Category: Cyprus News Agency

The deliveries of cow milk reached 25.36 thousand tons in August 2026, compared to 24.72 thousand tons in August of last year, marking an increase of 2.5%, according to data Cyprus Statistical Service announced on Monday.

In July 2026, deliveries had risen to 25.53 thousand tons.

Furthermore, in relation to the production of dairy products from cow milk, according to the data from the Statistical Service, the drinking milk amounted to 4.66 thousand tons in August 2026, showing a decrease of 1.3% compared to last August.

The production of cream for immediate consumption reached 0.34 thousand tons, marking a decrease of 8% compared to August 2025.

The production of cheese exclusively from cow milk amounted to 0.03 thousand tons in August 2026, up from 0.02 thousand tons, marking an increase of 50%.

In relation to acidified milks, their production amounted to 0.72 thousand tons, down from 0.73 thousand tons in August 2025, showing a decrease of 1.3%.

The estimated value of fishery products landed in Cyprus reached approximately pound 4.03 million in 2025, according to data published by Eurostat on Monday.

At EU level, the total value of fishery product landings stood at pound 5.5 billion in 2025, remaining at a similar level to 2024. At the same time, catches by the EU fishing fleet in the seven marine areas covered by European statistics were estimated at a total of 3.3 million tonnes.

Spain recorded the highest value of landings, accounting for 31% of the EU total. It was followed by France, with 18%, and Italy, with 12%.

In terms of catch volume, the Spanish fishing fleet accounted for 21% of the EU total. It was followed by Denmark, with 16%, and France, with 14%.

Andorra and San Marino sign Association Agreement to move closer to the EU

Today, the Commission signed an Association Agreement with Andorra and San Marino, bringing both countries closer to the EU and establishing a clear and comprehensive framework for deeper economic and institutional integration.

The Agreement gives Andorra and San Marino access to the Internal Market under common rules and fair competition conditions. It provides citizens, businesses and public authorities with greater legal certainty and predictability, facilitates trade, supports investment and encourages cross-border economic activity, while respecting the specific characteristics of both partners.

It also sets out a framework for dialogue and cooperation in areas of shared interest, including research and innovation, education, social policy, the environment, consumer protection, culture and regional cooperation.

In financial services, integration will take place gradually and subject to specific conditions. This will include an assessment of the robustness of both partner’s regulatory and supervisory frameworks.

The EU also signed updated Monetary Agreements with Andorra and San Marino to address overlaps with the new Association Agreement and provide greater legal certainty.

Next steps

Following the signature, the Council will request the consent of the European Parliament before proceeding with the conclusion of the Agreement. It will be ready for provisional application as soon as the respective ratification procedures in Andorra and San Marino allow.

Background

Negotiating directives adopted by the Council in December 2014 empowered the Commission to begin negotiations on an Association Agreement with Andorra, Monaco and San Marino in 2015. Following the suspension of negotiations with Monaco in September 2023, negotiations continued with Andorra and San Marino, and were successfully concluded in December 2023.

On 26 April 2024, the Commission presented proposals for Council decisions on the signing, provisional application and conclusion of the Agreement. In July 2026, the Council authorised its signature and provisional application.

Separate Monetary Agreements already govern the use of the euro and related obligations. These were signed in 2011 with Andorra and in 2012 with San Marino. In December 2025, the Council empowered the Commission to negotiate amendments to those Monetary Agreements to address overlaps between their obligations and those arising under the new Association Agreement. The Commission approved the amendments for signature in September 2026.

More than 120 sailors from 13 countries took part in the ‘Regatta for Peace’, the largest amateur sailing event ever held in Cyprus, with 24 boats competing on the route from Larnaca Marina to Ayia Napa Marina. The event was held on Saturday, 17 October, on the initiative of the Embassy of Italy in Nicosia, in cooperation with the Cyprus Sailing Federation and the marinas of Larnaca and Ayia Napa.

