A comprehensive, fair and lasting settlement for Cyprus remains an absolute priority of the EU and this Commission, said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, in his opening remarks during the presentation of the programme of activities of the Cyprus Presidency on Tuesday at the EP Plenary Session in Strasbourg.
He also expressed his certitude that that the Cypriot Presidency will be ‘a great success for Europe and all Europeans’.
The Cypriot Presidency motto of promoting an autonomous Union, open to the world, truly resonates with the ambition of this Commission, said Tzitzikostas, adding that this guiding principle is more relevant than ever as we navigate through profound transformation in the international order.
‘It is unacceptable that in 2026 there is an EU member state that is still under occupation. A comprehensive, fair and lasting settlement for Cyprus remains an absolute priority of the EU and this Commission’, he stressed.
Welcoming the Cypriot Presidency’s focus on security and defence, the Commissioner said that ‘following historic strides towards securing the EU’s defence readiness in the past 12 months, we must now double our efforts to turn all our initiatives into concrete actions, including with the implementation of the SAFE instrument and the adoption of the Council Implementing Decisions on the National Plans, as well as with the swift adoption of the Military Mobility Package presented last month, and the Defence Omnibus’.
Secondly, we must maintain our support to Ukraine, following up on the agreement at the December European Council, he continued, adding that the Commission tabled all the needed legislative proposals and the EU loan and counts on the Council and the Parliament to swiftly proceed with the work on the corresponding legal acts to secure timely implementation.
On migration, Tzitzikostas expressed the Commission’s appreciation for the Cyprus Presidency’s ambition to prioritise the full implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum in view of its full entry force in June of 2026, while also counting on the Presidency and the European Parliament to reach a swift agreement in trilogues on the Returns proposal.
‘Competitiveness must remain a top priority. We must advance swiftly on the simplification agenda, close the innovation gap, advance the decarbonisation of our economy, and reduce excessive dependencies. We welcome the Presidency’s focus on these topics, as we heard earlier from President Christodoulides, and we stand ready to work closely with the co-legislators to drive this agenda forward’, he further noted.
On simplification, he said that more than half of the new legislative initiatives announced in the Commission’s 2026 Work Programme have simplification potential, adding the Commission will present at least three more omnibus simplification proposals on taxation, energy product legislation, and simplifying rules for citizens.
‘These will come on top of our ten earlier packages, which could reduce recurrent administrative costs by EUR 11.9 billion. Quick progress is needed on all these proposals to ensure they benefit businesses on the ground’, he added.
The effective implementation of the Single Market Strategy is crucial to addressing existing bottlenecks and unlocking its full potential by 2028, continued the European Commissioner, adding that the Commission will soon propose a Single Market Roadmap to 2028. He further said that the forthcoming proposal for a 28th regime will help innovative companies set up, operate, attract investments, and scale up in the Single Market thanks to a common EU corporate legal framework and expanded use of digital solutions.
Speeding up the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal and formally adopting the revised European climate law should also be a priority for the co-legislators according to Tzitzikostas, who added that the Industrial Accelerator Act that is expected on the 29th of January of 2026 will address key issues on how to improve resilience and competitiveness, such as the made-in-Europe public procurement, conditionalities for foreign direct investments in key strategic sectors, and additional actions needed to streamline permitting.
He also said that the forthcoming EU Strategies for Ports and the Maritime Industry, to be adopted in February 2026 will define a clear path towards greater competitiveness, resilience, and security in the waterborne sector, from infrastructure to vessels, while additionally, the Commission will propose a revised and simplified framework for public procurement. The new framework will integrate preference criteria designed to support EU startups and innovators, ensuring at the same time EU added value while securing the supply of essential technologies, products, and services.
‘Furthermore, we share the Presidency’s emphasis on leaving no-one behind. Improving the daily lives of all Europeans, especially in terms of affordability, housing and quality jobs, are among this Commission’s top priorities’, he then said, adding that the Commission will come with the new European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, which will include important measures on housing and short-term rentals.
‘To bring down energy prices for both industry and households, we will continue working towards a genuine Energy Union. Our December 25 Grids Package and Energy Highways Initiative will enable energy to flow efficiently across the Member States, integrating cheaper clean energy and accelerating electrification. Moreover, a high number of key deliverables from our Affordable Energy Action Plan are on the horizon, and the co-legislators’ guidance will be vital to their successful implementation’, he explained.
Particular attention will be paid to regional cohesion, according to the Commissioner, citing as examples the strategies for coastal and island communities that will support coastal and island communities to better seize opportunities and address the challenges they face, while in Spring 2026, the Commission will adopt its first-ever European Tourism Strategy, supporting destinations facing unbalanced tourism flows, improving skills, investing in digital tools and connectivity, and strengthening Europe’s global attractiveness.
He called the competitiveness of the health sector as another top priority, where the Commission looks forward to a swift start of the discussions on the Biotech Act that was adopted last December, while there is hope for a robust compromise on the Critical Medicines Act under this Presidency, and for the swift formalisation of the Agreement on the EU Pharmaceutical Rules.
‘In addition to the above, equally important are our global partnerships. Starting with our neighbours, we have begun implementing the Pact for the Mediterranean, providing the EU and countries in the Mediterranean region with a new impetus for engagement. We will also present a Middle East Strategy, outlining key EU and mutual interests in the region and how to promote them’, he also commented,
He explained it will support inclusive, flourishing democracies in Syria and Lebanon, while on Palestine and Gaza, it will be important to coordinate on how best to contribute to the 20-point plan and implementation of the UNSC Resolution. ‘The EU must have a seat on the table, including on the Board of Peace. We look forward to an informative debate in this House on how we can best contribute’, he underlined.
On trade, he said the Commission will continue with its ongoing trade diversification efforts and seek new opportunities in response to current instabilities in the global trade environment,
‘Last Saturday, President von der Leyen was in Paraguay for the signing of the EU-Mercosur Agreement. In the meantime, FTA negotiations continue with partners such as India, the UAE, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Australia. Moreover, the RESourceEU Plan, adopted in December 2025, will help accelerate our diversification agenda and should be implemented swiftly. This includes negotiations on amending the Critical Raw Materials Act and setting up a Critical Raw Materials Centre in the second quarter of 2026 to monitor and jointly purchase and stockpile essential minerals so that our strategic industries in Europe have sufficient and timely supplies’, he noted.
‘Finally, to deliver on our priorities, we need a strong Multiannual Financial Framework. We must ensure the EU budget can support key priorities, competitiveness, defence, the dual transition, while retaining the flexibility to respond to future crises. In this regard, we welcome the Cyprus Presidency’s intention to advance negotiations on the next MFF and to deliver a more developed negotiating box, in line with the ambition to reach an agreement by the end of 2026. This is essential to ensure that EU funding reaches beneficiaries without interruption in January 2028’, he said in closing.
He also thanked President Christodoulides and the Cypriot Presidency for ‘the excellent organisation of the College visit to Cyprus and the very constructive exchanges that took place’.