Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection, Nicholas Ioannides, expressed optimism regarding Cyprus' entry into the Schengen Zone within 2026 following a meeting with the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels.
In statements to CNA on 19 November, Ioannides said that "I mentioned that there is readiness regarding our efforts to become a full member of the Schengen Zone."
"We are technically ready; technical checks will be carried out by the Commission in the coming period, and there is an initially positive stance so that this issue can be technically completed soon, so that by 2026, the matter can be definitively closed," he noted, adding that "of course, we hope to secure political support so that the Republic of Cyprus becomes a full member of the Schengen Zone."
The Deputy Minister clarified the timeline for Cyprus' accession to Schengen, stating that he expects a positive technical evaluation from the European Commission before the end of 2025, "so that within 2026, political support from the other Member States can be secured, as is customary, to complete this effort."
Cyprus' priorities for the EU Council Presidency
Ioannides described the meeting with the Commissioner as "very constructive" and clarified that, in addition to Schengen, he presented Cyprus' priorities for the EU Council Presidency it will hold in the first six months of 2026.
"I said that it is our priority to ensure that the Migration and Asylum Pact is implemented in June 2026. I expressed our willingness to proceed with the pending legislative files so that we can complete some legislation or contribute to the advancement of other issues, even if they are not completed during our presidency," he added, noting that there is very good willingness from both sides for cooperation.
"We are already working very closely with the European Commission. There are good interpersonal relationships, there is professionalism, and we aspire to strengthen this cooperation during our presidency so that, as I said, we have a successful presidency in both migration issues and in general," the Deputy Minister pointed out.
Migration and Asylum Pact
Regarding the Migration and Asylum Pact, which is expected to come into force during the presidency in June 2026, Ioannides reiterated Cyprus' long-standing position: "An issue as thorny as migration must be managed collectively by the EU and the Member States to avoid the mistakes of the past."
Referring to the EU experience a decade ago, he noted that "Unfortunately, the 2015 refugee crisis did not find the European Union and the Member States prepared, resulting in unilateral measures and a lack of coherence in the measures taken in Europe."
In this context, he described the Pact as a "tremendous opportunity" to "be fully implemented so that the European Union can address this difficult issue in a unified and coherent manner," admitting that "there are some differing views, and it is difficult to have complete agreement among 27 Member States on any issue."
However, he added, "it is better to have a general unified framework within which we can move as Member States rather than the fragmentation that existed in previous years."
"Therefore, we consider the adoption of the Pact a very important step, a very good beginning, and it is up to the Member States and the Commission to work so that it is implemented consistently and we achieve the results we all expect for the proper management of migration," he said.
Bilateral meetings already underway
Asked by CNA about the presidency's strategy towards Member States that have already unilaterally declared that they will not implement the solidarity section of the Pact, Ioannides informed that bilateral meetings with Member States have already begun, starting from the last Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg last October.
In the same spirit, he noted, "We will continue, even before Cyprus assumes the Presidency, to listen to our partners, to listen to their concerns and worries, because I believe there is agreement regarding the essence of the Pact; everyone wants migration to be managed collectively, and individual disagreements are legitimate and understandable to some extent."
"Our effort as the Presidency will be to act in a conciliatory and consensual manner so that we can achieve, as I said, the proper implementation of the Pact, which will be to the benefit of all Member States and the citizens of the EU," Ioannides concluded.
(Source: CNA)
