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Meeting with the European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi took place at the offices of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), attended by the Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Deputy Minister George Kotsiras, and the Deputy Governor of the AADE George Pitsilis.
The meeting also included the head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) Milan Jaron and the Greek European Prosecutor Nikolaos Paschalis.
The discussion focused on further strengthening the cooperation between Greece and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office for more effective combat against customs and tax fraud. The minister and the head of the AADE presented to the European Chief Prosecutor the comprehensive modernization and strengthening program of the Greek customs, which is being implemented under the name Customs NextGEN.
By 2029, the following are planned:
*Integration of the Financial Crime Unit (SDOE) into the AADE. By October 2025, the General Directorate of SDOE will be fully integrated into the AADE.
*Authorized Economic Operators (AEO). The approach to reliable economic operators for granting AEO status and additional simplifications is underway.
*Customs Document Control Center. Establishment of a Customs Control Center in Thessaloniki for the control of customs documents, incorporating procedures for 40 Customs offices across the country by June 2026.
*Hellenic Digital Customs Borders. By 2026, development of a comprehensive digital monitoring system for trucks, containers, and vehicles entering or exiting the country.
*Container Targeting Center – Piraeus. Creation of a specialized hub for locating suspicious containers at the Port of Piraeus by September 2026, in cooperation with the British authorities HMRC and UK Border Force.
*UCC Reform & Digitization (2026-2029). Comprehensive reform and overall upgrade of the national customs information system, aiming for the full digitization of customs procedures, in accordance with the Union Customs Code (UCC).
Funding for the program:
*80 million euros have already been allocated from the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) for the digital project monitoring trucks and containers at border customs stations.
*In the next four years, an additional 203 million euros will be invested to enhance operational capacity.
Detailed investment distribution (by 2027):
*125 million euros to strengthen Customs with approximately 1,100 employees, in addition to the existing staff, prioritizing the Port of Piraeus and logistics services in Attica.
*40 million euros for the procurement of 8 X-Ray systems for cargo inspections.
*20 million euros for the procurement of 2 X-Ray systems for freight trains.
*18 million euros for the development of a new Customs information system.
In total, more than 280 million euros will be allocated for the funding of Customs NextGEN.
During the discussion, the following issues were also raised:
*Identification and reporting of customs and tax fraud cases (VAT), utilizing advanced risk analysis tools and cross-border data exchange.
*Provision of specialized financial investigators and customs officials to support the investigations of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Greece.
*Deployment of national experts to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, aiming to enhance the interoperability of national systems with EU procedures.
*Access of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office to the EUROFISC information network, which is a key tool for rapid information exchange aimed at preventing and combating VAT fraud.
*Salary equalization for officials for NEDPAs (Secretaries and Financial Investigators) serving in the Athens Office, with the remuneration in line with corresponding auditing services of national authorities, in recognition of the increased workload and their critical contribution to the success of investigations.
According to the ministry, the meeting confirmed the excellent cooperation between Greece and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, while expressing the willingness for further deepening of joint action, for the benefit of transparency and the protection of the Greek and European budget. (01/10/25)
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