Cyprus, Poland and Denmark, forming the so-called “presidency trio”, previously agreed on an 18-point action plan, which assumes the continuation of common priorities. The Cypriot authorities emphasize that their program refers to the goals set by its predecessors, including Poland. On Sunday, during a ceremony in Lefkara, Nicosia presented five key areas of action.
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EU council priorities. Poland's continued mission
The authorities have set priorities such as developing the EU's defense capabilities, increasing competitiveness, openness to the world, promoting EU values and establishing an ambitious budget. Cyprus plans to accelerate negotiations on the new financial perspective for 2028-2034 in order to complete them by the end of 2026. “Europe must be ready to stand up for itself and its citizens. Its resilience must be reflected in the new budget,” emphasized the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodulidis.
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Strengthening defense and foreign policy
Nicosia also announces actions to strengthen the Community's defense capabilities, so that by 2030 the EU will be ready to defend itself. At the same time, Cyprus declares continued support for Ukraine and strengthened relations with key partners, such as Great Britain, Canada, the USA, as well as with the countries of North Africa and the Persian Gulf region.
The agenda of the Cypriot Presidency also includes actions to simplify regulations and reduce administrative burdens under the so-called Omnibuses. Another important item on the agenda is supporting the rule of law and democratic resilience in the EU.
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Migration and the new asylum pact
One of the key topics of the coming six months will be migration policy. Cyprus announces coordination of work on the implementation of the new pact on migration and asylum, which will enter into force in June, during the Cypriot presidency.
During the six-month presidency, Cyprus will organize three EU summits, 19 informal and 52 formal meetings of ministers of member states. The ceremonial inauguration of the presidency will take place on January 7 in Cyprus.
At the end of December, Denmark will end its presidency of the EU Council. On Friday, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, thanked the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, for her cooperation over the last six months.
