Cyprus President pushes for Schengen entry before his term ends

Cyprus President Nicos Christodoulides announced that the technical steps required for joining the Schengen Area have been completed and he is seeking a discussion in the Council of Internal Affairs to set a political timetable before his term concludes. He highlighted the risk of losing momentum amid EU partners' concerns over the Green Line and aims to place the matter on the agenda to potentially influence negotiations over the EU's new multi-year budget.

While the legal formula for applying Schengen rules to the Green Line remains unsettled, Christodoulides has obtained support from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the ELK party. He also noted pending data-sharing requests from London concerning checks at two British-controlled crossing points, a process that began in 2019. Despite a positive technocratic assessment from the European Commission, a unanimous council decision and consultation with the European Parliament are still required, meaning the political decision could be delayed for years.