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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13812
Contents Publication in full By article 20 / 24
NEWS BRIEFS / Justice

In Palermo, European Public Prosecutor’s Office dismantles criminal group behind €1.4 million agricultural funding fraud

Brussels, 19/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 19 February, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced that it had dismantled in Palermo (Italy) a criminal organisation implicated in a fraud involving agricultural funds in Sicily, with losses estimated at over €1.4 million. Between 2018 and 2022, the group allegedly establish fictitious companies to fraudulently obtain Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payment entitlements from Italy’s Agency for Payments in...

Contents

EXTERNAL ACTION
Interview TRADE: we have to be careful with ‘Made in Europe’ narrative, says Bernd Lange
NORWAY: António Costa and Jonas Støre note importance of EU/Norway relations and desire to deepen them
SECURITY - DEFENCE - SPACE
DEFENCE: Andrius Kubilius estimates that defence's share of next MFF could be between €60 and €70 billion
INSTITUTIONAL
GENERAL AFFAIRS: March European Council, ‘revenues’ component of 2028-2034 MFF, democracy and cohesion on agenda of ‘General Affairs’ Council on 24 and 25 February
SECTORAL POLICIES
HEALTH: European Court of Auditors gives a lukewarm assessment of ‘Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan’
AGRICULTURE: Christophe Hansen makes positive first assessment of implementation of ‘vision for agriculture and food’
AGRICULTURE: MEPs aim for plenary vote on next CAP in January 2027
COMPETITIVENESS: Prague, Tallinn, Dublin, Helsinki and Riga oppose a relaxation of competition policy, particularly in telecom sector
ENERGY: at a time of electrification, geopolitical challenges and US criticism, IEA is trying to defend its credibility
DIGITAL: Berlin and Athens get on board with European “digital majority”
TRANSPORT: EU Council approves targeted changes to CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles
SEA: NGO Seas At Risk demands adoption of ambitious Ocean Act
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: Cyprus Presidency of EU Council formally relaunches work on rules for coordinating social security schemes
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
COMPETITION: stakeholders support modernisation of antitrust rules, says European Commission
NEWS BRIEFS
STATE AID: EU gives green light to Dutch support for energy savings in glasshouse horticulture
ARMENIA: European Commissioner Marta Kos to visit country on 19 and 20 March
ECB: Frankfurt institution imposes record €12.2 million fine on JP Morgan
CUSTOMS: procedure for choosing seat of future European authority EUCA should be finalised by end of February
IRAN: EU Council officially lists Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organisation
JUSTICE: in Palermo, European Public Prosecutor’s Office dismantles criminal group behind €1.4 million agricultural funding fraud
JUSTICE: European Commission launches call for evidence for its upcoming report on directive for combating fraud against EU financial interests
NIGERIA: EU and Nigeria hold their first peace and security dialogue
SUDAN: Hadja Lahbib and some 30 foreign ministers condemn attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan
THAILAND: European Commission extends imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of sweet corn from Thailand