AADC: clarifications on payments to farmers

The Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADC) issued a press release on Tuesday 8 September 2026 with clarifications concerning the payment, offsetting and exemption from seizure of agricultural subsidies and EU payments to farmers. The release, as published, addresses these three issues specifically, though it does not include the number of beneficiaries, specific amounts, limits or deadlines. The Authority’s announcement responds to questions regarding how the Greek state manages subsidies paid to farmers, whether these come from national resources or European Union funds. It does not refer to a specific assistance programme, nor does it specify whether the clarifications apply to a particular payment period.

The AADC is the independent administrative authority responsible for tax administration in the country, the assessment and collection of taxes, customs control, and, in general, the management of public revenues. It has functioned as an independent authority since 2017, having been administratively separated from the Ministry of Finance to have increased operational autonomy in exercising its responsibilities. Its responsibilities also include addressing issues concerning citizens’ debts to the State, as well as ensuring that payments owed by the State to citizens, such as agricultural subsidies, are made in accordance with the applicable legal framework. Within this framework falls the announcement of 8 September 2026, which, as stated, aims to inform stakeholders on how the relevant procedures are implemented.

The term payment, in the context of agricultural subsidies, refers to the disbursement of amounts that farmers are entitled to receive from national or EU support programmes. Offsetting is a general procedure by which an amount owed by the State to a citizen can be offset, that is, reconciled accounting-wise, with any debts the citizen themselves owes to the State, so that ultimately only the difference is paid or withheld. Exemption from seizure, on the other hand, is a legal concept concerning amounts which, under conditions defined by law, are exempt from seizure, that is, cannot be attached by creditors, so as to protect a minimum income or specific categories of assistance. These three concepts are closely related when it comes to assistance to farmers, as they determine whether, how and to what extent the assistance ultimately reaches the beneficiary. The above description reflects the concepts in general terms and is not attributed to the AADC’s specific press release any particular rule, limit or percentage.

The AADC’s press release does not clarify how many farmers it affects, nor what the amount of payments or any offsets is, nor does it specify deadlines within which the procedures described are expected to be completed. It also does not mention specific exemption from seizure percentages or special categories of debts excluded from offsetting. As a result, farmers seeking information about their own situation should refer to the full text of the Authority’s announcement or contact the competent services for clarifications regarding their personal matter. The publication of clarifications by the AADC on matters of payments to farmers is an indication that the issue is of concern to a portion of beneficiaries, at a time when other aspects of public administration are also in motion, as shown by the recent bill on public employee career progression.