According to an announcement by the Italian Embassy, the race started in the late morning from Larnaca Marina, in the presence of Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras and Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis. The crews, almost all of mixed nationalities and including many Italians, sailed approximately 16 nautical miles along the island’s south-eastern coast, reaching Ayia Napa Marina in the early afternoon.

The boats competed in two classes, A and B, under a handicap system that allows boats of different designs to race on equal terms, the announcement said.

The Italian Embassy noted that the ‘Regatta for Peace’ was the first European leg of the international roadshow leading up to the America’s Cup, which will be held in Italy for the first time in July 2027.

‘We dedicated this regatta to peace, the most desired gift on earth,’ said the Ambassador of Italy to Cyprus, Antonella Cavallari.

‘Peace is the founding value of diplomacy – ultimately, the very reason diplomacy exists. And sports diplomacy is one of its most important instruments: sport conveys a powerful message through its values – fair play, respect for the rules, respect for one another, cooperation and friendship. Today, more than ever, these are the values that should guide relations between nations and their peoples,’ she added.

According to the Italian Embassy, Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis expressed his appreciation for the event and his hope that the regatta would become an annual event, given its positive impact and contribution to diversifying the country’s tourism offering.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth Marios Panayides, speaking on behalf of the Minister, also underlined the value of such initiatives.

Cyprus ‘strongly condemns’ the latest settler attacks in West Bank against diplomats and other persons, noting that international law must be fully upheld.

In a post on X, Cyprus’ Foreign Ministry said Cyprus ‘strongly condemns the latest settler attacks in the occupied West Bank against diplomats from Belgium, France and Poland, Catholic representatives and a French mayor’.

‘We take note of the ongoing investigation by the Israeli authorities and join the calls for those responsible to be swiftly held to account’, it adds.

These incidents, the Ministry said, ‘also reflect the alarming scale of settler violence against Palestinians’. ‘Such unacceptable acts undermine the prospects for lasting peace and stability. International law must be fully upheld’, it notes.

Cyprus, it said, reaffirms its support for the two-state solution, in line with the relevant UN resolutions.

A new meeting between the leaders of Cyprus’ two communities is scheduled to take place on Tuesday morning, with President Nikos Christodoulides describing the atmosphere ahead of Tuesday’s meeting as ‘absolutely fine’.

The meeting has been scheduled for 11 am at the UN Good Offices Mission offices at Nicosia Airport, in the buffer zone.

In a post on Monday, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis wrote that the aim remains to achieve meaningful progress towards the resumption of negotiations from the point at which they were suspended, within the agreed framework.

‘We approach the meeting with the same constructive attitude, consistency and specific proposals, convinced that meaningful dialogue can create the conditions for the next steps,’ he added.

Meanwhile, following the inauguration ceremony of the renovated Nicosia Accident and Emergency Department (A and E), the President declined to make any statements on the matter. Asked by a journalist about the atmosphere ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, he replied: ‘The atmosphere is absolutely fine.’

The last meeting between President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman took place last Tuesday, 13 October, while both leaders also attended the Peace Festival in Pyla on Saturday.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.

Tourists arrivals recorded a new high record in September, reaching 580,889, recording an 1.8% increase, compared to September 2025 (570,635). For the first nine months of the year, arrivals record a year-over-year decrease of 5.6%, totaling 3,401,538 compared to 3.604.790 in the corresponding period of 2025.

According to data published on Monday by the Statistical Service, arrivals from the United Kingdom were the main source of tourism for September 2026, with a share of 31.7% (184,345) of total arrivals, followed by Israel with 18.1% (105,249), Poland with 7.2% (41,636), Germany with 5.2% (30,362), Greece with 3.4% (19,995) and Sweden with 3.2% (18,656).

In September 2026, 84.8% of tourists travelled for holidays, 9.8% visited friends and relatives and 5.2% travelled for business purposes. Respectively, in September 2025, 84.8% of tourists visited Cyprus for holidays, 10.1% visited friends or relatives and 5% visited Cyprus for business purposes.

According to CYSTAT, a total of 165,447 residents of Cyprus returned from a trip abroad in September 2026 compared to 166,129 in the corresponding month last year, recording a decrease of 0.4%.

