the deletion of land parcels from the E9 declarations are being referred to the competent national and European prosecutorial authorities, as well as to OPEKEPE, for exclusion from future payments and for the initiation of procedures to recover the aid received.

Indicative cases include the following:

• A natural person residing in Heraklion, Crete, deleted 146 land parcels that had originally been declared in the regions of Messinia, Corinthia, Crete, and Attica. Prior to their deletion, these parcels had been declared as leased to 19 individuals, who began farming in the same year as the leases and received agricultural subsidies exceeding €338,000.
• A natural person residing in Crete removed 28 land parcels that he claimed had been declared “by mistake” in prefectures different from his place of residence, specifically in Kalymnos, Fourni, Lesvos, and Chios. Some of these parcels were used to obtain subsidies exceeding €240,000.

Among the lessees of the above-mentioned parcels:

• One individual declared at least 10 land parcels in the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) located in areas other than his or her place of residence. These parcels were later deleted by the alleged owner from the E9 declaration. Based on these declarations, the individual received subsidies exceeding €60,000.
• Two young individuals received subsidies totaling €58,000 after initially registering as farmers under the special regime and declaring the lease of at least 22 land parcels in locations other than their residence in the IACS. These parcels were subsequently deleted from the E9 declaration.

The 50 audited individuals whose cases are being referred to prosecutorial authorities and OPEKEPE received subsidies totaling more than €1 million during the audited years.

Inspections of agricultural subsidy beneficiaries are being intensified, based on data provided by OPEKEPE and through the use of the Authority’s advanced digital and audit tools, with the aim of the immediate and effective detection of both unlawfully obtained subsidies and tax evasion practices.