The European Commission has announced it will establish an information and support center for Cypriot businesses and individuals who are engaged in or interested in legal trade across the Green Line, with the support of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (TCCC).

The EU funded initiative will be a one-stop-shop designed to provide information and technical assistance to Cypriot businesses and individuals.

The Commission aims to start the implementation of the project in October 2023 by setting up a physical office, following th procurement period during the summer.

More concretely, the new one stop shop will offer in-person, online and phone consultations to provide tailored support regarding the product-specific requirements for trade while also facilitating the “match-making” of potential traders and buyers.

The plans include the creation of a supplementary online platform, accessible in both Greek and Turkish, which will serve as a central hub for information, resources, and documentation assisting businesses on both sides of the divide in increasing Green Line trade, in order “to facilitate the legal trade of products that are compliant with all the necessary European regulations and standards in an effort to pave the way for the reunification of the island” according to a press release.

In a statement, Kjartan Björnsson, the Deputy Director and Head of Unit for Cyprus Settlement Support in DG Reform, said that the agreement demonstrates the continued commitment of the EU, along with the two Chambers, to fostering economic development and cooperation in Cyprus, and added that the Commission is pleased to have both business communities on board.

"By providing accessible and tailored support for Turkish Cypriot businesses to comply with EU standards and regulations, we are helping to create a level playing field for the Turkish Cypriot community, preparing the ground for the reunification of the island which is our ultimate goal,’’ Björnsson underlined.

The European Commission points out in its press release that its aim is to implement the Green Line Regulation up to its full potential, providing support to Turkish Cypriot businesses to make sure their products comply with all necessary requirements in order to access the EU market. Besides the economic advantages for both communities of the island, Green Line trade also helps to build trust and business relations across the divide, according to the same press release.

The terms under which persons and goods can cross this line from the non-government-controlled areas into the government-controlled areas are laid out in Council Regulation 866/2004 ("Green Line Regulation"). In 2022, the value of Green Line trade has reached an all-time high (14,647,241 euro), which marked a 138% increase compared to 2021 (6,151,022 euro).

However, the Commission sees significant room for improvement since, despite the significant increase, the annual value of Green Line trade is still modest.