Raouna welcomes Commission’s assurances on SAFE

Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Rouna, has said that Cyprus supports the approval of the SAFE instrument that will support the European defence industry, but pointed out that “it would be unthinkable that countries that do not respect the security, sovereignty and interests of the Union and the Member States could benefit in this context.”

Raouna, speaking ahead of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 27 May, said that in this context, it is important that the European Commission has committed that the participation of entities from third countries will be subject to a bilateral agreement.

SAFE is a new EU financial instrument that will support those member states that wish to invest in defence industrial production through common procurement, focusing on priority capabilities, by providing up to 150 billion euros in competitively priced long-maturity loans to the member states in order to boost production capacity and to address existing capability gaps.

The Deputy Minister also said that the respect for human dignity and human rights for all, including the LGBTIQ community, are “pivotal” for the EU and Cyprus.

According to sources, Cyprus has also decided to undersign a joint declaration by 20 member states which calls on Hungary to review decisions against Pride events in the country.

SAFE regulation

Referring to the SAFE Regulation, Raouna stressed that it is “part of the European Union's efforts to strengthen its defence industry” and “our efforts for strategic autonomy”, and that in this context, “it is the European defence industry in all member states that needs to be supported and strengthened.”

“It would be unthinkable that countries that do not respect the security, sovereignty and interests of the Union and the Member States could benefit in this context,” she continued.

“The European Commission's commitment that the limited participation of entities from third countries in consortia will be subject to prior bilateral agreements on the basis of Article 212 of the Treaty is important” Raouna added, pointing out that these must be “countries that fully respect the interests and sovereignty of the Member States of the European Union.”

According to sources, Cyprus gave its approval to the creation of the SAFE Regulation while submitting a declaration pointing out that it does so under the condition that the legal basis for the right of participation of entities from third countries will be Article 212 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. According to the same sources, the Commission made a commitment in this regard, with the commitment being recorded in the minutes of the Permanent Representatives meeting during which the regulation was green-lit last Wednesday.

Rule of law

During the meeting, the Council of the EU was due to hold Hungary's eighth hearing under the Article 7 procedure on the rule of law, which started following a proposal from the European Parliament in 2018.

Meanwhile, Hungary has also been heavily criticised for actions that could enable banning Pride events and demonstrations in Budapest, with several countries signing a statement calling on the country to revoke the decision. The statement is co-signed by a total of 20 countries, including Cyprus, the Cypriot authorities said.

Referring to a separate debate on the rule of law, which was planned to continue focusing on the situation and developments in Slovakia, Belgium, Finland and Sweden, Rauna said that “the rule of law is the cornerstone of the European Union”.

Rule of law, she added, is a priority in the Trio Presidency that Cyprus shares with the current Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU and the upcoming Danish Presidency, “and it will continue to be a key priority during our presidency” (during the first half of 2026).

“With this opportunity, I would like to stress that the respect for human dignity, for human rights for all, and this includes the LGBTIQ community, the freedom for peaceful assembly, and the right to privacy, are pivotal for the Union and for Cyprus,” she added.

Ukraine, Middle East, CBAM

On the rest of the items on the agenda, the Deputy Minister said in relation to Ukraine that “we must continue in a clear and unequivocal manner to support the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, underlying the importance of a thirty-day ceasefire as an important step for a lasting, comprehensive, and just solution to the situation.”

Regarding the Middle East, she stressed that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic, and it has to stop,” adding that “we support the efforts for negotiations that will lead to a ceasefire, and which will open the way for the release of all hostages”.

On the upcoming changes to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Regulation, Raouna said that they are “part of our effort as Union for simplification, of our effort to do things smarter and faster as part of the Omnibus Package.”

“This will feature prominently and will be prioritized by the Cypriot Presidency starting at the 1st of January 2026, as an integral part of boosting the Union's competitiveness,” she noted.

(Source: CNA)