Copenhagen: Amid ongoing geopolitical shifts and shared challenges facing Europe, EU enlargement is emerging as a ‘strategic and geopolitical necessity,’ Cyprus’ Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, has said during an informal meeting of EU European Affairs Ministers in Copenhagen.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Raouna attended the September 1-2 meeting hosted by the Danish Presidency, which focused on EU enlargement policy, strengthening the rule of law, and Europe’s future. On the sidelines, she also held bilateral talks with counterparts.
Raouna stressed that enlargement will be a priority for the upcoming Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU in January 2026. Cyprus, she noted, is a strong supporter of enlargement, which she described as an intergovernmental process based on ‘fair and rigorous conditionality.’
She pointed out that the Copenhagen criteria remain the cornerstone of the process and must be fully met by all candidate countries in relation to the EU’s 27 member states.
‘Enlargement serves the Union’s strategic interests as a whole, strengthening Europe’s security, stability, prosperity, and role as a community of values,’ Raouna said.
She highlighted the importance of good neighbourly relations and alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, while acknowledging that reforms are often demanding for candidate states. EU support, tied to conditionality, is therefore essential, she added. Raouna also underlined the value of gradual integration as a bridge offering tangible benefits to citizens and bringing candidates closer to the EU.
During discussions on the rule of law among EU-27 ministers, Raouna reaffirmed it as a fundamental pillar of the Union. She noted the significance of the European Commission’s Annual Rule of Law Report as a guiding and preventive tool. The process, she added, should remain transparent, constructive, and aimed at strengthening democratic resilience, noting the role of the Council’s annual dialogue on the rule of law.
The Copenhagen meeting concluded with a working lunch on the future of Europe ahead of the Commission’s pre-accession policy reviews this fall.
As part of preparations for the 2026 Cypriot EU Presidency, Raouna met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European Integration, Taras Katska, the Minister for European Affairs of Montenegro, Maida Gorcevic, as well as the Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia, Orhan Murtezani, with whom she exchanged views on the European perspective of their countries. The discussions focused on the progress and tangible results that can be achieved during the Cyprus Presidency.
She also held a meeting with her French counterpart, Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad, with whom she discussed bilateral relations and the course of upgrading the strategic relationship between Cyprus and France in the near future.