Category: Cyprus News Agency

The European Commission has given a positive assessment of Cyprus’ sixth payment request worth pound 120 million under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the central pillar of the NextGenerationEU programme.

According to an announcement by the EU Commission, the assessment confirms that Cyprus has successfully completed 22 milestones and five targets linked to reforms and investments across key sectors, including healthcare, education, public administration, the business environment and the green transition.

Among the flagship measures are the establishment of a new school evaluation system to improve education quality and student outcomes, the rollout of a cross-border health data exchange system enabling e-prescriptions and patient summaries, the introduction of flexible working arrangements in the public sector, the expansion of the electronic building permit system with new digital functionalities such as e-signatures and e-consultation, and the expansion of renewable energy and smart grid testing infrastructure at the University of Cyprus.

Cyprus submitted its sixth payment request on 17 December 2025. The Commission has forwarded its preliminary positive assessment to the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), which has four weeks to deliver its opinion. The payment will be authorised once the EFC issues a positive opinion and the Commission formally adopts the payment decision.

Cyprus’s Recovery and Resilience Plan is backed by pound 1.02 billion in grants and focuses on reforms and investments supporting the green and digital transitions, economic competitiveness, healthcare, education and judicial efficiency.

Once the sixth payment is disbursed, Cyprus will have received pound 683 million under the RRF, including pound 131 million in pre-financing in 2021 and a pound 21 million REPowerEU pre-payment in 2024. This represents 67% of the country’s total RRF allocation, while 62% of the plan’s milestones and targets have already been fulfilled.

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The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) All Share Index closed at today`s stock exchange meeting as follows:

MEETING DATE: 13/07/2026

INDICES BASE VALUES: FTSEMed=5000, OTHERS = 1000

EURO (pound )

TRADED VALUE 339.583,63

INDEX

VALUE

%DIFF.

VALUE

FTSE/CySE 20

183,240

0,420

331.255,630

MAIN MARKET INDEX

248,520

0,520

271.683,800

INVESTMENT COMPANIES MARKET INDEX

3.012,380

0,000

22.818,670

CSE GENERAL INDEX

311,680

0,430

331.453,630

HOTELS INDEX

1.964,800

-2,200

2.000,000

ALTERNATIVE MARKET INDEX

2.053,840

0,200

67.899,830

* The second column presents the percentage variation of the indices as compared to the last meeting.

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EU steps up international support for Palestinians with major initiative for Gaza’s early recovery and stronger international coordination

Today, the European Commission is convening the second meeting of the Palestine Donor Group (PDG), co-chaired by Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica and Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. 65 delegations gather in Brussels for the launch of a new Initiative for early recovery in Gaza and to discuss the Palestinian Authority’s Reform Agenda.

The meeting is delivering on two key outcomes: increased financial pledges through the PEGASE mechanism, and the launch of the Team Gaza Initiative. Participants include Ministers and senior officials from EU Member States and partner countries, as well as representatives of international and regional organisations and financial institutions. The meeting is attended for the first time by the High Representative of the Board of Peace, Nikolay Mladenov, and the Head of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, Ali Shaath.

Commission adopts measures to support implementation of EU Deforestation Regulation

Today, the European Commission adopted measures on the product scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the functioning of its Information System. Together with the amendments agreed last December, the updated Guidance document – available in the coming days in all EU languages – and Frequently Asked Questions, these measures will provide greater legal certainty and predictability for businesses and Member States while ensuring the Regulation can be applied effectively as of December 2026.

The delegated act updates and simplifies the list of products covered by the Regulation. Following stakeholder consultation, public feedback, and assessment with the methodology from the Staff Working Document, cattle hides, skins, leather, re-treaded tyres, soybeans for sowing, articles of vulcanised rubber, conveyor and transmission belts, and aircraft and motor vehicle seats are removed from the scope of the Regulation. At the same time, soluble coffee, certain palm oil derivatives and frozen cattle tongues are added to the list of products. To allow businesses sufficient time to prepare, the new products added to the scope will become subject to the Regulation from 30 December 2027. The Delegated Act will now be sent to the European Parliament and Council for scrutiny before entry into force.

The implementing act sets out the functioning of the Information System, updating it to reflect the changes introduced by the revised Regulation and enhance the user friendliness of the system. The updated system introduces operational simplifications, including simplified declarations for micro and small primary operators and updated technical specifications for automated application programming interfaces. The IT system is accessible again since June 2026. Companies can already start familiarising themselves with new functionalities and entering their data well ahead of the entry into application. Additional functionalities will be introduced later this summer. The Commission will also continue to improve the system and remain in close contact with companies.

Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said: ‘With this package, we are providing the clarity and predictability that businesses, Member States and our international partners need to prepare for the application of the EU Deforestation Regulation end 2026. Following the agreement reached by the co-legislators, we have completed the simplification review and put in place the necessary measures to ensure a smooth and effective implementation.’

EU and Bahrain launch Strategic Partnership Agreement negotiations

Yesterday, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, officially launched the negotiations for an EU-Bahrain Strategic Partnership Agreement.

This decision further strengthens the robust partnership between the EU and Bahrain, building on the 2022 EU Joint Communication, which outlined a vision for a deeper partnership with the Gulf, and the joint agenda launched by Gulf and European leaders at the 2024 EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Brussels.

High Representative/Vice-President Kallas said: ‘Europe is a reliable partner to the Gulf. The launch of negotiations with Bahrain for a new Strategic Partnership Agreement makes clear we want to deepen our ties. At a time of great instability in the region, partnerships matter more than ever. Once in place, this new framework will bring benefits for both sides and the wider Gulf. In short, the EU and Bahrain will be working much closer in areas of shared interest: common security, stability and trade across our two regions.’

Commissioner Šuica said: ‘Bahrain is a key partner for the EU. With this Strategic Partnership Agreement, we are opening a bold new chapter – deepening cooperation across a wide range of areas, boosting economic cooperation, resilience, innovation, and delivering shared prosperity. Together, we also look forward to working in trilateral cooperation to advance stability, peace and prosperity across the wider region.’

More information on the EU’s relations with Bahrain are available in the joint statement and a dedicated factsheet.

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The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Dr Maria Panayiotou, participated on Monday in the proceedings of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the European Union in Brussels.

According to an announcement, in her intervention the Minister congratulated Ireland on assuming its duties and said that Cyprus would continue to work actively to shape European policies that ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of agriculture and fisheries.

During the discussion on the EU Strategy for Livestock and the Protein Action Plan, the Minister said that the two initiatives constitute central tools for strengthening the resilience of European agriculture, ensuring food security and enhancing the Union’s strategic autonomy.

According to the announcement, the Minister stressed that the success of these initiatives requires adequate funding, meaningful flexibility and respect for national specificities, without placing a one-sided burden on the resources of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Referring to the needs of Cyprus as an island state, she highlighted the need to strengthen biosecurity, prevention and the effective response to animal diseases. She also referred to ensuring a level playing field for European livestock farmers, who are being called upon to adapt to new requirements and increased pressures.

The Minister made particular reference to the role of women in agriculture, noting that the designation of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer is an important opportunity to highlight the need to strengthen the presence and voice of women in the agri-food sector.

On agricultural issues linked to trade, the Minister highlighted the strategic importance of geographical indications as an advantage of European agriculture.

According to the announcement, the Minister noted that geographical indications protect the authenticity and quality of European products, support producers and strengthen the sustainable development of rural areas.

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Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, in a post following his designation by the European Commission as the EU’s Special Representative for Cyprus, said he is honoured and thanked Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her trust and confidence.

‘I am honoured to have been designated by the European Commission as its Special Representative for Cyprus,’ Fitto said, adding that he welcomes this responsibility and remains fully committed to supporting the UN-led process.

He stressed that he will work in close cooperation with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, to help create the conditions for the resumption of negotiations and support a comprehensive and lasting settlement, including by building trust among all stakeholders and interlocutors.

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President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides is traveling to Paris Monday afternoon, at the invitation of his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to attend the military parade of the French Armed Forces, which will take place tomorrow on the Champs-Élysées on the occasion of France’s National Day.

The parade, which will be attended by heads of state and government, heads of EU institutions, and international organisations, will also feature a select unit of the Cyprus National Guard, following an invitation from the French Armed Forces. For this purpose, the Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Theodorou, has also traveled to Paris.

During his stay in Paris, the President of the Republic is expected to meet with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as other foreign leaders.

The President of the Republic, who will return to Cyprus on Tuesday, July 14, will be accompanied to Paris by Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou and other officials.

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The appointment of European Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto as the EU’s Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue reflects the European Union’s increased interest and readiness to play ‘a leading and more substantive role’ in efforts to resume negotiations, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday.

