Crackdown on Fake Organic Certifications in Greece Begins with Fines

Atotal of 56,000 euros in fines were imposed this week on two agencies certifying organic products in Greece, marking the first official reaction by the Rural Development and Food Ministry as a massive farming fraud scandal continues to unravel.

The penalties were issued after inspections by ELGO – the Hellenic Agricultural Organization – Dimitra revealed that the agencies had approved organic products that either did not meet certification standards or failed to comply following inspections.

This move comes in response to a broader scandal. Several companies had allegedly received fake organic labels and, based on these certifications, unlawfully secured subsidies from Greece’s agricultural payments agency, OPEKEPE.

The fraudulent activity has had serious repercussions, with Greek taxpayers now expected to shoulder the burden of repaying misappropriated EU funds totaling approximately 466 million euros. The case is further straining Greece’s credibility within the European Union and raising concerns about transparency in agricultural funding.

In a statement, the ministry emphasized its commitment to intensifying oversight, announcing the formation of a specialized task force to reinforce quality standards and compliance within the organic certification sector.

“These decisions,” the ministry noted, “are part of a broader plan to tighten the control and evaluation framework for certification bodies, with the aim of restoring consumer trust in Greek organic products and ensuring the integrity of national organic production.”

Further inspections and accountability measures are expected as authorities continue to unravel the scope of the scandal.