In 2025, Greek farmers are expected to receive €3.7 billion in subsidies, compared to €2.7 billion paid by OPEKEPE in 2024. By December 31, 2025, total payments are expected to reach €3.3 billion, while advance payments of the basic subsidy start tomorrow.
The new hybrid system introduces:
- Mandatory ATAC and KAEK declarations for precise calculation of farm plots, combating fraudulent leases and encroachments.
- Objective calculation of livestock holdings, using milk and meat sales invoices, feed purchase receipts, data from ELGO-DIMITRA, MyData, and E3 declarations, taking the most favorable scenario for each farmer.
- Subsidies for pastures will only be allocated where animals actually graze and produce output, with a right of appeal for farmers.
Key benefits for farmers:
- Transparency and EU compliance, avoiding new fines.
- Socially fair allocation, rewarding honest declarations.
- Financial stability: no EU funds are lost—only internal redistribution favors compliant farmers.
2025 Payment Details – Numbers at a Glance:
- €1.9 billion already paid as of Nov 26, 2025.
- An additional €538 million to be paid in the coming days, and €1.2 billion by year-end.
- Measure 23 (environmental and livestock programs) to be paid by Dec 10, 2025, totaling €178.5 million.
- Advance basic subsidy: €363 million in 2025 vs €476 million in 2024, representing 75% of last year’s amount, with the remainder allocated after inspections.
- Beneficiaries of advance payments: 471,633 in 2025, compared to 527,229 in 2024, due to stricter ATAC/KAEK checks.
OPEKEPE Transition to AADE: Digital Mapping, AI, and Full Verification to Protect Honest Farmers
The integration of OPEKEPE into AADE marks a critical step toward a transparent, effective system:
- Transfer of all assets, IT systems, and personnel accreditation to AADE by Jan 1, 2026.
- Creation of a new digital farm map using high-resolution satellite imagery and AI tools.
- Electronic tagging of goats and sheep for full traceability.
- Cross-checking tax data and cadastral information to fully verify ownership of farmland.
Goals of the Ministers:
- Ensure every euro reaches the farmers who are entitled to it.
- Protect taxpayer money.
- Build trust between the government, farmers, and society.
As stressed by Kostis Hatzidakis, Kostas Tsiaras, and Giorgos Pitsilis, the new hybrid framework combines transparency, objectivity, and social fairness, with payments exceeding €3.7 billion in 2025, making it the largest subsidy year to date for Greek farmers.