The Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union has drawn to a close, but our responsibility and commitment to the European family remain, President of the Republic says in a written statement, adding that the Presidency concludes with resounding success.
"The work carried out over these 181 days will continue to make a decisive contribution to achieving the overarching objective of the European Union's strategic autonomy," he further noted in the 30 June message.
The President recalled that Cyprus took on the Presidency "at a time of intense geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges," adopting as its vision "An Autonomous Union. Open to the World," which he said was "reflected in five strategic priorities." He noted that "with a strong sense of responsibility towards Europe and its citizens, we worked consistently, decisively and with a steadfast focus on results to build a Union that is more competitive, more resilient, more secure, more autonomous and clearly better prepared for the challenges of the future."
Christodoulides further said that "from the outset, the Cyprus Presidency acted as an honest broker, promoting dialogue, transparency, cooperation and consensus-building," adding that "in close cooperation with the Member States, the EU institutions and all our partners, we demonstrated that when Europe works together, it takes decisions that bring us closer to European integration, advances reforms and delivers tangible, positive results for its citizens."
Competitiveness and the economy
Turning to competitiveness and the economy, the President said the Presidency "made a substantial contribution to strengthening the European Union's competitiveness, economic resilience and strategic autonomy," noting that "we reached significant legislative agreements and advanced policy initiatives that strengthen the Single Market, promote competitiveness and simplification, and improve the daily lives of citizens, including passenger rights, the coordination of social security systems, affordable housing policies, critical medicines and the protection of children online." On the EU's long-term budget, he said that "recognising that Europe's ambitions require adequate resources, we decisively advanced the negotiations on the new Multiannual Financial Framework, laying solid foundations for reaching a political agreement by the end of 2026."
Christodoulides also addressed enlargement, saying that "after many years, the Cyprus Presidency marked historic progress in the enlargement process with Ukraine, Moldova, Albania and Montenegro." He added that the Presidency "demonstrated Cyprus' role as a pillar of security and cooperation in its wider region, substantially strengthening the European Union's dialogue and partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood and the Gulf countries, while contributing to advancing the Pact for the Mediterranean."
Defence and security
On defence and security, the President said that "at a time of heightened geopolitical challenges, we placed particular emphasis on European defence and security, adopting a comprehensive 360-degree approach, advancing important initiatives on defence preparedness and energy security, while also strengthening migration management and laying the foundations for the practical implementation of the mutual assistance clause under Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union."
Concluding his statement, Christodoulides said the achievements of the Presidency were "the result of a collective European effort," adding that "they belong, first and foremost, to the citizens of Europe, whom we served throughout the six-month Presidency, as well as to all those who worked with professionalism, dedication and a genuine European spirit to ensure the successful conduct of the Cyprus Presidency." He said that "the Presidency has drawn to a close, but our responsibility and commitment to the European family remain," noting that "Cyprus has demonstrated that the influence of a Member State is determined not by its size, but by its credibility, consistency and dedication to the common European interest."
(Source: CNA)
