The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, highlighted five key issues upon his arrival at Thursday’s European Council meeting in Brussels, the first being the need for greater flexibility in implementing national measures regarding energy costs and the suspension of the Emissions Trading System 2 (ETS 2). He also emphasized the need for a political agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework by the end of the year, while pointing to December as a month of developments regarding Cyprus’s accession to the Schengen Area.
Regarding energy costs, Mr. Christodoulides noted that “our request is simple and clear: the need for the European Union to demonstrate further flexibility regarding the adoption of national measures, while at the same time further suspending the implementation of ETS 2. This is something that several member states are calling for. We will support it,” he noted.
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Referring to the illegal “memorandum of cooperation” between Turkey and the occupied territories, he noted that the issue will be raised in the context of the discussion on energy and the Greece and Cyprus (GSI). “We will address the geopolitical, energy, and economic significance of the GSI, and we will also address Turkey’s illegal efforts regarding this specific issue,” he said.
Regarding the second issue concerning the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the President welcomed the new proposal from the Irish Presidency, which builds on the successful proposal submitted during the Cypriot Presidency. “The first thing I want to say is that, of course, we understand and support the need to strengthen new EU policies—defense and security, competitiveness, and migration—but at the same time, these must not come at the expense of the Common Agricultural Policy, the Cohesion Fund, and Cohesion Policy, which benefit European citizens,” he noted.
Mr. Christodoulides expressed hope for progress and mentioned that he expects an extraordinary summit in November. “I hope we will make substantial progress today. I believe there will also be an extraordinary European Council meeting in November. There are certain political developments, such as the elections in Spain and the outcome in Sweden, that may present us with some challenges. It is absolutely essential that we reach a political agreement by the end of the year; otherwise things will clearly become more difficult, and I believe we will send a negative message not only to European citizens but also to the world at large,” he said.
When asked by KYPE whether the discussion on the MFF should be “unlocked” by the new own resources, the President replied that “for us, the discussion on the MFF is first and foremost a political discussion, not an economic one. It is a political debate that should reflect the EU’s priorities for the coming period, and we know very well where we need to focus.”
He then referred to political developments in member states, noting that “the second political aspect of this discussion is the fact that we do not have a government in Sweden. Efforts are underway to form a government, and nothing can be ruled out,” he said.
Furthermore, “at the same time, there are elections in Spain. We don’t know the outcome; we don’t know if it will be possible to form a government. And at the same time, in 2027, there will be elections in France, Italy, Poland, and possibly other member states. So it is very important to reach an agreement before the end of the year,” he said.
Regarding the package’s final form, the President referred to an 8% reduction proposed by the Irish compared to the Commission’s proposal. “It’s not something we agree with, but since, at the end of the day, it’s a compromise, I believe this reduction will increase slightly more, and we’ll end up with a double-digit reduction: 10%, 11%, 12%, but the most important thing is to reach a political agreement by the end of the year,” he reiterated.
Finally, he assessed that the MFF will dominate the discussions. “I believe the MFF will dominate. We have a new negotiating framework before us, and certainly the issue of energy—which touches on the European Union’s competitiveness, and the costs that families and businesses are being called upon to bear as a result of a prolonged and unprecedented crisis,” he noted.
Referring to Lebanon, the President welcomed “the decision to establish an EU mission. “As the Republic of Cyprus, we are ready to serve as the operational hub, given our proximity to Lebanon, our diplomatic relations with Lebanon, but we also have the infrastructure for training,” he said.
“You are familiar with the CYCLOPS training center, which was established in the Republic of Cyprus in partnership with the United States. It has already trained individuals from 50 countries in the region. We are ready to take on this very important role,” he said.
Regarding migration, he noted that Cyprus’s actions “can serve as a model,” as “they have led to a reduction of over 90% in arrivals—and a 180% increase in returns—all compared to 2022.” He also expressed his support for a European emergency response mechanism, as the European Commission is expected to propose, “especially when we see instances of exploitation; we have seen many countries exploiting the migration issue.”
Regarding Cyprus’s accession to the Schengen Area, he noted that, as he has already done with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he will have the opportunity to discuss with his counterparts the Republic of Cyprus’s application for full accession to the Schengen Area. “All technical preparations have already been completed, and we hope that the issue will be discussed by the relevant council in December so that the final political decisions can be made,” he said.
Regarding the Trump agreement – Putin and the fact that the EU was neither informed nor involved, Mr. Christodoulides told CNA that “it is certainly something that will be discussed; it is something that concerns us. It would clearly be better if there were consultation between the United States and the European Union on this specific issue. For us, our priority is to look at our own house—what we do as the European Union, as member states— and that is why we clearly support greater flexibility on the part of the European Union regarding the adoption of national measures.”
Regarding China and competitiveness, he noted that “taking into account the discussion that took place here, within the European People’s Party, I believe there is a clearly stronger common approach regarding how the European Union should engage with China. So we do not expect particularly difficult discussions on this issue.”
When asked about the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed, and the expansion of the war front into the Red Sea involving the Houthis, the President stated that “I expect us all to move in the same direction,” pointing toward “measures with an immediate impact on citizens—first and foremost on households, families, and businesses.”
Second, institutional measures that cannot be implemented immediately due to the preparatory work required, but “that will help the European Union reduce its dependence on the region. And it is within this context that we will also address the GSI, the importance of the GSI, and the interconnection of member states,” he said.
Third, “at least here in Cyprus, we are moving in this direction: strengthening citizens’ disposable income so that they can respond, among other things, to new challenges,” he added.
Regarding the EU–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, the President noted that confirmation is pending as to whether the Summit will take place. “If it takes place, Cyprus will be there. What we are seeking from the summit are concrete outcomes that will bring the region, the Gulf, and the European Union closer together,” he said.
He recalled that “it was one of our key priorities during our Presidency” and that an informal meeting was held in Cyprus with the participation of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Gulf countries, and Syria, where Cyprus was a “strong supporter” of closer EU ties with the region “through concrete, positive developments.” “At this point, we do not have a final decision,” he added.
Regarding the EU’s role as a provider of security in the Gulf, he stated that “of course, we must be a provider of security in the Middle East, in the Gulf. Our security and the security of the Gulf, the security of the European Union, are interconnected, so we must cooperate. We must play a much more active role not only in security but also in other areas.”
Finally, when asked if he would welcome Britain back into the EU, Mr. Christodoulides replied: “If Britain is ready to return, we are ready to welcome it back.”
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