The European Commission's 2026 Rule of Law Report on Cyprus, published on 22 July 2026, assesses limited progress on justice reforms, corruption measures, and media transparency, with key legislation still pending in Parliament.
The report highlights that the reform of the Law Office to establish the Office of the Public Prosecutor General and introduce review of non-prosecution decisions remains pending before Parliament since July 2025. A fixed eight-year mandate for the Attorney General is planned for December 2027 if adopted. A distinct branch of administrative justice was established, including a new Administrative Court of Appeal in July 2025. New guidelines on recusal of judges were introduced by the Supreme Constitutional Court in November 2025. Digital transformation projects are slow, with a fully integrated electronic case management system not expected until 2030. Duration of court proceedings remains a serious concern: disposition times averaged 682 days (first instance) and 1,426 days (second instance) for civil/commercial cases in 2024. The Independent Authority against Corruption (IAAC) was strengthened with new recruitment legislation. New legislation on asset declarations for elected and appointed officials started to apply. The Audit Office gained financial autonomy with a fixed, non-renewable eight-year term for the Auditor General. Draft legislation on state advertising and public service media governance has been tabled. The report is part of the broader 2026 Rule of Law Report covering all EU member states, which the Commission presented on the same date. The European Parliament and the Council are expected to discuss the country-specific findings in the coming months.