The main countries from which residents of Cyprus returned in September 2026 were Greece with a share of 35.9% (59,422), the United Kingdom with 6.5% (10,755), Italy with 5.6% (9,227) and Russia with 4.7% (7,711).

The purpose of travel for the residents of Cyprus in September 2026 was mainly holidays, with a percentage of 82.9%, whilst business reasons held a percentage of 14.3%, studies 1.5% and other reasons 1.2%.

Cyprus expects to begin the process of paying pound 25 million towards the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) electricity link in the coming weeks, following the expected issuance of a NAVTEX by the Greek Government before the end of October, Energy Minister Michalis Damianos said.

The payment will come from the state budget, with Cyprus committed to contributing pound 25 million annually for five years, up to a maximum of pound 125 million, depending on the progress of the project. The payment relating to 2025 has been deferred because no work advanced that year, Damianos told the House Finance Committee during a presentation of his ministry’s 2027 budget.

The GSI is intended to connect the electricity grids of Cyprus and Greece, helping end Cyprus’s energy isolation. However, its progress has been complicated by geopolitical tensions and questions over costs and financial commitments. The Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) has so far recognised pound 82 million of the pound 302 million claimed in expenses by project implementer ADMIE, the minister said.

The project is linked to pound 650 million in European funding. A study by the European Investment Bank is also under way, while additional financing, if required, said the Minister, could be sought from EU funds, investors or the EIB. The possibility of state participation in the project’s share capital will be considered after the study is completed.

Damianos said the legal implications of a possible failure to complete the project because of geopolitical risks were complex and would require advice from the relevant legal experts. He said consumers would begin paying their share of the project through electricity bills only after its completion and the start of electricity transfers to Cyprus, with repayment spread over 30 years.

‘If electricity does not come to Cyprus, we will not pay,’ he said.

The minister described the interconnector as important for both electricity adequacy and geopolitical reasons, while acknowledging the risks to its implementation. He expected Turkey to react as it had in 2020 and 2025, adding that Cyprus did not have the equipment to protect vessels operating in its exclusive economic zone. Greece, the French Government and French interests linked to the project had a role in addressing the issue, he said, adding that Nicosia was being kept fully informed by Athens. If it proceeds, the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2031.

Damianos also described completion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Vasilikos as essential, saying the government aimed to secure natural gas before 2030, when Electricity Authority of Cyprus generating units are expected to be retired. Gas-fired generation could lower electricity production costs, reduce emissions and strengthen competition, he said.

Eight bidders are involved in the process to complete the terminal, with the government targeting an award before the end of 2027. The Minister said that if natural gas cannot be secured, Cyprus will have to continue using heavy fuel oil, a significantly more expensive alternative, he said.

The government, he added, is also advancing energy storage plans, including 120 megawatts of storage capacity being promoted by the Transmission System Operator, expected to be connected to the grid in January, and a further 80 MW planned by the Electricity Authority by the end of 2028. A pound 20 million scheme to subsidise industrial batteries is also being promoted.

On offshore gas, Damianos said the Aphrodite field consortium had requested changes to the financial terms in its favour, a proposal currently under technical and economic examination. Gas from Aphrodite and the Kronos field is planned for export to Egypt. Longer-term options for bringing gas from smaller offshore fields to the Cypriot market are also being examined, although this is not currently feasible, he said.

The Energy Ministry’s 2027 budget stands at pound 83.8 million, down from pound 145.4 million in 2026, mainly because Recovery and Resilience Facility funding included in the current year’s development spending will not be available in 2027.

The strengthening of relations between the United States and Cyprus was discussed on Monday between the new US Ambassador to Cyprus, John Breslow, and the President of the Cyprus House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, at a meeting in her office.

As the Ambassador stated during the meeting, ‘we hope to continue our relationship and make it stronger,’ noting that US President Donald Trump has directed him to make sure that the United States is safer, stronger and more prosperous.

