Giorgos GEORGIOU

Policy topics Giorgos GEORGIOU is active on

What Giorgos GEORGIOU has said (43)

• 2026-02-24 “P-000755/2026 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission Immediately after receiving the notification of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak suspicion by the Cypriot authority, the Commission adopted emergency disease control measures 1 ensuring coordination via the Regulatory Committee. At the request of Cyprus, it also dispatched the EU Veterinary Emergency Team with three separate missions to assist competent authorities with tailor-made recommendations. The EU FMD antigen bank shipped vaccine doses to the island of Cyprus 2 . The EU Reference laboratory for FMD provided on the spot support and confirmed the presence of FMD serotype SAT1. The Commission also regularly informs Member States and trading partners on the epidemiological situation and advocates for recognising EU regionalisation to avoid unjustified trade bans. The Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare also visited Cyprus on 13 March to express the Commission’s solidarity and support strictly implemented eradication measures by all available tools. EU co-financing of emergency measures is available under the Single Market Programme, including the costs for culling and/or disposal of animals on affected farms, the cleaning and disinfection, compensation for owners and surveillance activities. EU financial support can also be granted under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including for risk management, improved on-farm biosecurity and restoration of production potential following outbreaks. Exceptional support may be requested by Member States for farmers affected by trade restrictions. Finally, the Member States may amend their CAP Plans to introduce crisis payments for farmers severely affected by animal diseases, among others. In its Plan 2023–2027, Cyprus addresses biosecurity measures 3 . 1 http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/484/oj. 2 https://food.ec.europa.eu/animals/animal-diseases/diseases-and-control-measures/foot-and-mouthdisease/support-cy_en. 3 Total public allocation of EUR 9.7 million in biosecurity measures that include pig, cattle and sheep & goat holdings.”
  Animal diseases prevention and management in the EU · Agricultural funding
• 2026-01-12 “E-000075/2026 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission International law and the principles of territorial integrity and state sovereignty enshrined in the UN Charter must be upheld under all circumstances. Members of the UN Security Council have a particular responsibility in this regard. This message was underscored in the 4 January 2026 statement by the High Representative/Vice-President supported by 26 Member States 1 , as well as by President of the European Council 2 and President of the Commission 3 in their public reactions to the US intervention in Venezuela. The EU has repeatedly stated that Nicolás Maduro lacks the legitimacy of a democratically elected president 4 and continues to advocate for a Venezuelan-led peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela. Respecting the will of the Venezuelan people remains the only durable solution for Venezuela. The EU is ready to support and accompany all Venezuelans in this process. The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, and remains dedicated to promoting a strong, efficient and resilient multilateral system, based on international law with the UN at its core. The EU remains ready to continue engaging constructively with the US on all issues of common interests. At the same time, the EU will continue to stand up for its interests and will defend itself, its Member States, its citizens and its companies, against any form of coercion. The EU continues to support an inclusive, rules-based multilateral system anchored in the principles of the UN Charter. The EU will continue to uphold the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders as fundamental tenets of international law. 1 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/venezuela-statement-high-representative-aftermath-us-interventionvenezuela_en. 2 https://x.com/eucopresident/status/2007423971436732438. 3 https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/2007440364135674172. 4 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/01/10/venezuela-statement-by-the-highrepresentative-on-behalf-of-the-eu-on-the-events-of-10-january-2025/.”
  EU-Venezuela relations · EU-US relations
• 2026-01-08 “Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission 23.3.2026 Written question The Commission is aware of the December 2025 ruling from Poland's Constitutional Tribunal banning the Communist Party of Poland. The Commission is committed to protect and promote EU values and fundamental rights enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (‘the Charter’), including its Article 10 on the right to freedom of thought and conscience, within the remit of its competences. According to its Article 51 (1), the Charter applies to EU bodies or to Member States only when they are implementing EU law. Based on the information available, it does not appear that the matter raised by the Honourable Member is linked to the implementation of EU law. The Commission has no general powers to intervene in the registration of national political parties and national electoral matters. It is for the national competent authorities in each Member State to follow up on matters relating to the applicable regulations.”
  EU Supervision of the Rule of Law · Rule of law and democracy in the EU (political compass)
• 2025-11-05 “E-004348/2025 Answer given by Mr Hoekstra on behalf of the European Commission The Commission takes note of the report from Oxfam 1 . The Commission launched in December 2024 a study on wealth-related taxes to have a better understanding of the effective taxation of high-net-worth individuals. It is foreseen to be completed in the first half of 2026. It will provide further information on the overall context and on the effectiveness of wealth-related taxes targeting high-net-worth-individuals in both EU and non-EU countries. Moreover, to have better insights, the Commission can build on the EUROMOD 2 microsimulation tool, i.e. the EU tax-benefit microsimulation model. This tool estimates the effects of changes in taxes and benefits on household income. It also assesses work-related incentives across the population of each country and for the EU as a whole. The Commission has taken several actions to achieve fairer outcomes. A major achievement aimed at curbing tax avoidance and evasion is the Directive on the Administrative Cooperation 3 and its numerous updates that improve transparency, administrative cooperation and exchange of information between Member States as well as the European Semester Country specific recommendations 4 on aggressive tax planning. 1 Putaturo C., and Desiderio J., A European agenda to tax the super-rich: A solution to inequality in the European Union, OXFAM EU, October 2025. 2 https://euromod-web.jrc.ec.europa.eu/. 3 https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/taxation/tax-transparency-cooperation/administrative-co-operation-andmutual-assistance/directive-administrative-cooperation-dac_en. 4 https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2025-european-semester-country-specific-recommendationscommission-recommendations_en.”
  Tax Havens · Wealth taxation · Priorities of taxation policy in the EU
• 2025-10-27 “E-004220/2025 Answer given by Ms Šuica on behalf of the European Commission Gaza must be rebuilt, and Palestinians must be able to return to and live in a safe environment where governance is legitimate and the economy is relaunched. The Commission will contribute to and support all efforts towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, based on the two-state solution, by mobilising its humanitarian, security, diplomatic and cooperation tools. The Commission will continue providing humanitarian assistance and support the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, when conditions are met, in close coordination with the UN and in adherence with UN Security Council Resolution 2803 1 for a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict and international law. The EU strongly condemns the demolitions of the structures funded by the EU or its Member States and expects that Israel makes good the damage in accordance with international law. The EU is conducting, together with the UN and the World Bank, a final Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment 2 , which will provide a comprehensive overview of damages, losses and needs per sector. The EU will continue to engage with Israel through a constructive and open dialogue as well as with other regional actors involved in the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza. The EU will also continue to urge Israel to respect its obligations under international law. This message was officially conveyed during the last EU-Israel Association Council meeting in February 2025 and repeated in various instances 3 . 1 https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4093207?v=pdf. 2 The Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment is expected to be published in early 2026. 3 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-ministerial-meetings/2025/02/24/.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid · Relations with Israel - Palestine
• 2025-10-10 “E-003984/2025 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission The Commission and the European External Action Service have repeatedly refuted actions and statements aimed at upgrading the international status of the so-called, internationally not recognised, ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’, which undermine efforts of the United Nations Secretary General (UNSC) to create an environment conducive to settlement talks. The EU recognises only the Republic of Cyprus as a subject of international law, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. The EU expects the same from its partners, who need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states within the framework of all international and regional fora, and to refrain from taking any steps that run contrary to this principle. This message has been clearly conveyed to the Azerbaijani authorities and the EU will continue to raise this aspect at all levels in its political dialogue with Azerbaijan. The EU remains fully committed to ensuring that the above-mentioned UNSC resolutions and generally recognised principles and norms of international law, particularly with respect to the sovereignty, independence and integrity of states, are fully upheld.”
  EU-Turkey relations · EU-Azerbaijan relations
• 2025-10-01 “E-003824/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission While the purpose of Directive 93/13/EEC is to protect consumers, it does not preclude Member States from implementing similar protections at the national level for microenterprises. It is within Member States’ discretion to enhance protections where they see fit, as long as these measures are compatible with EU law. National courts are responsible for the effective application of national and EU law.”
  EU competences on consumer protection and product standards · EU restrictions on unfair commercial practices
• 2025-09-25 “E-003733/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission Cyprus has transposed 1 Directive 93/13/EEC 2 and Directive 2005/29/EC 3 and there is no open infringement procedure in that regard. The Commission opened an infringement procedure against Cyprus in 2013 concerning their correct application and enforcement 4 . Further to changes of the Cypriot legislation in 2021 and 2022, as well as additional data received from the Cypriot authorities in February and October 2025 regarding the relevant practice of the authorities responsible for enforcement of consumer law, the Commission is finalising its assessment of the case to consider next steps. The Commission does not have direct enforcement powers in business-to-consumer relationships. It is the primary responsibility of the national authorities, such as the Cypriot Consumer Protection Service, and national courts to ensure the monitoring and enforcement of the application of consumer law in individual cases, considering the circumstances of each case, and to provide redress where appropriate. In its role as guardian of the Treaties, the Commission continues monitoring the situation and may decide to take appropriate action. Infringement procedure INFR(2024)0018 5 concerns another directive, namely Directive (EU) 2021/2167 6 on non-performing loans, originally issued by credit institutions established in the Union, that have been transferred to a credit purchaser. The Directive aims to harmonise authorisation requirements for credit servicers. Cyprus has communicated national transposition measures of this Directive and the Commission decided in May 2025 to close the infringement procedure INFR(2024)0018 7 . 1 In particular the Cypriot Law 112(I)/2021 - Law on consumer protection and Law 166(I)/2022 - Law amending the consumer protection laws of 2021 and 2022, consolidating consumer legislation and incorporating the amendments introduced by Directive (EU) 2019/2161 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 amending Council Directive 93/13/EEC and Directives 98/6/EC, 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rules, OJ L 328, 18.12.2019, p. 7. 2 Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts, OJ L 95, 21.4.1993, p. 29‐34. 3 Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market and amending Council Directive 84/450/EEC, Directives 97/7/EC, 98/27/EC and 2002/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Unfair Commercial Practices Directive’), OJ L 149, 11.6.2005, p. 22‐39. 4 https://ec.europa.eu/implementing-eu-law/search-infringementdecisions/?r_dossier=&noncom=0&decision_date_from=&decision_date_to=&active_only=0&DG=FISM&sub mit=Search&lang_code=fr&langCode=EN&version=v1&typeOfSearch=byCase&page=1&size=10&order=desc &sortColumns=refId&refId=INFR(2013)2082. 5 https://ec.europa.eu/implementing-eu-law/search-infringementdecisions/?r_dossier=&noncom=0&decision_date_from=&decision_date_to=&active_only=0&DG=FISM&sub mit=Search&lang_code=fr&langCode=EN&version=v1&typeOfSearch=byCase&page=1&size=10&order=desc &sortColumns=refId&refId=INFR(2024)0018. 6 Directive (EU) 2021/2167 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2021 on credit servicers and credit purchasers and amending Directives 2008/48/EC and 2014/17/EU (OJ L 438, 8.12.2021, p. 1) which has been in application since 30 December 2023, http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2021/2167/oj). 7 The Commission is still in the process of assessing the conformity of the national transposition measures notified by Cyprus.”
  EU restrictions on unfair commercial practices
• 2025-09-17 “E-003596/2025 Answer given by Mr Šefčovič on behalf of the European Commission The Commission and the United Kingdom agreed in the Common Understanding 1 to work towards a balanced youth experience scheme on terms to be mutually agreed. The Youth Experience Scheme ‘should facilitate the participation of young people from the European Union and the United Kingdom in various activities, [...], such as studies…’. The level of tuition fees is an important factor determining whether young EU citizens will move to the United Kingdom to study. High tuition fees can make it difficult or impossible for many young EU citizens to study in the United Kingdom. For this reason, as far as tuition fees for higher education and training tuition fees are concerned, the Commission considers that these should be part of the overall Agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom on the youth experience scheme. 1 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_25_1267.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• 2025-09-16 “E-003567/2025 Answer given by Mr Hoekstra on behalf of the European Commission In 2023, the Commission and the European External Action Service adopted a Joint Communication on the Climate-Security Nexus 1 demonstrating that, by integrating climate and defence concerns in its policies, the EU can secure a credible military deterrent and advance its economic and environmental objectives. Industrial innovation, lower dependency on imported fossil fuels and increased circularity can enhance EU’s competitiveness, strategic autonomy and resilience. Under the Commission’s better regulation policies, impact assessments support evidencebased policy making for Commission legislative proposals. It is the competence of individual Member States to decide on national defence budgets and increases thereof. Therefore, Member States’ increased military spending does not fall within the scope of the Commission’s better regulation policy. Investments in European defence industry can have long term beneficial economic effects in terms of innovation, resilience and job creation. Europe’s industry can become a global leader in decarbonised industrial goods such as batteries or low-carbon steel and cement. Innovation in the defence sector, including growth in clean tech manufacturing, could foster the creation of high-quality jobs and enhance EU’s economic resilience. 1 JOIN/2023/19 final.”
  Climate efforts · Military emissions reporting
• 2025-09-15 “P-003547/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission The Commission acknowledges the importance of improving the EU's ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to forest fires. At this initial stage, the Commission is exploring various options on the hub's structure and operation in liaison with Cyprus and other stakeholders. Regarding staffing and equipment, the specific details are still under consideration. The Commission is considering potential contributions of aerial resources and firefighters and aims to coordinate effectively with Cypriot authorities to ensure the hub can operate optimally. Regarding the preliminary timeline for establishing the firefighting hub is still being discussed. This project requires a phased and scalable approach, with progress contingent on defining specific details and reaching agreements with stakeholders. Regarding project costs and funding, the Commission is currently evaluating costs and potential funding sources. Discussions are underway to explore funding avenues, including resources from Cypriot national funds, EU funding and possibly other financial sources. The Commission is committed to maintaining constructive dialogue with all relevant parties and will continue to update the European Parliament as more information becomes available.”
  Climate efforts
• 2025-07-24 “E-003080/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission 1. The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) can only be activated at the request of Cyprus which has a deadline of 12 weeks as from when the first damage occurred, demonstrating that the total direct damage exceeds the thresholds specified in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 1 . The EUSF may cover a part of the costs for emergency and recovery operations incurred by public authorities 2 . 2. RescEU 3 finances the acquisition of permanent aerial resources, hosted by Member States, to complement national assets. The Commission is financing 75% of the stand-by costs of two air tractor planes from 15 June to 31 October 2025 in Cyprus. 3. Cohesion Policy funds 4 co-finance investments to promote climate change adaptation, risk prevention and disaster resilience with EUR 80 million. The Cyprus Fire Service Command and Control Centre is under implementation with a budget of EUR 5 million. It is designed to improve coordination between fire stations, reduce response times, ensure secure and continuous communication with citizens, and enhance transparency and effectiveness. Funds under the Cypriot Rural Development Programme 2014-2022 5 and the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027 6 (CSP) may be used to restore agricultural and forestry potential following natural disasters, and for preventive actions. EUR 550 million of the Cypriot recovery and resilience plan 7 supports the green transition, civil protection, enhanced firefighting capabilities and climate change mitigation to prevent natural disasters. The EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change 8 aids Cyprus to develop and implement innovative solutions for forest protection, climate resilience and risk management 9 to prevent natural disasters. 1 Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund - https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32002R2012. 2 This means, for example, the recovery of essential infrastructure, provision of temporary accommodation to the population, cleaning-up operations, and protection of the cultural heritage. Private damage is not eligible. 3 https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection/resceu_en. 4 Specifically, the Thalia 2021–2027 programme. 5 http://www.paa.gov.cy/moa/paa/paa.nsf/page01_gr/page01_gr?OpenDocument, note Measure 8 (Investments in forest area development and improvement of the viability of forests). 6 CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. Note interventions 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.3.3, 4.3.4. http://www.cap.gov.cy/moa/cap/cap.nsf/planning01_el/planning01_el?OpenDocument. 7 https://cyprus-tomorrow.gov.cy/cypresidency/kyprostoavrio.nsf/axis02b_el/axis02b_el?OpenDocument, note Investment 9. 8 https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/mission 9 As an example, https://ismed-clim.eu/.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• 2025-07-11 “P-002839/2025 P-002844/2025 Joint answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission The EU views with concern attempts to undermine freedom of expression and media pluralism in the Turkish Cypriot community, including the current case referred to in the questions of the Honourable Members. Türkiye, as an EU candidate country and long-standing member of the Council of Europe, is expected to adhere to its respective commitments 1 . The targeting of media and journalists runs counter to these commitments. In its 2024 report on Türkiye 2 , the Commission reiterated its recommendation that criminal proceedings against journalists be concluded in line with the standards established by the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. The EU has consistently underlined that Türkiye urgently needs to reverse the negative trend of recent years and make tangible progress in upholding fundamental rights. The EU will continue to raise these concerns with its Turkish counterparts at all levels. In addition, the Commission is working through the EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, to strengthen media freedom and the broader respect for fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, in accordance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. For example, the EU is providing funding to the ‘Human Rights Platform’ 3 , a coalition of seven Turkish Cypriot civil society organisations that monitor the human rights situation in the Turkish Cypriot community, including freedom of expression. The platform reports on violations, conducts advocacy and strategic litigation, and provides legal aid. 1 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-5638-2025-INIT/en/pdf. 2 https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/document/download/8010c4db-6ef8-4c85-aa06814408921c89_en?filename=T%C3%BCrkiye%20Report%202024.pdf. 3 https://insanhaklariplatformu.eu/?lang=en.”
  EU-Turkey relations · Disinformation & online freedoms
• 2025-06-30 “P-002619/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The question of the Honourable Member of 16 May 2025 1 referred to two manufacturers indirectly passing cost of repairs in Takata recalls on consumers, without naming those manufacturers or providing any further details. The Commission services have no information on particular manufacturers being involved in such illegal practices. The Member States’ authorities shall investigate and impose sanctions in those cases. At this stage, there are no grounds that would prove a breach of EU legislation attributable to the authorities of Cyprus in respect to the Takata airbags product safety recalls. 1 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-10-2025-001974_EN.html.”
  EU competences on consumer protection and product standards
• 2025-05-16 “E-001975/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission Freedom of thought and freedom of assembly are fundamental rights enshrined in Article 10 and 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 1 . Together with freedom of expression and freedom of association, they form the base for a free, democratic and pluralistic society. As provided in its Article 51(1), the Charter applies to Member States only when they are implementing EU law. As established by Article 4(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of internal security in the Member States fall within national competence. Therefore, the Commission does not have a general power to intervene in the definition and application of rules governing the holding of demonstrations, and any related sanctions. The Commission proposed in December 2023 a draft Directive 2 , which would provide common transparency standards applicable to interest representation activities impacting regulatory and decision-making processes and carried out on behalf of third countries. In contrast to foreign agent laws, this proposal does not negatively label the activities of specific entities, and the measures apply independently of the legal status of the concerned entities. The proposal includes clear definitions and strong safeguards aimed at ensuring proportionate enforcement and avoiding stigmatisation. Activities that constitute a manifestation of academic freedom are explicitly excluded from the scope of the proposal. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/treaty/char_2012/oj/eng. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023PC0637.”
  Regulation of NGOs in Europe · Transparency requirements for interest groups
• 2025-05-16 “P-001974/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission According to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles 1 , where a vehicle or component represents a serious risk, the manufacturer shall immediately inform national authorities 2 on the risk and the measures taken. Where the risk requires rapid action, national authorities must take all appropriate restrictive measures. Hence, Member States must ensure the proper recall of vehicles. The new General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) 3 , which applies from 13 December 2024, reinforces and introduces new and more stringent obligations for economic operators on, inter alia, product safety recalls and the right of consumers to cost-free, timely and effective remedies 4 . The GPSR is also implemented by Market Surveillance Authorities. The Commission closely monitors the enforcement of EU law and, in case of shortcomings, engages in a structured dialogue with the Member State to assess compliance. If it concludes that the legislation has not been implemented correctly, the Commission may initiate infringement proceedings under Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union 5 to ensure compliance. 1 Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles (OJ L 151, 14.6.2018, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/858/oj). 2 Approval authorities and market surveillance authorities. 3 Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, PE/79/2022/REV/1, OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/988/oj). 4 See Article 37 of the General Product Safety Regulation. 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:12008E258.”
  EU policy on aviation safety
• 2025-04-08 “E-001417/2025 Answer given by Mr Hoekstra on behalf of the European Commission Member States already report yearly on the use of revenues in compliance with Article 19(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999. These reports are publicly available on the European Environment Agency website 1 . In addition, the Commission publishes yearly an analysis of the use of revenues by Member States in the Carbon Market Report 2 and in the Climate Action Progress Report 3 . Accurate and timely reporting under Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 4 is essential to allow the Commission to assess Member States’ compliance with the Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive 5 , in particular in view of the obligation introduced in 2023 to use all the ETS auction revenues for the climate-related purposes 6 . Article 10(3), fifth subparagraph of the ETS Directive now requires that the reporting on auction revenues be sufficiently detailed to enable the Commission to assess the Member States’ compliance. In 2023, Cyprus received EUR 113.6 million in auction revenue to be spent on the purposes listed in Article 10(3). In 2024, Cyprus reported having disbursed 91 %, primarily in the area of public transport. Other projects financed by Cyprus relate to the area of land use and forestry, research and development and energy efficiency. 1 See here for 2024: https://reportnet.europa.eu/public/dataflow/1226. 2 See here Chapter 8 in the 2024 report: https://climate.ec.europa.eu/document/download/92ec0ab3-24cf-4814ad59-81c15e310bea_en?filename=2024_carbon_market_report_en.pdf. 3 See here Chapter 7 in the 2024 report: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52024SC0249. 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1999/oj/eng. 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2003/87/oj/eng. 6 Concretely, to use auction revenues that are not attributed to the EU budget in the form of own resources, or the equivalent financial value of such auction revenues, for the climate-related purposes listed in Article 10(3). This obligation does not apply to the ETS auction revenue used for the compensation of indirect carbon costs.”
  Extension of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
• 2025-03-25 “E-001234/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission The green taxation reform is a key element of Cyprus’ Recovery and Resilience Plan 1 . It aims to internalise environmental externalities, encouraging more efficient use of resources and incentivising the adoption of renewable energy. This is crucial in Cyprus where the green taxation system and municipal waste recycling lag behind the rest of Europe, and water scarcity is a particular issue. The green taxation reform includes a carbon tax, which constitutes a transition towards the Emissions Trading System 2 on buildings, road transport and additional sectors (ETS2) applicable from 2027, a levy on water and a charge on landfill waste, both of which will be incrementally increased. The reform should precisely set the right incentives for transitioning to climate neutrality, modernising waste and water management and enhancing renewable energy capacity. It is crucial to pass it soon so that this incentivisation happens quickly. The reform will help Cyprus come closer to its climate objectives and the legally binding maximum landfill rate of 10% by 2035. Regarding the availability of tools to support Cyprus in closing its infrastructure gaps and mitigating the transition costs for households, on top of e.g. structural and cohesion funds, the Social Climate Fund (SCF) will support a socially fair transition towards climate neutrality by addressing the effects of the EU-wide introduction of carbon pricing in the buildings and road transport sectors applicable from 2027. Already as of 2026, the SCF will provide Member States with dedicated funding to support vulnerable groups, with building renovation, decarbonisation of heating, renewable energy as well as sustainability mobility and transport. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/economic-recovery/recovery-and-resiliencefacility/country-pages/cyprus-recovery-and-resilience-plan_en.”
  Climate efforts · EU fiscal rules and oversight of national budgets
• 2025-03-21 “E-001211/2025 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission The EU takes very seriously the destruction of cultural heritage, especially in contexts of conflict and crisis. The EU remains firmly committed to the protection of cultural heritage in line with international humanitarian law (IHL), relevant legal frameworks, the EU Concept on Cultural Heritage in conflict and crisis 1 , and the relevant Council conclusions 2 . The EU has been a longstanding supporter of the Palestinian cultural sector. The EU will continue to engage with and support Palestinian artists, writers, poets, academics, and cultural institutions. Preserving cultural expression and fostering pluralism is essential, especially in times of conflict. Through its partnerships and funding instruments, the EU remains committed to amplifying the voices of Palestinian society and promoting cultural diversity as a cornerstone of peacebuilding and mutual understanding. The EU deplores the damage or destruction of cultural heritage in armed conflicts and condemns the attack to civilians and the deliberate targeting of cultural and educational sites in violation of IHL. The EU consistently calls for respect of IHL and for the universal adherence to and implementation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and the other international conventions that protect humanity’s shared heritage. The EU also supports initiatives aimed at documenting, investigating, and ensuring accountability for crimes against cultural heritage. 1 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9962-2021-INIT/en/pdf 2 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/50557/st09837-en21.pdf”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• 2025-03-19 “E-001159/2025 Answer given by Ms Albuquerque on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of concerns regarding access to motor insurance for older citizens in certain Member States. While matters related to insurance pricing and coverage fall primarily within the competence of Member States, the Commission recognises the impact such issues have on the daily lives and mobility of many citizens and will consider further exchanges with relevant stakeholders as appropriate. The Union of Equality strategies adopted by the Commission in 2020 and 2021 1 stress the need to combat stereotypes and fight age-based discrimination within their respective remit. Age related considerations are also relevant as part of the Commission’s work on its priority on ‘Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model 2 ’, including as regards the European Pillar on Social Rights as well as on intergenerational fairness. As regards legislative action, in 2008, the Commission has proposed an Equal Treatment Directive 3 , in which it proposed, inter alia, to prohibit discrimination on grounds of age in a number of areas, among them the provision of services. The Commission has consistently supported the Council Presidencies and the Member States to help them make progress towards adoption. However, it has not been possible to reach the required unanimity and there is no indication or clear prospect that it could be reached in the foreseeable future. Thus, the Commission announced in its 2025 Work Programme its intention to withdraw this proposal. The Commission will take due account of the positions of the Council and of the European Parliament before deciding on the withdrawal 4 . 1 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/genderequality/gender-equality-strategy_en. https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combattingdiscrimination/racism-and-xenophobia/eu-anti-racism-action-plan-2020-2025_en. https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combattingdiscrimination/roma-eu/roma-equality-inclusion-and-participation-eu_en. https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combattingdiscrimination/lesbian-gay-bi-trans-and-intersex-equality/lgbtiq-equality-strategy-2020-2025_en. https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1484&langId=en. 2 https://commission.europa.eu/priorities-2024-2029_en. 3 COM(2008)426. 4 In line with the interinstitutional agreement on better lawmaking.”
  EU policy on aging workforce and pensions · EU competences on social policies
• 2025-03-13 “P-001088/2025 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas on behalf of the European Commission On 11 March 2025, the High Representative/Vice-President issued a statement 1 on behalf of the EU, which condemned in the strongest terms the horrific crimes committed against civilians, including summary killings, many of which were allegedly perpetrated by armed groups supporting the security forces of the transitional authorities. The EU called for a swift, transparent and impartial investigation to be conducted to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. It welcomed the transitional authorities’ commitments, in particular the establishment of an investigative committee. It further called on the transitional authorities to allow the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic to investigate all violations. Everything must be done to prevent any such crimes from happening again. The EU continues to call for an end to violence across Syria, and urges all parties to protect Syrians from all ethnic and religious background without discrimination. In regular contact with transitional authorities and local actors, including civil society, the EU consistently advocates an inclusive, peaceful, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political transition and has taken note of a number of positive steps taken by the transitional authorities. The National Dialogue process, begun in February 2025, and the new government appointed end of March 2025, should ensure the transition meets the aspirations of all components of Syrian society. The EU will continue to support a Syrian-led inclusive transition grounded on the respect of international law, human rights, fundamental freedoms, pluralism and tolerance. 1 Syria: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the recent wave of violence, 11 March 2025, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/03/11/syria-statement-by-thehigh-representative-on-behalf-of-the-european-union-on-the-recent-wave-of-violence/”
  EU-Syria relations · EU engagement with Christian communities inside and outside the EU
• 2025-02-24 “E-000824/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of the study by its Joint Research Centre revealing that the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea has a very high concentration of marine litter 1 . The Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2 requires Member States to monitor and assess quantities and impacts of marine litter and take measures to reduce them so that they do not harm the coastal and marine environment. Under this Directive, there is an agreed limit of 20 macro litter items per 100 metres of coastline 3 ; threshold values for seafloor macro litter are being discussed with Member States. In addition, the EU Strategy for Plastics 4 , the Single-Use Plastics Directive 5 and the Port Reception Facilities Directive 6 also aim to reduce marine litter from land and sea sources. The Regulation on preventing plastic pellets losses to reduce microplastic pollution 7 proposed by the Commission in October 2023 will strengthen the legislative framework. The Zero Pollution Action Plan 8 sets a 50% reduction target for plastic litter at sea by 2030. According to the recent monitoring and outlook report 9 the EU is on track to meet the target. The Extended Producer Responsibility provisions are embodied in EU legislation, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 10 , to ensure that producers contribute to this goal. The EU also supports regional organisations 11 , to combat marine litter and developing an ambitious global Treaty against plastic pollution. EU funds, such as Horizon Europe 12 , the EU programme for the environment and climate 1 26 715 items/km2, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X25000852#bb0640 2 Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy, OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19–40. 3 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/marine-environment/descriptors-under-marine-strategy-frameworkdirective_en Communication from the Commission – Commission Notice on the threshold values set under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC and Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848, C/2024/1268, OJ C, C/2024/2078, 11.3.2024. 4 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/plastics-strategy_en 5 Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, , OJ L 155, 12.6.2019, p. 1–19. 6 Directive (EU) 2019/883 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on port reception facilities for the delivery of waste from ships, amending Directive 2010/65/EU and repealing Directive 2000/59/EC, OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 116–142. 7 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution, COM/2023/645 final. 8 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/zero-pollution-action-plan_en 9 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/zero-pollution-action-plan/zero-pollutiontargets_en#:~:text=The%20Zero%20Pollution%20Monitoring%20and%20Outlook%20offers%20a,are%20likely %20to%20achieve%202030%20zero%20pollution%20targets 10 Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019/904, and repealing Directive 94/62/EC, OJ L, 2025/40, 22.1.2025. 11 E.g. Barcelona Convention in the Mediterranean.”
