Brussels: President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides briefed the leaders of the European Union Member States on the results of Cyprus' six-month Presidency of the Council of the EU, underlining that substantial progress was achieved both in the five key priority pillars set by Nicosia and in major dossiers on the European agenda.
According to Cyprus News Agency, from the European Council meeting taking place on Thursday in Brussels, the President referred to significant agreements reached through political negotiations with the European Parliament, including legislative files that had remained pending or deadlocked for over a decade.
As CNA has learnt, President Christodoulides made special reference to the most important dossier negotiated during the Cyprus Presidency, the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). He noted that the Presidency succeeded in delivering a mature negotiating framework ('negotiating box') containing concrete figures, while also securing Council agreement on the key financial regulations. The President expressed confidence that this constitutes a decisive step towards achieving an overall political agreement by the end of the year.
According to sources, the President also highlighted achievements in the fields of Defence and Security, Ukraine, migration, and EU enlargement, stressing that enlargement had been a strategic priority of the Cyprus Presidency.
Particular reference was made to the accession negotiations of Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, and Montenegro, as well as the significant progress achieved. Regarding Ukraine and Moldova, President Christodoulides underlined that the Cyprus Presidency succeeded in opening the first cluster of negotiation chapters, covering the 'Fundamentals' cluster, through two historic intergovernmental conferences.
At the same time, the President informed EU leaders about the results achieved in relation to EU agreements with third countries, as well as developments in the areas of competitiveness, simplification, and energy.
He also emphasised achievements that directly affect citizens' daily lives, secured through political agreements with the European Parliament. As examples, he cited the revision of the Air Passenger Rights Regulation, the coordination of social security systems, and the Critical Medicines Act, as well as the agreement on the Returns Regulation and the oversight of the launch of the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum.