Deputy Minister of European Affairs Marilena Raouna and British Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds, have expressed their readiness to continue their close cooperation during the Cyprus EU Presidency, with the aim of maintaining the momentum in EU-UK relations and further strengthening them for the mutual benefit of both sides.
According to a press release by the Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026, the UK official is paying Cyprus a working visit in view of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU that will begin in January 2026, and focused on EU-UK relations and the prospects for their further strengthening in mutually beneficial areas.
During the meeting, ‘the two sides confirmed the excellent level of bilateral relations, highlighting the deepening of the ties between the two countries within the framework of their strategic cooperation.’
It is added that they exchanged views on strengthening of the EU-UK relations and examined ways to exploit the momentum that has developed following the positive results of the EU-UK Summit last May in London.
In this context, the press release says, emphasis was placed on the implementation of existing agreements, as well as on achieving tangible results on the agreements of the Summit, in important areas of common interest such as security and defence, contacts between citizens and migration.
They discussed about the SAFE Regulation and the participation of the UK, the Erasmus + programme, youth mobility, sanitary and phytosanitary cooperation, as well as issues concerning EU-UK trade relations.
‘The two sides expressed their readiness to continue their close cooperation during the Cyprus Presidency, with the aim of maintaining the momentum in EU-UK relations and further strengthening them for the mutual benefit of both sides,’ the statement says.
Raouna also informed the UK official about the latest developments in the Cyprus issue and the efforts made by the Greek Cypriot side to resume negotiations on the basis of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, as well as the progress in the process for the full integration of Cyprus into the Schengen area, the press release concludes.