Latest news with #EPPO
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Pension sanctioned to 55 people at special Adalat in Nellore
Pensions were sanctioned to as many as 55 people and the General Provident Fund (GPF) authorisation letters were given to 15 persons during a special Adalat held in Nellore on Wednesday. Pension and GPF Adalat was organised here to review and discuss about pending pension cases and GPF related issues for speedy resolution. Speaking to The Hindu, Shanthi Priya Sarella, Principal Accountant General (A&E), Andhra Pradesh, said, 'Pension and GPF Adalats have been organised across the State from 2022. The first Adalat was held in Visakhapatnam. Since I have assumed charge this January, Adalats were held at Kakinada and Rajahmundry where 50 pension cases and 20 issues related to GPF were resolved.' 'After Nellore, another Adalat will be conducted at Vinjamur in the same district. We are planning to hold Adalats at Bheemavaram and Amalapuram in the coming months. We are holding such meetings every quarter to cover all the districts of AP. The pension sanction documents will soon be provided electronically to retired government employees,' she informed. The Principal Accountant General said that every government employee should be aware of the documents that need to be attached with the application while sending pension proposals. She also said that there is no need to wait until retirement to send the said proposals. They can be sent three months in advance, Ms. Sarella said. She explained that many people are still sending pension proposals after retirement. Due to this, it has been noticed that the employees are upset that they have not been granted pension after retirement. From this month, the Electronic Pension Payment Order (EPPO) sanction documents will be provided electronically to employees retiring from few departments. A video has also been made on the procedure for submitting the application online, and this video will be made available to all employees. It explains the common mistakes made by employees. The sanction of pension is delayed mainly due to improper filling of nomination papers.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Greece shutters farm aid agency amid EU fraud investigation
The Greek government has shut down the agency responsible for managing and distributing EU agricultural subsidies due to repeated scandals and fraud cases involving EU funds, in a decision announced on Tuesday. The move comes after the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) conducted searches last week as part of an investigation into an alleged organized fraud scheme and corruption involving public officials at the agency. Between 2019 and 2022, a "significant number of individuals presented themselves as young or new farmers" and received EU funding "based on false declarations," the EPPO wrote in a statement. "In most cases, the pastures declared were in fact public lands," and were "often located far away" from the claimants' place of residence, it added. Rocky terrains, forests and even areas in neighbouring North Macedonia had been declared as agricultural land, the Greek daily To Vima reported. Around 100 suspects have been charged with wrongfully receiving a total of €2.9 million ($3.29 million), the newspaper reported. The investigations suggest that since 2017, approximately €170 million may have been unlawfully disbursed, according to Greek media. In other instances, the agency apparently failed to disburse available funds, which were then returned to the EU. Last year, this allegedly amounted to €87 million. Due to numerous irregularities, Greece had to pay penalties to the EU. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced during Tuesday's Cabinet meeting that the agency's tasks would be transferred to the central tax and finance office, AADE. The approximately 520 employees would also be accommodated there, provided they are not proven to be involved in fraud cases. The AADE, an independent office responsible for public revenues in Greece, has recorded significant successes in the fight against tax fraud.
Agriland
07-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
12 arrests and €9.6 million seized in CAP fraud case
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has ordered the arrests of 12 individuals and the seizure of over €9.6 million in assets in Italy, as part of an investigation into a case of EU funding fraud pertaining to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). According to EPPO, the investigation features 67 individuals and 27 companies, who it said are suspected of fraudulently obtaining EU agricultural funds under the CAP between 2018 and 2022. The Italian Financial Police of Caserta (Guardia di Finanza – Compagnia di Mondragone) in Naples executed the arrest and seizure order, which was reinforced by the Court of Salerno in Naples, as part of preliminary police investigations into the case. According to the prosecutor, the suspects unlawfully secured over €12.5 million in EU funding, by falsely presenting one of its companies, based in Salerno, as a so-called producer organisation (PO). A PO is a recognised group of farmers who are entitled to receive EU funding in support of collective investments for their members' benefit. In a statement about the investigation, the EPPO cited evidence which suggests that the suspects involved falsified several documents to fraudulently misrepresent the company's compliance with the essential requirements of PO status under EU law. CAP funding fraud According to the prosecutor, the company under investigation allegedly deceived the Campania region, Italy's Agricultural Payments Agency (AGEA) and the EU, by unduly receiving EU agricultural subsidies financed under the CAP. The EPPO statement, which was published today, Wednesday, May 7, confirmed that the perpetrators of these offences are now under investigation by Italian authorities for alleged aggravated fraud to obtain public funds and criminal association. As a result of the investigation, the Italian Financial Police has placed 12 individuals under house arrest and has seized financial assets belonging to them and to the involved companies totalling €9,660,813.89. 'All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Italian courts of law,' the EPPO statement outlined. The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
Agriland
29-04-2025
- Agriland
Farmer in Slovakia could be jailed over alleged CAP fraud
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Bratislava, Slovakia, has today (Tuesday, April 29) filed an indictment at the Specialised Criminal Court against a farmer, for fraud involving projects for the cultivation of agricultural land. Over the course of three years (2020, 2021 and 2022), the accused man, in his role as self-employed farmer, requested direct payments under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for agricultural areas exceeding 100ha in east Slovakia. It is alleged that the farmer submitted incorrect statements to Slovakia's Agricultural Paying Agency (APA), in which he falsely declared that he managed those agricultural areas. It emerged, however, that these areas were not managed by the accused in accordance with the required legal conditions and the accused did not even have lease agreements with the landowners for them. Consequences if found guilty of fraud An inspection by the APA revealed these inconsistencies. It is estimated that more than €53,000 in damage to the EU budget has been prevented, due to the inspection, according to the EPPO. If found guilty of fraud, the accused could face a prison sentence of up to six years and a fine of up to €330,000. The EPPO has stressed: 'All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Slovak courts of law.' The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU, such as fraud. The EU provides farmers with income support or direct payments under the CAP to: Function as a safety net and make farming more profitable; Guarantee food security in Europe; Assist them in the production of safe, healthy and affordable food; Reward farmers for delivering public goods not normally paid for by markets, such as taking care of the countryside and the environment. Farmers generally receive income support based on their farm's size in hectares. All EU countries have to offer a basic payment, a payment for the climate, environment and animal welfare to promote sustainable farming practices (eco-schemes). As it is compulsory for EU countries to provide these payments, they are often referred to as obligatory payments. Eco-schemes are obligatory for EU countries to provide to farmers, but voluntary for farmers. Additionally, EU countries can choose to offer other payments that focus on specific sectors or types of farming. There are specific schemes designed to provide further help to small- and medium-sized farms, young farmers, farmers who operate in areas of natural constraint and/or sectors undergoing difficulties.
Euronews
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
EPPO says inquiry opened into Bulgarian prosecutor for alleged wrongdoing
ADVERTISEMENT The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) says it has opened an inquiry into possible wrongdoing by one of its European Prosecutors. In a statement, EPPO said it had informed the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission that it is investigating the Bulgarian European Prosecutor. EPPO did not give any further details about the alleged wrongdoing. EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union and is responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes against the financial interests of the bloc.
