The Plenary of the Cyprus Parliament unanimously passed a law on Thursday providing for the appointment and powers of the Deputy Minister to the President for European Affairs, for the purposes of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Cyprus assumes the rotating Presidency in 2026.

The Deputy Minister will have overall political supervision for the preparation during the first half of the year 2026 of the presidency of the Council.

The law provides for the appointment, by act of the President of the Republic, of a Deputy Minister to the President for European Affairs, as well as the duration of his term of office, which begins on a date determined by the President of the Republic in his act of appointment and ends on July 31, 2026.

The responsibilities of the Deputy Minister, which include, among other things, the political supervision of the Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the European Union, the political representation in EU institutions and the coordination of the programme and priorities of the Cyprus Presidency.

He/she will also have the responsibility for organising meetings in Cyprus, in the framework of the Presidency, as well as other organisational issues and the communication strategy in collaboration with the Government Spokesperson and the Press and Information Office.

The presence of the Deputy Minister during the discussions before the Council of Ministers on matters of his/her competence and the submission of relevant information notes, without participating in the decision-making process, is also included in the responsibilities.

There is also the obligation to submit an Activity Report to the President and a copy of it to the House of Representatives, before the end of his/her appointment.

Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004, previously held the Presidency of the European Council in 2012.