Category: Legal Judicial

The General Court of the European Union is expected to decide in April or May on two appeals submitted by the Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese named Halloumi against the use of word marks BBQLOUMI and GRILLOUMI by companies in Bulgaria and Sweden, according to a press release by the Luxembourg-based Court of the EU.

The two cases, currently under consideration by the General Court of the EU, were launched against the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the two companies on February 24th and March 30th this year by the Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese named Halloumi (which was set up in 2013 by the Republic of Cyprus and the Cyprus Dairy Products Manufacturers Association).

The first case (T-106/22) was brought against EUIPO and M. J. Dairies, based in Bulgaria. The company had asked for BBQLOUMI to be registered in May 2014, and its application was accepted in September of the same year. The Foundation originally appealed seeking cancellation of the registration in September 2019.

The second case (T-168/22) was brought against EUIPO and Fontana Food based in Sweden. The Foundation had originally launched opposition proceedings against the registration of GRILLOUMI in February 2017.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Public transport in Limassol is going green, with 35 fully electric buses on the city’s roads in February, pushing the older diesel models into retirement.

The 35 six-metre-long electric busses will be the flagship of the new fleet of the Limassol Transport Company (EMEL), which will introduce 177 eco-friendly buses replacing the older models currently making the routes.

In comments to Phileleftheros daily, EMEL’s representative Petros Theocharides said 150 buses, including the electric ones, are currently being loaded onto ships heading for the island from China.

The other 27 will be coming from Europe.

“Except for the 35 electric ones, all other buses will be equipped with Euro 6 diesel engines, the most modern conventional anti-pollution technology,” said Theocharides.

Most buses were scheduled to arrive in early January, but delays in the supply chain caused by the war in Ukraine pushed their arrival to the end of the month or early February.

According to Theocharides, EMEL has injected some 26 mln into radically transforming Limassol’s public transport network while putting the city on the map as a leader in electric mobility.

The 35 six-metre electric buses will be able to carry up to 24 passengers and will run on routes in the city’s urban core.

It is estimated they will cover 2 million km per year, with zero pollution, while reducing noise reduction by 50%.

Actions are being taken so that after the first months, they will be powered with electricity produced by Renewable Energy Sources.

In addition to upgrading its fleet, EMEL will begin the reconstruction of three terminals for passengers with modern comforts, with provisions for improving service and rest conditions for bus drivers.

Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry is drawing up plans to set up three park-and-ride stations, encouraging people to park their car and hop on a bus when heading to the town centre.

Two park-and-ride stations will be close to the highway, in Polemidia and Ayios Tychonas, to cater to visitors from out of town.

The third station will be on Epaminontas street to cater to Limassol residents.

Source: The Financial Mirror

A draft regulation from the European Commission offers a ray of hope, as the Republic of Cyprus has no other option but to proceed with measures to halt access to the government controlled areas from the Green Line, said the Minister of Interior Nikos Nouris.

Nouris’ remarks on the latest developments concerning illegal immigration from the Turkish occupied north, were made on Sunday during the memorial service of EOKA Liberation struggle hero Panagiotis Toumazou, held at the Agia Paraskevi church in Episkopi, Limassol.

Nouris said for 48 years Turkey has been trying to colonize the occupied part of our country and in the recent months authorities have been witnessing yet another methodical and heinous crime, “the quasi-‘colonization’ of the territories controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, through the daily, systematic and guided advancement of thousands of irregular migrants via the Green Line”.

He urged everyone to realise that the enemy is present and there is no room for exploitation of the issue by political parties to gain votes as every action should aim to serve the interests of the country.

Recalling that Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain are sounding the alarm because the percentage of asylum seekers in their countries reached 1% of the population, he wondered what we should do, since our own percentage has reached 6%.

The minister said the new illegal invasion of populations into the free areas is yet another illegal action by Turkey, aimed at the demographic alteration and alienation of our country and that the Turks are still seeking to cause economic, social and political problems.

Nouris said the government will not hesitate to support those who really need help, however these people are not refugees but economic migrants who are named students by the illegal regime before being pushed to the government controlled areas.

The Interior Minister described as a “ray of optimism” the recent draft Regulation of the European Commission that officially recognizes, for the first time, the right to prevent irregular migrants from entering the Republic through the Green Line, clarifying that this is not the external border.

