Brussels: The European Commission announced the adoption of the EU Assistance Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community for 2025, allocating £33.7 million to promote socio-economic development and support the reunification process of Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the main objectives of the Assistance Programme for 2025 include strengthening trade and economic cooperation, improving skills and education, promoting environmental sustainability, as well as building trust and preserving cultural heritage.
The programme aims to facilitate trade across the Green Line, helping Turkish Cypriot products to align with European standards, particularly in the dairy and agricultural sectors. It will also provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs, helping them to grow and strengthen their businesses.
Improving the skills of workers, teachers, and children with special needs are also priorities of the programme, as well as continuing to fund scholarships for Turkish Cypriot students in EU Member States.
The Assistance Programme will support projects related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environmental protection, including bi-communal cooperation on the restoration of the main riverbed in Nicosia, to upgrade the environmental quality of the area, while at the same time strengthening cooperation between the two communities.
The Assistance Programme will also continue to support the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, which is working to resolve cases of missing persons from previous conflicts. It will also finance projects to restore Cyprus’ cultural heritage, promoting reconciliation and respect for cultural and religious diversity.
According to figures published by the Commission, since 2006 that the programme runs, the EU has allocated around £760 million to the Assistance Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community. The latest package that got adopted on Thursday ‘underlines the EU’s role as a key partner in promoting peace, cooperation, and mutual understanding on the island, while addressing the practical and humanitarian needs of the Turkish Cypriot community,’ as the Commission notes.