The recent scandal involving the embezzlement of European Union (EU) funds in Greece is not an isolated incident. It involved 400 million euros in farm subsidies plundered by politicians and their associates. Sloppy supervision, poor transparency, and a lack of accountability have enabled such fraud. This phenomenon is not limited to the EU or Greece in particular. Waste due to mismanagement plagues numerous aid programs around the world, particularly in environment, climate, and nature conservation. Such corrupt acts are not only borne by perpetrators, but also by donor organizations, whose lax programs invite misuse and favoritism.
Successful implementation of sweeping public policies requires incentives and deterrents — For instance, phasing out ozone-depleting substances succeeded only with sustained financial and technical support for transition programs, especially in developing nations. Similarly, transitioning to renewable energy, adopting sustainable agricultural practices, preserving natural habitats, and reducing pesticides and fertilizers, demand robust funding accompanied by penalties for harmful practices.
These programs, costing hundreds of billions, succeed only when they involve clear realistic goals, strict controls, and independent supervision. The worst outcome occurs when program initiators supervise themselves, fostering favoritism and corruption among a select group of opportunists. In Greece, politicians and officials siphoned millions to fictitious farming projects, some on non-existent lands, by falsifying reports. Alarmingly, one indicted in the latest fraud was the coordinator of EU funds in the Greek ruling party, which highlights flaws in the system. Such corruption extends beyond agriculture to environment and climate initiatives, with private companies and bogus NGOs often complicit.
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These scandals fuel populist isolationist movements seeking to dismantle the EU, by portraying it as a failed body. Ending waste and corruption is crucial to safeguarding EU’s future and global cooperation. The EU’s leadership in global environmental and climate action is indispensable, with its Green Deal, linking climate action to environmental protection, serving as pioneering model. Despite delays from the pandemic, the Ukraine conflict and US policy shifts, the Green Deal sets ambitious targets for 2030, including 25 percent organic farming, 20 percent less chemical fertilizers and 50 percent reduced pesticide use.
The EU remains committed to carbon neutrality by 2050, with a 55 percent emissions cut by 2030, a critical stance, especially after the US withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. This makes Europe’s collaboration with China, in particular on renewable energy and sustainable practices, essential. Such cooperation gained urgency following the collapse of the plastic negotiations in Geneva last week, blocked by a few countries. This calls for repeating the experience of Paris Climate Agreement ten years earlier, when China played a pivotal role to reach consensus and overcome the obstructionists.
The EU’s role and clout extend beyond its borders, particularly to its neighbors in southern Mediterranean countries, which rely on its support, mainly for a green economy transition. In return, cooperation offers mutual benefits and opportunities to both sides. The Mediterranean Action Plan, coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is a model initiative which unites the EU with 21 Mediterranean countries. The Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD), comprising governments, NGOs, scientists and local authorities, monitors and updates a common strategy, fostering cooperation despite national and regional differences. This represents a perfect embodiment of meaningful Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
The Greek disgraceful episode underscores the need for reform. Euro-Mediterranean programs must be run with stringent governance principles. Organs like the MCSD, for example, must prevent members from exploiting loopholes, such as operating under different entity names to bypass rotation rules. Such practices allow the floor to be hijacked by certain cliques, often stalling fair representation and blocking fresh perspectives. Those use their privileged position to grab millions — often from EU funds — by entities they control, in blatant conflict of interest.
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The EU and its Mediterranean partners cannot afford to lose trust due to corruption. Failure to act risks empowering populist movements and weakening the EU’s role in regional and global cooperation.
To address these challenges, the EU, alongside its international partner organizations, must enforce rigorous governance, encompassing supervisory mechanisms, independent audits, and clear eligibility criteria for funding. Programs should prioritize measurable outcomes, with regular public reporting to ensure accountability. Encouraging open debate, strengthening whistleblower protections, and imposing severe penalties for fraud will deter misconduct.
The Greek scandal is a wake-up call. It highlights the fragility of trust in international cooperation and the urgent need to protect public funds from misuse. By addressing these systemic flaws, the EU can reinforce its leadership in climate and environmental action, fostering a sustainable future for Europe and its neighbors. The stakes are high: unchecked corruption not only undermines progress but also threatens the foundations that make the EU a beacon of hope in a fractured world.
The author is secretary general of the Arab forum for Environment and Development (AFED) and editor-in-chief of Al-Bia Wal-Tanmia magazine. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.