Arriving at his final European Council summit under the Cyprus EU Presidency, President Nikos Christodoulides expressed immense pride in the island's legislative breakthroughs. Key achievements spanned strategic military mobility, expansive international trade deals, and critical progress on the Multiannual Financial Framework.

Unprecedented Legislative and Strategic Achievements

This six-month period has given us the opportunity, through actions and decisions recognised by all, to be proud of our country, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Thursday in Brussels. In his doorstep statements arriving at the European Council meeting, President Christodoulides noted that this is the last European Council during the Cyprus EU Presidency. “I am truly proud of our country. I am proud of the results we have achieved over these six months. We have exceeded every expectation,” he said, referring to some of the achievements of the Cyprus EU Presidency.

He recalled that “we had in many cases referred to three main objectives within the framework of our Presidency slogan for a more autonomous European Union, open to the world.” “We spoke about the need to strengthen the strategic autonomy of the European Union in all sectors, and I am pleased because there have been very significant developments in the field of defence and security,” the President added. Just yesterday, he said, “we closed the file concerning military mobility, the precursor to a kind of military Schengen of the European Union,” while 18 member states moved forward with SAFE programmes.

“We moved towards an Energy Union. We advanced in strengthening competitiveness by promoting and completing many files related to simplifying European Union procedures, which will bring enormous economic benefits to small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union,” he also said. Within the framework of strengthening strategic autonomy, he said, “we achieved, after many years, very significant developments in enlargement policy” concerning Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, and Montenegro.

Enhancing Citizen Daily Life and Global Diplomacy

The second objective, he recalled, was improving the daily lives of European citizens. “And I am pleased because we made significant progress on issues relating to health, airline passenger rights, education, and culture,” he said. President Christodoulides also noted that the Cyprus EU Presidency closed a file that had been under discussion for more than 10 years concerning the social security systems of member states.

Regarding the third objective – an EU open to the world - the President expressed satisfaction that, also due to the crisis in the region, “we brought the European Union much closer to the wider Middle East.” “There is no longer any doubt that the wider Middle East region is a region of strategic importance for the EU,” he added. He further stated that during the Cyprus Presidency, many trade agreements were concluded – with India, with the countries of Latin America, “we have closed the file for the agreement with the United States”, while negotiations have begun with the United Arab Emirates.

“We have closed the issues concerning the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union that had remained open since Britain left the European Union. There are so many achievements,” he added. President Christodoulides also noted that during participation earlier in the European People’s Party summit, he received congratulations for the Cyprus Presidency from the President of the Commission, the President of the European Parliament, the President of the EPP, and several of his counterparts in the European Council who come from the EPP.

He thanked all those who contributed “to this very important moment for our country,” the Deputy Minister for European Affairs and her associates, and members of the Council of Ministers, “all those who presented our priorities to the competent committees of the European Parliament.” “And I am pleased, I repeat, that this six-month period has given us the opportunity, not with words but with actions, with decisions recognised by all, to be proud of our country,” he stressed.

Shifting Geopolitics and Regional Implementation

Asked by a journalist about the situation in the region, he said the situation is much better than it was before. “What we need to do now is to make sure that whatever is signed is going to be implemented”, he said. In response to another question on the Middle East and the role of Europe following the agreement between the US and Iran, President Christodoulides said that the most important thing is for this agreement to be implemented in practice.

“And here the European Union has an important role to play, and especially from our point of view, we also have a particular sensitivity regarding Lebanon, a country neighbouring the Republic of Cyprus. I am in constant contact with the President, to ensure stability and the territorial integrity of Lebanon,” he said.

Accession Path of Ukraine

Asked whether more chapters for Ukraine will be opened by July, President Christodoulides noted that the Ukrainian President has requested a bilateral meeting with him to discuss the opening of all clusters related to the accession process.

“From the Cyprus Presidency side, we are ready to do so. We are discussing with several member states, including the new Prime Minister of Hungary, who also participated in the first European People’s Party summit as Prime Minister of his country, to see whether the conditions exist to proceed,” he added. From the Cyprus Presidency’s side, “we are ready to close some other important files, which we will also discuss in the European Council, and until the very last day we will continue working with the same dedication.”

China and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)

Asked about China and the discussion expected on global macroeconomic imbalances, and whether new tools might be proposed, the President said that the most important outcome of the discussion on China is for the European Union, as 27 member states, to have a common approach towards China. “Because clearly, we are stronger when we negotiate as “27” than when each member state negotiates separately,” he said.

President Christodoulides stressed that in this Council, “the big issue tomorrow concerns the Multiannual Financial Framework.” “We have received congratulations from the President of the Commission, and it was also repeated at the European People’s Party, for the fact that we have matured the discussions, we have matured the file concerning the MFF, which reflects the EU’s new priorities, ensuring important areas such as cohesion funds, the Common Agricultural Policy, and others that are important for European citizens,” he added.

He noted that the “major goal” is completion by the end of 2026. “If we do not have a political decision and completion of negotiations by the end of 2026, I believe that in 2027, with elections in several member states, the situation will be clearly more difficult,” he noted. In response to another question on the MFF regarding new own resources and whether the European Council is ready for an in-depth discussion on both packages, he said: “We must enter into an in-depth discussion, because if this discussion does not start, especially on the issue of new revenue sources, we will not be able to reach a conclusion.” He said this was “a key component” of the overall architecture of the MFF.

Source: CNA(ΚΥΠΕ)