The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Mr. Christof Hansen, met in Brussels today by the Deputy Prime Minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, with whom he discussed the absorption of OPEKEPE by AADE.

Mr Hatzidakis emphasized the government’s decision to end any unfair practices in the payment of subsidies to farmers. But also the prime minister’s commitment to OPECEPE’s rapid absorption by AADE, based on the timetables already announced, underlining the undisputed credibility of the tax authority in Greece. The Deputy Prime Minister also pointed out that, in the same context, the Greek government’s willingness to vote shortly by the House of Representatives, to proceed with the transition from OPEKEPE to AADE at speed, but also credibility, without obstructing the payment of the payments. In the meantime, the plan for the reliability of the payment system will be applied and updated, where necessary. To this end, Mr. Hatzidakis noted that the Greek authorities and in particular the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and AADE are on hand to cooperate with the services of the European Commission from next week.

Commissioner Hansen noted, for his part, that he and the services of the Directorate -General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission will work immediately and on a regular basis with the Greek side, so that the OPEKEPE absorption by the AADE, as well as the entire plan of action, to proceed with the European Commission. On both sides, the first meeting was agreed to take place next week.