11/10/2024 10:14
Cyprus is set to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during a critical period marked by geopolitical developments and the effects of successive crises in recent years, Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna has told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA). Cyprus will undertake the EU rotating Presidency during the first half of 2026.
In an interview with the CNA, Raouna said that Cyprus’s Presidency will focus on strengthening the EU's relationships with the Middle East and the broader Eastern Mediterranean, especially amid rising tensions. Cyprus also aims to host an informal European Council meeting to address these issues at the heads of state and government level.
She noted that the Cypriot Presidency will face several complex challenges, including negotiations on the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Priorities will also include immigration, innovation, competitiveness, and social policies.
Raouna said that extensive preparations are already underway, particularly at the Nicosia Conference Center, which will host thousands of visitors and key meetings. The Deputy Minister pointed out that Cyprus aims to act as an "honest and impartial broker" during its Presidency in 2026.
Preparations in full swing
Raouna outlined the detailed preparations, involving coordination between the Cypriot Presidency Secretariat, ministries, and state services. As she said, Cyprus will preside over approximately 180 EU working groups and subgroups, alongside 100 Ministerial Councils, including 15–20 Informal Ministerial Meetings to be held in Cyprus, along with hundreds of other meetings and conferences.
As she said, the renovation of the Nicosia Conference Center has been underway, and the adjacent building of the Cyprus Hotel and Catering Institute (AXIK), which will serve as the press center, is expected to be completed by October 2025. The Conference Center will undergo partial renovations to meet high-level security and interpretation standards.
Despite Cyprus’ limited human resources, Raouna praised the country's experienced and capable personnel. She said that around 200 staff members, distributed across ministries, services, and diplomatic missions, would be involved in the Presidency. The staffing process, she added, has already begun, including secondments to the Permanent Representation in Brussels, with interviews currently underway for scientific personnel.
Raouna revealed that plans were advancing for hosting more than 200 events and meetings during Cyprus’ Presidency, which will attract over 20,000 visitors. She added that the aim was to involve all districts of Cyprus in the Presidency's cultural program and accommodation efforts.
She acknowledged the challenge of ensuring Cyprus’ connectivity with Brussels, mentioning ongoing discussions with airlines and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport to find solutions.
National Priority Program in advanced stage
The Deputy Minister also said that the development of the Trio Presidency program, in collaboration with Poland and Denmark, was at an advanced stage, with the official announcement expected in December 2025. The priorities of the Trio, she explained, as well as Cyprus’s national priorities, will align with the EU's 2024-2029 Strategic Agenda and current Council proposals.
Raouna stressed that Cyprus would seek to leave its own mark, with a focus on EU relations with its Southern Neighbourhood, the Middle East, and the Gulf, considering the geopolitical developments in those regions. Migration, enlargement, maritime security, cross-border connectivity, innovation, the primary sector, and climate change are also top priorities.
"These issues”, she added, “through consultation with the social partners and the Government, which will begin at the end of the year and intensify in January, will form the basis for the development of Cyprus' National Program."
Tackling major EU challenges
Raouna said that Cyprus will act as an honest broker to advance the European agenda, with a vision for a better, more competitive, resilient, and citizen-focused EU. However, she acknowledged the difficult geopolitical and economic landscape, compounded by successive crises in recent years.
“The challenge Cyprus will face is that it will assume the Presidency at a critical juncture, both due to geopolitical developments and the successive crises the EU has had to confront in recent years. All of this has brought serious economic challenges, challenges for competitiveness, and for the citizens”, she said.
She added that another challenge was taking on the Presidency at the beginning of a new institutional and legislative cycle of the EU.
Among the challenges Cyprus will face are also the Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations for the next five years. Raouna expressed confidence that Cyprus, having handled similar negotiations in 2012, will successfully manage these talks. She also highlighted the complex nature of the new Common Agricultural Policy, which affects many EU citizens and member state interests, given current economic conditions and the green transition.
She also said that a large portion of the files that Cyprus would be called upon to manage mainly concern issues related to agriculture, justice, competitiveness, as well as ECOFIN matters.
Cyprus as a bridge to the Eastern Mediterranean
Raouna stressed Cyprus's strategic role as a bridge between the Eastern Mediterranean and the EU. She emphasized that Cyprus always pointed out both the challenges and opportunities in this region, urging the EU to invest more in these areas.
The Deputy Minister recalled that Cyprus has demonstrated its capability as an honest broker, particularly through initiatives like the "Amalthea" humanitarian corridor to Gaza and the "Estia" plan, to facilitate the evacuation of civilians from high-risk areas via Cyprus.
Raouna furthermore noted that Cyprus aimed to further enhance EU relations with the region during its Presidency. She said that during the Presidency an Informal European Council at the leaders' level would be hosted, aiming to focus ont the region and the Southern Neighborhood.
Cyprus' positions on migration understood in Brussels
Raouna also said that Cyprus worked hard for raising awareness in the EU as regards the unique challenges the country faces regarding migration, given its geographical location and status as a member state under occupation. She reminded the successful initiatives at the EU level including the strategic agreement with Egypt and the aid provided to Lebanon, that helped manage migration flows.
The Republic of Cyprus, she added, has proven itself to be an honest mediator on this issue as well, understanding the challenges firsthand.
“When Cyprus speaks in Brussels about migration and how it should be addressed, both in its internal and external aspects, its positions are well understood,” she said.
She noted that the EU was in the process of implementing the Migration and Asylum Pact after 10 years of negotiations. She explained that it was important to enforce aspects such as secure external EU borders, strict control, and the implementation of rapid and efficient procedures.
She also mentioned that emphasis would be placed on the instrumentalization of migration. Apart from Cyprus' problem with Turkey, she said, other member states face similar issues with other third countries, and there is now an understanding of what instrumentalization means. She added that the external aspects of migration could only be addressed through strategic relations with countries in the region.
She furthermore noted that these relationships would be further promoted, and more initiatives would be taken, during Cyprus’ Presidency.
Emphasis on competitiveness and social policies
Regarding Europe’s competitiveness, Raouna stressed that the EU must maintain its global geopolitical role by being competitive. She highlighted the importance of the Draghi Report, which calls for immediate actions to ensure sustainable competitiveness, economic security, and the creation of quality jobs.
Cyprus, as she said, supports efforts to reduce administrative burdens for small and medium-sized enterprises and sees sectors like shipping as key contributors to competitiveness. Raouna affirmed that Cyprus would back the European Commission’s initiative for a new competitiveness agreement.
Finally, Raouna emphasized the social agenda as a core pillar of Cyprus’s Presidency. Recognizing the impact of multiple crises on European citizens, she said that Cyprus would prioritize policies related to health, employment, and youth, aiming to create fair contracts, good working conditions, and affordable housing across Europe.
Cyprus will also focus on critical issues like cancer, mental health, and rare diseases, ensuring that the social dimension remains a key aspect of its leadership in the EU, she noted.
Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004, has been divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974. It undertook the EU rotating Presidency for the first time in 2012.