The report from the regular European People’s Party Congress held in Brussels, ahead of the European Council summit.
European leaders who are members of the EPP welcome Nicosia’s accession to the Schengen Area by 2027, support Nikos Christodoulides’ efforts to resume talks and convene an Enlarged Conference to resolve the Cyprus issue, and reaffirm the operational implementation of Article 42, paragraph 7, of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), concerning mutual assistance, with the aim of strengthening coordination, information sharing, and flexibility in military mobility.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
What the report states in detail:
1. On Cyprus’s accession to the Schengen Area
We welcome the positive outcome of the European Commission’s Evaluation Report on Cyprus’s efforts toward full accession to the Schengen Area, as well as the launch of the relevant discussion in the Council. We support the timely completion of the remaining steps, as a defined priority for the 2026–2027 Schengen Cycle.
2. On relations with Turkey and the Cyprus issue
We have offered Turkey a constructive partnership, but we insist that democracy, the rule of law, and good-neighborly relations be respected. We express our full solidarity with Greece and Cyprus in their discussions with Turkey.
We commend the efforts of the Government of Cyprus to resume substantive negotiations and welcome the initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General to convene an expanded meeting with the participation of all parties involved.
Stability and closer cooperation within the framework of NATO in the Eastern Mediterranean are of the utmost importance to the European Union.
3. On European security and defense
We support concrete efforts toward the operational implementation of Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), which concerns mutual assistance, with the aim of strengthening coordination, information sharing, and flexibility in military mobility.
We also support the proposals for the establishment of a European Security Council as a forum for strategic coordination and crisis management, while respecting traditions of neutrality.
These initiatives complement NATO and strengthen Europe’s contribution to collective security.
Here is the report:
