Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, in a written answer to MEP Nikolaos Anadiotis (NI), reaffirmed that the European Union supports exclusively the Great Sea Interconnector to end Cyprus's energy isolation, and that any interconnection between Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot community is not recognised or authorised by the EU. The answer, dated 24 April 2026, responds to a parliamentary question submitted on 16 February 2026, in which Anadiotis raised concerns over reports that Türkiye and the de facto administration in northern Cyprus are advancing plans for an electricity link, potentially violating international law and EU principles.
Jørgensen stated that the Commission is not aware of any official authorisation request for such a project, nor of any contacts between the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and the Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEİAŞ) regarding it. He emphasised that the only interconnection project the EU supports politically and financially is the Great Sea Interconnector, a Project of Common Interest that received a EUR 657 million grant from the Connecting Europe Facility and is listed among the eight Energy Highways in the Grids Package. The potential Türkiye–northern Cyprus link is not included in ENTSO-E's 2026 Ten Year Network Development Plan.
Policy orientation and ambition Jørgensen's answer signals a firm policy stance: the EU will not tolerate any interconnection that bypasses the legitimate authorities of the Republic of Cyprus. He reminded that under its Observer Membership Agreement with ENTSO-E, TEİAŞ must cooperate with all European TSOs, including the one certified for Cyprus under EU law. This implies that any interconnection must have the consent of the Cypriot TSO. The Commission will continue to monitor the matter, but did not specify what measures or sanctions it would impose if Türkiye proceeds unilaterally, leaving the question of enforcement open.
Expected institutional follow-up The answer is declaratory rather than proposing new legislation or sanctions. It reiterates existing EU policy and legal frameworks. Future steps may include diplomatic demarches or, if the project advances, potential infringement proceedings or sanctions against Türkiye under the EU's common foreign and security policy. The Commission's monitoring role suggests it will await concrete developments before taking further action.
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