‘And I think if we can do that together, Cyprus is as good a partner as we have. It’s going to make both of our countries significantly better. And I’m happy to be here to discuss issues with you,’ he said, adding that ‘there certainly are a lot. This is a very interesting neighborhood that Cyprus is in, and we hope to continue our relationship and make it stronger.’

‘I’m sure we will,’ Demetriou commented, welcoming the Ambassador.

For her part, the House President noted that “it’s really important, especially now with everything that we are hearing, to have this consensus and the common line that is really necessary to see how we’re going to confront, according to our norms and principles, all the challenges we have in front of us. You know that Cyprus has a strategic position. It’s not easy at all, but we believe that through important allies like the United States, we are really ready to confront and deal with all these difficult political issues,’ she said.

She added that ‘it’s a pleasure and an honor to have you here in the House of Representatives,’ and welcomed the Ambassador, adding that she was looking forward to their discussion.

European Commission representatives expressed satisfaction with the work and plans of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), during a tour of its facilities under construction at Verengaria in Polemidia, in Limassol district, which are expected to be completed in 2027.

The delegation of European officials is in Cyprus for a two-day visit during which the fifth reporting period of the EXCELSIOR project is being evaluated (RP5 Review Meeting).

Highlighting the importance of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence for both Cyprus and Europe, Director of Research Programmes at the European Commission’s European Research Executive Agency (REA), Alberto Fernández-Wyttenbach, said the centre was of strategic importance.

‘The ERATOSTHENES Centre is a flagship strategic project for the country, not only in the area of observation of space, but also in satellite telecommunications. It is operating very well, and the support that is going to receive in the future from the Ministry of Research is also demonstrating that there is substantial investment at political level, as well as an understanding that this is a strategic industrial field that needs to be developed,’ he said.

He also noted that Cyprus is now an associated member of the European Space Agency (ESA), adding that ‘this Centre puts the capabilities of Cyprus up front the international space community’.

Expressing satisfaction with the work being carried out, Fernández-Wyttenbach stressed that ERATOSTHENES ‘demonstrates that Cyprus needs to be at the forefront alongside other countries that are also members of the European Space Agency’.

On his part, ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence Chief Executive Officer, Professor Diofantos Hadjimitsis, said the site visit formed part of the evaluation of the EXCELSIOR project, which is funded by the Republic of Cyprus and the European Commission to the tune of pound 38 million.

‘European funding will come to an end in December, and we will continue with other sources of funding, including the Republic of Cyprus,’ he said.

Saying that the European Commission representatives were ‘fully satisfied with the progress of the construction work’, Professor Hadjimitsis said the facilities are expected to be completed by the summer of 2027, after which the Centre’s equipment, currently housed at various locations across the city, would be transferred there.

‘The Centre will be co-located with CUT’s Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, with the aim of pooling our strengths in research and innovation, not only for CUT and Cyprus but also to become a giant in Europe,’ he noted.

Furthermore, he said that having its own facilities would allow the Centre of Excellence to eliminate a significant expense associated with renting its current premises, and to bring together approximately 120 staff members who are currently spread across four buildings in central Limassol.

He added that the new building would feature specialised laboratories, rooms equipped with digital technology and collaborative spaces, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainable design.

Meanwhile, CUT Vice-Rector for Financial Planning and Development, Vangelis Akylas, said the university stood firmly behind ERATOSTHENES, which was, in any case, ‘its own child’.

‘We are doing everything we can to support it and, according to the schedule, it is expected to be completed in 2027, becoming a building of high technological standards and architectural beauty,’ he said.

He added that construction of the university’s new student residences was also at an advanced stage, with a total capacity of 500 beds.

More specifically, he said Phase A of the student residence project at Verengaria would be handed over soon, while Phase B was expected to be completed in 2027.

The European Commission delegation subsequently visited the EarthView Cyprus station in the community of Pera Oreinis (Nicosia district). The station is operated by a consortium comprising the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence and CYTA.

The visit concluded at the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence’s CARO atmospheric observatory in Limassol, which is equipped with advanced systems for monitoring dust, particulate matter, clouds and wind.