Day: December 8, 2021

Minister of Justice and Public Order, Stephie Dracos assured on Wednesday she is determined and dedicated to implement the justice reform and she will do whatever it takes to see the reform materialised.

In a speech at the Final Conference of the project `Modernising the Civil Procedure Rules in Cyprus”, she said that today’s ceremony marks the completion of a significant project of the reform agenda. The review of the Civil Procedure Rules is one of the essential components of the ongoing justice reform and constitutes a significant part of the ambitious plan of the Government for the holistic and profound reform of justice.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) unveiled on Wednesday three new programs of a total budget of 13 mln euro, in the framework of Cyprus` recovery and resilience plan.

The programs were presented during an event held at the Ministry of Finance, in the presence of Minister Constantinos Petrides, Chief Scientist for Research & Innovation Nikolas Mastroyiannopoulos and Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Strategy Dr Stelios Chimonas.

The programs are Pre-seed, Seed and Innovate.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Republic of Cyprus fully embraces its role as a bridge of dialogue and cooperation between Europe and our neighbouring countries, so that peace and prosperity may finally prevail in our turbulent region, Cyprus House President, Annita Demetriou, said on Wednesday, addressing a lunch she hosted in honour of the members of the Diplomatic Corps seated in Cyprus, on the occasion of the forthcoming festive season.

Demetriou expressed deep gratitude for the members of the Diplomatic Corps long-standing support “in our efforts to reach a just and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem. One that will reunite our island and contribute significantly to stability and security in our part of the world.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

With the inspection of Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone, where 18 fishing vessels were inspected and 16 infringements were recorded, the coordinated EU fisheries control campaign in Eastern Mediterranean carried out within the framework of the European Union’s joint Control programme for 2021 under the auspices of the European Fisheries Control Agency, was completed.

An official statement said the EU`s Joint Fisheries Control Programme in the Mediterranean essentially gathers the resources and instruments of seven Member States of the Union – Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain – and covers all stages of the supply chain, including controls at sea in EU waters and international waters.

The European Fisheries Control Agency is coordinating common inspection and monitoring activities where member states’ patrol vessels take part.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira participated in the presentation by the Supreme Court of Cyprus of the Cypriot reform of the judicial system, supported by the Commission’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI), according to a Commission press release issued on Wednesday.

“For decades, Cyprus’s justice system has been suffering from lengthy court proceedings and an increasing backlog in litigious civil and commercial cases“, Commissioner Ferreira said in a written statement issued on the occasion of the presentation.

“I am pleased that the Commission is continuing to support Cyprus in its judicial reform, not least with the reform and adoption of the new civil procedure rules by the Supreme Court of Cyprus” the Commissioner added.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The adaptation to competition by financial technology companies in an environment of low profitability and risks associated with climate change are the challenges facing the eurozone banking system, Constantinos Herodotou, the Cyprus Central Bank Governor and ECB Governing Council member and Luis de Guindos, the ECB Vice President told a banking conference held in Nicosia.

“Climate change is the next challenge for the humanity for the next decade,” de Guindos said addressing virtually the 9th Banking Forum & FinTech Expo from Frankfurt, noting that Central Banks must make their own contribution in addressing climate change along with governments.

He noted that in terms of financial stability, banks may be confronted with transition and physical risks.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus Transport, Communications and Works Minister, Yiannis Karousos, had on Wednesday in Brussels a series of meetings with high ranking officials of the Airport Council International (ACI) and the Airlines for Europe association, to discuss issues related to air connectivity.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry, Karousos had separate meetings with the ACI Director General and Deputy Director General, Oliver Jancovic and Morgan Foulkes, as well as the CEO and Policy Director of Airlines for Europe, Thomas Reynand and Agnes Leroux.

Discussions focused on the Declaration on air connectivity, an initiative promoted by Karousos.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The General Court of the EU (CJEU) has rejected two appeals brought by Cyprus against the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) regarding the registration of the trade mark “GRILLOUMI BURGER” by a Swedish company, ruling that similarities with the certification mark for halloumi does not create a likelihood of confusion.

However, in a separate action brought by Cyprus against the EUIPO in relation to the same issue, the CJEU ruled that confusion as to the origin of the product cannot be ruled out when it is used by services for providing food and drink, coffee-shop services and restaurants.

As the CJEU notes in its press releases, all three cases focus on an application for registration of an EU trade mark filed at the EUIPO by the Swedish company Fontana Food AB on October 25th, 2016 concerning the name “GRILLOUMI BURGER”.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus is very well aware of the importance and significant contribution of the UN for keeping and preserving peace, Defense Minister, Charalampos Petrides has stressed in his address duirng the 2nd session of UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Seoul on Partnership, Training and Capacity Building.

At his video message Petrides said that as the host country of a long-running United Nations peacekeeping operation, Cyprus holds that the mandates of Peacekeeping Operations must be clear and simple, no matter how complex a conflict is. UNFICYP is a case in point; the Force’s mandate has proven flexible enough to see the Force through very significant changes on the ground, throughout its decade’s long presence, he added.

Source: Cyprus News Agency