The European Commission has ramped up legal pressure on Cyprus for a series of serious regulatory failures, referring the country to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in three key cases and warning of further consequences if compliance gaps are not addressed.

In a renewed legal action, the Commission has referred Cyprus back to the EU Court over its long-standing failure to close and rehabilitate two non-compliant landfill sites in Vati (Limassol) and Kotsiatis (Nicosia), in violation of the Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC). Although operations at both sites ceased more than six years ago, authorities have yet to complete restoration works, leading Brussels to request financial penalties due to continued risks to public health and the environment.

This second referral follows a 2013 CJEU ruling against Cyprus and repeated delays in implementing the decision. The Commission also flagged additional waste management failures, including improper pre-treatment of landfill waste and failure to meet targets under EU directives on packaging and electronic waste.

In a separate case, Cyprus is among five countries (alongside Czechia, Spain, Poland, and Portugal) referred to the EU Court for failing to properly implement the Digital Services Act (DSA). While Cyprus has designated the Cyprus Broadcasting Authority as its national Digital Services Coordinator, it has not granted it the necessary powers to enforce the regulation.

The DSA, which came into effect in 2024, governs digital platforms and online services, aiming to ensure user safety and a level playing field. EU Member States were required to appoint and empower national coordinators by February 17, 2024. The Commission underlined that effective enforcement is essential for protecting users' rights and maintaining a uniform digital governance framework across the EU.

The Commission has also issued two formal “reasoned opinions” to Cyprus — the final step before a potential referral to the EU Court — over failures in transposing key EU directives.

The first concerns Cyprus’s failure to transpose the revised EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) directive for aviation (Directive 2023/958), which was due by December 31, 2023. These rules impose stricter emissions targets and integrate international aviation into the EU's climate strategy. Incomplete implementation risks undermining the internal market and EU climate goals.

The second is related to the EU’s cybersecurity framework. Cyprus is one of 19 Member States that failed to fully transpose the NIS2 Directive (Directive 2022/2555) — aimed at strengthening cybersecurity in essential sectors such as energy, health, and digital infrastructure. The deadline for full transposition was October 17, 2024. The Commission warned that without proper national implementation, the EU’s ability to respond to cyber threats could be significantly weakened.

Adding to the list, the Commission launched a new infringement procedure against Cyprus and five other countries (Denmark, France, Austria, Portugal, and Romania) for failing to transmit standardized customs data to the EU’s central surveillance system (SURV3) by January 1, 2024. This data is vital for risk management, border enforcement, and ensuring consistency across the EU Customs Code. Cyprus reportedly continues to use outdated formats and incomplete data sets, jeopardizing the effectiveness of customs operations across the bloc.

Cyprus has two months to address the pending infringement procedures related to emissions, cybersecurity, and customs reporting, or face further escalation to the CJEU. Meanwhile, legal proceedings for the DSA and landfill violations are already before the court, with potential financial sanctions looming.