And it is, he continued, for this reason “that having no other choice we are going ahead with measures to halt access from the Green Line, because the government cannot remain complacent in the face of these threats. “We denounce actions that contravene international law and Security Council resolutions,” he said.

The minister further reminded that President Nicos Anastasiades has repeatedly urged Turkish Cypriots to break off from Ankara and together reap the benefits offered by Cyprus’ European perspective in a reunited and independent country, free from any dependencies.

Minister Nouris, who participated in the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, has underlined Turkey’s role in the trafficking of irregular immigrants noting that the aid of 200 million euro, which is planned for Turkey for the security of its external borders, should only be given under certain conditions.

In a written statement last week, the Minister noted that the conditions concern Turkey’s compliance with the EU visa program, the control of illegal departures from its southern coasts, the control of transfer passengers from Istanbul to the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus and the termination of fake student visas.

He added that an informal document was submitted with the proposal to amend the asylum procedure so as to end the exploitation of migrants and the loss of life at sea, to combat traffickers and reduce flows.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, will meet on September 23, at 7.15 pm (Cyprus time) with the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, on the sidelines of the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations, in New York. Earlier that day, at 4 pm Cyprus time, the President will address the United Nations General Assembly.

 

According to a written statement by the Director of the Press Office of the President of the Republic, Andreas Iosif, President Anastasiades and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Kasoulides, during their stay in New York are expected to have meetings with other leaders and officials of states and governments.

 

The President’s meetings will focus on the Cyprus issue, his initiatives to overcome the impasse concerning resettlement talks, Turkey’s provocative actions in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the lack of will on the part of the Turkish Cypriot side to engage in dialogue, as well as issues such as climate change, the war in Ukraine and regional developments.

 

In addition, the President of the Republic will host a lunch for the Permanent Representatives of the five Permanent Members of the Security Council, and will also meet with organizations of the diaspora.

 

Prior to New York, President Anastasiades will be in London on Monday, September 19th, to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, at Westminster Abbey, along with dozens of foreign leaders and heads of state. The President of the Republic will be accompanied by the First Lady, Andri Anastasiades.

 

From London, President Anastasiades will travel to New York on Tuesday, September 20th.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Representatives of Cyprus’ General Attorney’s office and of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Department for the Execution of Judgements held a virtual meeting on Wednesday, September 14, during which the discussed about the ECHR decisions against Cyprus whose execution is pending at the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

 

According to a press release issued by the Law Office of the Republic the meeting was constructive and participants exchanged views aiming to the best and swift compliance of the Republic with the pending decisions. Moreover, they discussed the practices and the procedures of the Committee of Ministers with regard to the execution of the Court’s judgments.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The minimum wage should ensure a decent standard of living

 

 

EU rules to respect national wage-setting practices

 

 

Collective bargaining to be strengthened in countries where it covers fewer than 80% of workers

 

 

Right to redress for workers, their representatives and trade union members if rules are violated

 

Minimum wages in all EU countries should allow for decent living and working standards, and member states should promote collective bargaining for pay.

 

With 505 votes in favour, 92 against and 44 abstentions, Parliament adopted new legislation on adequate minimum wages in the EU, on Wednesday.

 

The EU law, agreed with the Council in June, aims to improve working and living conditions for all workers in the EU, as well as promoting economic and social progress. To this end, it establishes minimum requirements for the adequacy of statutory minimum

 

wages as provided by national law and/or collective agreements, and enhances the effective access of workers to minimum wage protection.

 

The new directive will apply to all EU workers who have an employment contract or employment relationship. The EU countries in which the minimum wage is already protected exclusively via collective agreements will not be obliged to introduce these rules nor to make these agreements universally applicable.

 

Adequacy assessment of minimum wages

 

Setting a minimum wage remains a national competence but member states will have to guarantee that their national minimum wages allow workers to lead a decent life, taking into account the cost of living and wider pay levels. For the adequacy assessment of their existing statutory minimum wages, member states may establish a basket of goods and services at real prices, or set it at 60% of the gross median wage and 50% of the gross average wage.

