A "crack" has appeared in a critical information system that must be "set up" to manage EU subsidy payments to farmers, following the rejection of the system delivered to the Ministry of Rural Development by Neuropublic, the company—a technical consultant to the former OPEKEPE—which was also at the center of intense criticism during the Parliament’s investigation of the case.
Neuropublic’s “collaboration” with the AADE, which has taken over OPEKEPE’s responsibilities for paying EU subsidies to farmers, appears to be proceeding smoothly in this initial phase. The AADE has taken central control of the procedures, but for the time being, it is using its own resources only to process the receipt of applications. Otherwise, it relies on the digital infrastructure created by Neuropublic.
As an AADE source emphasized to Euro2day.gr, “the new application is being developed in-house. The contractor, as part of its contractual obligations, must provide the necessary data and functionalities. It has been made clear that all systems operating on behalf of the AADE must function in accordance with the rules set by the AADE. The process is ongoing."
"Chaos" from the Ministry of Rural Development
While the AADE paints a picture of a smooth transition of the subsidy payment system back to normal operations, a peculiar “setback” from the Ministry of Rural Development casts doubt on the smooth completion of the systems needed to ensure that the subsidy payment process is transparent and compliant with EU rules.
Specifically, the contract between the Ministry of Rural Development and Food (MoRDF) and Neuropublic for the development of the MoRDF’s Integrated Information System for Central Geoinformation Infrastructure is currently in limbo.
This is a system of strategic importance, which will capture and manage critical databases, such as grazing lands, as well as the olive and vineyard registers.
However, the system delivered by Neuropublic was deemed by the ministry’s relevant committees to have serious deficiencies and problems and was rejected. Neuropublic has one last chance to have the system accepted, following the objections it filed, which are expected to be reviewed by a ministry committee established by a decision issued on May 16.
The Panhellenic Federation of Geotechnical Public Servants (POGEDY) had complained since last summer that awarding this project to the company in question raised serious ethical issues. POGEDY pointed out the paradox of awarding such a critical system to a company allegedly involved in the OPEKEPE case.
The repeated rejections
Official documents from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (YPAAT) validate the employees’ concerns, as the project appears to have deviated from its contractual framework. The project’s Monitoring and Acceptance Committee (EPPE) proceeded with repeated rejections:
- In July 2025, the committee proceeded with the final rejection of Phase 1 deliverables (PA1 and PA2), requesting their replacement. That same month, it was also decided to definitively reject the deliverables of Phase 2 (PB1 and PB2).
- The final impasse was confirmed on April 22, 2026, when the Committee recommended the rejection of all Phase 3 deliverables (PG1, PG2, and PG3) in their entirety. The Committee found that the project’s progress is not in accordance with the contractual framework. Furthermore, it was noted that the prescribed sequence of phases is not being followed, a fact that substantially affects its proper implementation.
- In light of this, the Commission determined that, under the current circumstances, it is not possible to continue the monitoring and acceptance process.
Neuropublic’s Appeal
Faced with this string of rejections, Neuropublic responded by filing an administrative appeal on April 29, 2026. In its appeal, the company seeks the annulment of the Ministry’s earlier decision (from January 2026) confirming the final rejection of the deliverables for Phases 1 and 2.
The Ministry of Rural Development established, by decision of the Acting Secretary on May 16, 2026 (which was posted on May 18), a special three-member evaluation committee. This committee is now tasked with reviewing the company’s appeal and determining the fate of the contract in question.
Sources familiar with the process note that the committee will, in effect, find itself under intense political pressure, as if the rejection of Neuropublic’s system is finalized, there will be significant delays with knock-on effects on the management of EU subsidies for farmers.
The key parameters of the project
According to the contract, the key parameters of the project are defined as follows:
Budget: The total contract price amounts to €651,111.60 including VAT (€525,090.00 net value).
Funding: The project is funded by appropriations from the Public Investment Program (PIP) and co-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund - ERDF) under the NSRF (Operational Program “Digital Transformation”).
Duration: The total duration of the contract is set at 18 months from the date of its signing.
Key Subsystems: The project includes a central hub for aggregating all geospatial information, a system for recording and managing grazing lands, a real estate management system, as well as the upgrade of the geographic information system for the olive sector and the vineyard registry.
The importance of the project for farmers and livestock breeders
The project is considered of strategic importance for the primary sector, as its proper functioning directly impacts daily life, the validity of declarations, and producer funding, while its broader political significance is also substantial, following the events surrounding pasture management during the OPEKEPE era.
It should be noted that in order for OPEKEPE to pay subsidies to beneficiaries, farmers submit the Single Aid Application each year through the Integrated Management and Control System (IMCS). The IMC requires map layers and digital registers to verify whether the acres declared by a producer are actual and eligible for subsidies.
The requirement for accurate management of geospatial data across the entire spectrum of primary production stems directly from EU Regulations and the national institutional framework. The existence of a comprehensive system ensures that farmers’ declarations will be accurate, reducing errors, payment delays, and the risk of fines from the EU.
The creation of a system for recording and managing Greece’s grazing lands is of fundamental importance to livestock farmers. The rational mapping and identification of grazing lands are directly linked to the eligibility of the areas and the equitable distribution of the corresponding livestock subsidies.
Since the ministry oversees nearly all non-urban areas of the country (excluding forests), digitization through the National Geographic Information Database will provide producers with a clear framework regarding real estate. This will facilitate the identification, leasing, or allocation of public agricultural land for cultivation without bureaucratic red tape and malpractice.
In the meantime, however, as long as the new National Geographic Information Database is not operational, the OSDE will continue to rely on the problematic, as it turned out, “old” infrastructure used by OPEKEPE…