  EU ocean policy · Water pollution · Microplastics
• 2025-02-17 “E-000713/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission EU policies support Member States to strengthen their health systems, via knowledge sharing, technical assistance, funding and policy recommendations. Each year the analysis in the European Semester 1 points to needs for reforms and investments in the health systems of Member States and several Member States receive Country-Specific Recommendations to strengthen their health systems. The Commission also provides Member States with significant funding to this end. More than EUR 42 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Facility 2 and EUR 14 billion from the Cohesion Policy funds are earmarked for investments in the Member States’ health systems including for hospital infrastructure, primary care, integrated health services, disease prevention, digital health and health workforce skills. Furthermore, the EU4Health Programme 3 also aims to address the long-term health challenges in the EU by building stronger, more resilient and more accessible health systems. As of April 2024, EUR 531.5 million have been allocated to cancer, including for the implementation of the Cancer Plan. The State of Health in the EU initiative 4 also provides country health profiles, comparative data, and policy recommendations to monitor and enhance healthcare quality and accessibility. This aligns with efforts to achieve targets within a European strategy for quality public healthcare services. Similarly, the European Cancer Inequalities Registry 5 , a flagship initiative of the Cancer Plan, supports Member States by highlighting inequalities and challenges in cancer prevention, treatment, and care between and within countries. This helps Member States identify gaps and areas for action to better guide investments at national and regional level. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/european-semester_en 2 https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/economic-recovery/recovery-and-resilience-facility_en 3 https://health.ec.europa.eu/funding/eu4health-programme-2021-2027-vision-healthier-european-union_en 4 https://health.ec.europa.eu/state-health-eu/overview_en 5 https://cancer-inequalities.jrc.ec.europa.eu/”
  Public and private sectors role in healthcare services
• 2025-02-11 “E-000614/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of developments in the Turkish Cypriot community’s school system. The EU is committed to developing a culture of inclusive tolerance both inside and outside the EU. It stands firmly against all forms of intolerance and discrimination. In this context, while fully respecting the responsibility of Member States for the content of teaching (Article 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), the EU encourages and supports inter-religious dialogue aimed at increasing mutual understanding and respect. The Commission will continue to support initiatives aimed at fostering reconciliation in Cyprus, developing a culture of inclusive tolerance, and improving contacts between the two communities and with the EU. In particular, the Commission is committed to peace education and reconciliation through a partnership with the United World Colleges (UWC) 1 , which organises youth engagement activities with the aim of fostering mutual understanding between the Cypriot communities. As an example, the Commission and UWC organised a two-day Youth Peace Forum involving 230 young people in September 2024, which allowed participants to develop their leadership skills while deepening their understanding of the importance and complexities of building a peaceful future. 1 https://www.uwc.org/”
  Foreign interference in Europe · EU-Turkey relations
• 2025-01-28 “E-000370/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission Directive 2006/54/EC 1 prohibits sex-based discrimination in employment and occupation including in pay, translating the equal pay principle of Article 157 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU into detailed legislation that EU Member States have to follow. An evaluation of the Directive found that the application of the principle is hindered by a lack of transparency in pay systems, a lack of legal clarity and awareness on the concept of work of equal value, and by procedural obstacles faced by victims of discrimination 2 . To remedy these shortcomings and following an impact assessment 3 , Directive (EU) 2023/970 4 aims to strengthen the implementation of the equal pay principle through pay transparency and supports the elimination of gender bias in pay mechanisms. The Directive requires Member States to ensure that analytical tools are made available to employers which support the assessment and comparison of the value of work. It also strengthens enforcement mechanisms by providing for better compensation, more effective sanctions (fines) and better support of victims of pay discrimination through equality bodies and workers' representatives. The Directive entered into force in June 2023 and Member States have to transpose it by June 2026. The Commission has also made funds available to Member States under the 2024 Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme 5 on gender equality to develop guidance and/or tools for gender-sensitive job evaluation and classification systems to help employers assess work of equal value in compliance with the principle of equal pay 6 . Moreover, the European Institute for Gender Equality is preparing a step-by-step toolkit on gender-neutral job evaluation and classification systems building on the existing Commission and International Labour Organisation guidance 7 . 1 Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006, OJ L 204, 26.7.2006, p. 23–36. 2 Evaluation of the relevant provisions in the Directive 2006/54/EC implementing the Treaty principle on ‘equal pay for equal work or work of equal value’, SWD(2020) 50 final, 5.3.2020. 3 Impact assessment accompanying the document Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms, SWD/2021/41 final, 4.3.2021. 4 Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023, OJ L 132, 17.5.2023, p. 21–44. 5 Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme overview available at: https://commission.europa.eu/fundingtenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/citizens-equality-rights-and-values-programme/citizens-equalityrights-and-values-programme-overview_en 6 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/projectsresults?isExactMatch=true&programmePeriod=2021%20%202027&frameworkProgramme=43251589&topicAbbreviation=CERV-2024GE&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=title 7 International Labour Organisation, Promoting Equity: gender-neutral job evaluation for equal pay, A step-bystep guide, 2009, available at https://www.ilo.org/publications/promoting-equity-gender-neutral-job-evaluationequal-pay-step-step-guide; Commission Staff Working Document SWD/2013/0512 final available at: https://eurlex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52013SC0512”