 

Promote collective bargaining

 

Sectoral and cross-industry level collective bargaining is an essential factor for achieving adequate minimum wages and therefore needs to be promoted and strengthened, according to the new rules approved by MEPs today. In countries where fewer than 80% of workers are covered by collective bargaining, member states – with the involvement of social partners – will have to establish an action plan to increase the coverage.

 

Monitoring and right to redress

 

The agreed text introduces the obligation for EU countries to set up an enforcement system, including reliable monitoring, controls and field inspections, to ensure compliance and address abusive sub-contracting, bogus self-employment, non-recorded overtime or increased work intensity.

 

Quotes

 

Dennis Radtke (EPP, DE) said after the vote: “The current situation clearly demonstrates once again that we need functioning, strong social partnership in Europe. Politics cannot give a comprehensive answer to every aspect of this crisis.”

 

Agnes Jongerius (S&D, NL) said: “Prices for groceries, energy bills and housing are exploding. People are really struggling to make ends meet. We have no time to waste, work must pay again. This directive sets the standards for what an adequate minimum wage should look like. At the same time, we are giving a boost to collective bargaining, so more workers will be better protected.”

 

Next steps

 

The Council is expected to formally approve the agreement in September. Member states will then have two years to comply with the Directive.

 

Background

 

In July, Members of the Employment and Social Affairs committee backed the informal agreement reached with the Council on 6 June 2022.

 

The highest minimum wages are found in Luxembourg, Ireland and Germany; the lowest in Bulgaria, Latvia and Estonia. In the EU, 21 out of 27 countries have a statutory minimum wage, while in the other six (Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Italy and Sweden) wage levels are determined through collective pay bargaining.

 

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou said that unity and consensus are needed in the struggle to liberate Cyprus from Turkey’s occupying forces and pointed once again to Ankara’s responsibilities.

Delivering a eulogy Saturday in the funeral of soldier Nikolas Nikolaou Chrysanthou who went missing during the 1974 Turkish invasion and his remains were located during exhumations at the Turkish Cypriot village of Templos, the Commissioner said that we need to be united in the struggle to terminate the invasion and reunite our island and safeguard the human rights and freedoms of each one of us.

He underlined once again our duty to work so that the fate of each one of the missing persons is identified adding that Turkey’s responsibilities are huge and are dictated in the decisions by the European Court of Human Rights.

Photiou said that it is not possible for questions to remain unanswered as regards the fate of the missing persons so many years after the invasion, adding at the same time that the efforts to free Turkey from its blames cannot go on.

He criticised Turkey for its position on a two-state solution in Cyprus and its provocations that violate UN Security Council resolutions. He also said that the international Turkey must exert pressure on Turkey in order to have the right conditions for the resumption of the peace talks.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.

The last round of UN backed talks to reunite the island under a federal roof took place in the summer of 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans Montana but ended inconclusively.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The House Price Index (HPI) recorded an icrease of 1.1% in the first quarter of 2022, reaching 103.95 units, according to preliminary estimate of the Statistical Service, published on Friday.

Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the HPI increased by 0.5%.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

MP Nicos Tornaritis, head of the Cyprus delegation to PACE travels to Montenegro on Sunday on a working visit.

The Cyprus parliamentarian is visiting Montenegro as co-rapporteur of the PACE monitoring Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe.

Rapporteur Damien Cottier from Switzerland is also joining Tornaritis on the visit, a press release by the Parliament says.

They will evaluate the degree of Montenegro’s compliance with its obligations and more particularly with the amendment of its elections law, the combat of corruption and issues related to the independence of the justice system and freedom of speech.

Tornaritis and Cottier will be received by President Milo Ðukanovic, Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and House Speaker Danijela Ðurovic. They will also meet with Montenegro’s delegation to PACE , with political parties, government officials, the civil society and the press.

The Cypriot MP will also attend the celebrations for Montenegro’s national day on July 13.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus Judoka, Janet Michaelidou, won the silver medal in the European Judo Cup U21 which took place during the weekend in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Following her victories in European Cups in Greece and Italy last March and April, Michaelidou secured the silver medal in the Cup in the city of Banja Luca.

A total of 226 athletes from 24 countries participated in the games and young Cypriot athlete competed in the -78 kg category.

In the European Cup U18 which took part in Croatia Yiannis Antoniou came fifth. Theodoros Karatsaousides competed in -90 kg category and secured one victory.

Source: Cyprus News Agency