In a written statement, President Christodoulides welcomed ‘with particular satisfaction’ the decision by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to appoint Fitto as the EU’s Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue.

‘The choice of a senior official at the highest level of the Commission demonstrates the European Union’s increased interest and its readiness to play a leading and more substantive role in efforts to resume negotiations within the framework of the United Nations, while also adding significant political weight to the joint effort,’ he said.

The President said the development was ‘another tangible result of the consistent strategy’ pursued from the outset at the highest European level.

He noted that this strategy was reflected in the European Council conclusions of April 2024 and was further strengthened by a joint letter sent in March 2025 by the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council to the UN Secretary-General.

‘A leading role for the EU and the appointment of a European envoy, particularly one holding such a senior position within the Commission, had been strategic objectives of the government from the outset,’ President Christodoulides said.

He added that this was ‘an approach that was met with reservations by some’ but is now ‘recognised as positive and substantive’.

The President also said that, at a time when the UN Secretary-General’s initiative is under way, the European Union has declared its readiness to use the tools at its disposal.

‘Progress in EU-Turkey relations is directly linked to progress on the Cyprus issue and can create meaningful incentives for a mutually beneficial way forward,’ he stressed.

According to the President, ‘determination, consistency and the methodical implementation of our strategy’, combined with the UN Secretary-General’s steadfast commitment, have generated new momentum and concrete initiatives.

‘We will continue to make use of every opportunity for substantive progress, in the hope that all parties, and Turkey in particular, will demonstrate the same genuine political will,’ he said.

Concluding, President Christodoulides thanked the European Commission President ‘for her decisive role, her genuine interest and the close and ongoing coordination’.

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.

After informal meetings in 2025, followed by a hiatus of several months, deliberations are underway for a new meeting in broader format to be held, as the term of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nears its end. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.

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The Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry is investigating the incident involving a Cyprus-flagged container ship that came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, has told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), noting that there are no Cypriot nationals among the crew members.

The vessel involved is the Cyprus-flagged M/V GFS Galaxy, which, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the maritime security service operating under the UK’s Ministry of Defence, came under Iranian fire while sailing approximately nine nautical miles east of the Musandam Peninsula.

Asked about the incident, the Government Spokesperson said that “the incident is being investigated by the Shipping Deputy Ministry, which is in contact with the vessel’s management company and is taking all appropriate actions. At the same time, we are closely monitoring developments.”

He noted that the crew members are safe and have been transferred to a neighboring country, with the exception of one crew member who remains missing. Letymbiotis noted that there are no Cypriot nationals among the crew.

“Transit through the Strait of Hormuz is particularly difficult for all vessels, regardless of the flag they fly, especially under the conditions created by last night’s military operations,” he said.

The government has decided on additional projects worth pound 61.7 million for public hospitals, bringing total investment in public healthcare infrastructure to pound 206.7 million, President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides announced on Sunday in a recorded video message.

The President said the decision follows the pound 145 million worth of infrastructure projects that have already been announced and are being implemented, including the construction of a new hospital in Polis Chrysochous.

He said the new projects include the second and third phases of the Athalassa Mental Health Centre, the establishment of a new Infectious Diseases Unit at Nicosia General Hospital, the upgrade of the Intensive Care Unit and the Internal Medicine Department at Larnaca General Hospital, together with new facilities for the Cardiology and Pulmonology Clinics, as well as major upgrading and maintenance works at Troodos Hospital.

‘Our investment in the health sector continues with planning, a clear strategy and projects across the free areas of Cyprus,’ the President said.

He added that the projects cover all districts and aim to improve services for patients, while also enhancing working conditions for healthcare professionals.

The President further stated that the government is able to proceed with such investments thanks to its ‘responsible fiscal policy,’ which, he said, allows the benefits of economic growth to be returned to the society through investments in healthcare, education, social policy and housing.

The Cypriot film ‘The Lion on My Back’ by Tonia Mishiali, which explores the struggles faced by two women and the development of a strong friendship in a conservative society, has won the Ecumenical Award, one of the parallel prizes of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

An award was also presented to the Greek film (with Cypriot participation in the production) ‘A Whole Person, Almost’ by Efthymis Kosemund-Sanidis, which explores human connection, love and reconciliation. The film received the Best Director Award in the festival’s Proxima section.

The Crystal Globe, the top award of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, was presented to ‘The Fruit Gathering’ by Aung Phyoe from Myanmar, a film that portrays the struggles of two women in contemporary Myanmar.