Statement by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at the joint press conference with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during the visit of the College of Commissioners to Cyprus
I warmly welcome the President of the European Commission to Cyprus, just a week after the opening ceremony of the Cyprus Presidency. Your visit today, along with the College of Commissioners, in the context of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, is of great importance and, inter alia, it confirms our close cooperation both at the preparatory phase and in the course of our Presidency.
Our Presidency is taking place at a time of complex challenges, but also of heightened, and, I would argue, justified, expectations on the part of European citizens. In this context, bearing this in mind, we will act as honest brokers and reliable partners, with a results-oriented approach, fully aware of our responsibilities. I am confident that through our very close cooperation with the Commission, as well as with the other institutions, we will achieve tangible, concrete results that benefit the Union and its citizens and promote further European integration and strategic autonomy, the strategic independence of our Union.
Ladies and gentlemen,
During today's meetings, we had the opportunity to discuss the Priorities of our Presidency, in detail, alongside the Commission’s work programme for 2026. As expected, there is significant alignment in the goals we want to achieve, in the objectives and in specific actions we will promote together over the next few months.
I want to be precise.
Firstly, strengthening the EU’s defence, security, and preparedness. We agreed that a strong Europe must have the means and tools to protect its citizens, first and foremost, and to ensure its energy and economic security. We particularly welcome the progress made in 2025 under the leadership of the President of the Commission and the President of the Council with important tools such as SAFE, as well as on military mobility. During our Presidency we will continue the important work already carried out with determination, moving now – and this is important – to the implementation stage. Our Presidency will work towards the approval of member states’ plans under SAFE, based, of course, on the relevant recommendations of the Commission. At the same time, we will work on migration to ensure that the Pact on Migration and Asylum is fully implemented during our Presidency. To this end, an informal meeting will be held here in Cyprus in June. Meanwhile, as an island member state of the EU in a region seriously threatened by the climate crisis, we will pay particular attention to both maritime and water security.
Secondly, strengthening European competitiveness, in view of the Informal European Council on February 12, which will be dedicated exclusively to competitiveness. We agreed upon the need to strengthen the Single Market, energy connectivity and innovation. Our Presidency will collaborate closely with the Commission to promote initiatives that reduce bureaucracy, simplify legislation and provide effective support to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Thirdly, we discussed the international role of the EU and the importance of a Europe being open to the world. In this context, I welcome the first important deliverable of the first ten days of our Presidency, the approval of the EU-Mercosur agreement, after 25 years of negotiations. We also discussed the Eastern Mediterranean, agreeing that it is a region of particular geostrategic importance for the EU. Our Presidency will promote initiatives to strengthen political dialogue and cooperation with the countries of the region in thematic areas such as energy, migration and regional security. In this regard, the Commission’s contribution will be crucial at the extended meeting we are planning to hold in Cyprus in April, with the participation of the region’s leaders, to present the initial projects under the Pact for the Mediterranean.
Fourthly, we exchanged views on social cohesion and the protection of European values, given that economic progress must go hand in hand with social justice. Our Presidency will work closely with the Commission to promote policies that advance equality and improve the quality of life of European citizens. This includes the implementation of the Affordable Housing Plan, through specific actions, which was recently presented by the President of the Commission. The Affordable Housing Plan will be discussed during the Informal Meeting that will be held in Cyprus in May.
Fifthly, we discussed the ongoing negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). We agreed on the necessity of having a strategic budget that reflects our new priorities, such as those I mentioned earlier – defence, security, competitiveness – without disregarding important, traditional policies such as cohesion and the Common Agricultural Policy. Cyprus will work intensively to ensure that substantial progress is made and that we deliver a mature negotiation framework to the Irish Presidency.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Beyond the Priorities of the Cyprus Presidency, today, we also had the opportunity to discuss with the President of the Commission the readiness of the Republic of Cyprus for full integration into the Schengen Area. I thanked the President for the excellent cooperation we have with the Commission, and we look forward to further substantial progress and our accession in 2026. And, of course, we discussed, and I briefed the President on the latest developments on the Cyprus question and our efforts to resume negotiations. This is important, which is why we exchanged views, and I would like to publicly thank the President of the Commission for her decision to appoint Mr Hahn as her Special Envoy, which is a clear indication of the EU’s interest in the Cyprus Question.
I would like to conclude, once again, by expressing my warmest thanks to the President [of the European Commission] and the College [of Commissioners] for their substantial support of the Commission during the Cyprus Presidency, and to express my confidence in an excellent and highly productive cooperation.
Thank you very much.