  Gender pay transparency · Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• 2025-01-28 “E-000368/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Ribera on behalf of the European Commission According to Directive 2019/1 1 , Member States should ensure that competition authorities have minimum guarantees of independence and powers to effectively apply EU competition rules 2 . The decision on whether to open proceedings following a complaint received at national level lies within the discretion of the competition authorities of the Member States 3 . The Commission has no competence to instruct a competition authority of a Member State to open such proceedings. The Commission would also like to point out that an increase in energy costs can be explained by other factors (e.g. increased cost of fuels used to generate electricity) than an infringement of EU competition rules. To declare a regional price crisis, according to Article 66a of the Electricity Directive 4 , the Commission bases its assessment on data submitted by Member States. The Commission supports Member States in this exercise. When Member States decide to support investment into non-fossil generation, this should be done through contract for differences, guaranteeing that excess of revenue above the maximum price is captured and redistributed by the Member State to final consumers. The Commission had open discussions with several Member States and stands ready, upon their request, to provide support on retail tariff design and on a framework including demand response. The Action Plan for Affordable Energy 5 will address challenges such as efficiency measures, renewable energy deployment, permitting, grids, storage and systems costs. These efforts will help lower energy costs. 1 Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 to empower the competition authorities of the Member States to be more effective enforcers and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market, OJ 14.1.2019, L11/3. 2 Articles 101 and 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. 3 See Article 4 (5) of Directive 2019/1. Competition authorities of the Member States should be able to set their priorities and reject complaints on priority grounds. 4 Article 66a of Directive (EU) 2019/944 as regards improving the Union’s electricity market design as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/1711 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 OJ L, 2024/1711, 26.6.2024. 5 COM/2025/79 final (https://energy.ec.europa.eu/publications/action-plan-affordable-energy-unlocking-truevalue-our-energy-union-secure-affordable-efficient-and_en).”
  EU approach to electricity market and prices
• 2025-01-28 “E-000369/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission The Work-Life Balance Directive 1 provides for minimum standards on the rights to paternity and parental leave in the EU. These new rights make it easier to share care responsibilities between parents and to strike a balance between work and family life. The Directive incentivises fathers to use their rights to paid paternity and parental leave, thereby making it easier for mothers to return to paid work. Under the Directive, workers have the right to request flexible working arrangements such as reduced working hours and flexible working schedules. Article 18 of the Directive requires Member States to report on the Directive’s implementation by August 2027, and the Commission to draw up a report. The Commission currently monitors the implementation of the Directive. If the Commission considers that a Member State’s legislation does not comply with the requirements of the Directive, it may open infringement proceedings. Furthermore, the availability of affordable, accessible and high-quality care services has a strong impact on the employment of carers, mainly women. The Council Recommendation on early childhood education and care – the Barcelona targets for 2030 2 – encourages Member States to increase participation levels in this area. Article 11(a) recommends that Member States offer solutions for parents with atypical working hours. The European Social Fund and the recovery and resilience plans include work-life balance targeted measures and reforms to facilitate telework and early childhood education and care, included in the Child Guarantee action plans 3 , that support parents’ return to the labour market. An example is the Rainbow Childcare and Activities Centre 4 . 1 Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU, OJ L 188, 12.7.2019, p. 79–93. 2 Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on early childhood education and care: the Barcelona targets for 2030 (2022/C 484/01). 3 https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/social-protection-socialinclusion/addressing-poverty-and-supporting-social-inclusion/investing-children/european-childguarantee/national-action-plans-and-progress-reports_en. 4 https://thalia.com.cy/en/example-of-projects/rainbow-childcare-and-activities-centre/.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion · Support for families
• 2025-01-15 “E-000132/2025 Answer given by Ms Šuica on behalf of the European Commission Equality and non-discrimination are core values of the EU embedded in the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, including on the grounds of age. The Employment Equality Directive 2000/78/EC covers non-discrimination on the ground of age in the area of employment and occupation. A step towards better enforcement and implementation of the EU non-discrimination acquis was taken through recent legislation on equality bodies 1 . As regards the 2008 proposal for an equal treatment directive 2 which would extend the prohibition of discrimination on the ground of age beyond the area of employment and occupation, the Commission has announced in the 2025 Commission Work Programme its intention to withdraw it within six months given that there is no foreseeable agreement, awaiting now the legislator’s reaction to this announcement. The current Union of Equality strategies 3 adopted by the Commission in 2020 and 2021 stress the need to combat stereotypes, fight age-based discrimination within their respective remit, promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and give everyone equal chances to contribute and thrive. The European Care Strategy 4 and Council Recommendation on long-term care 5 support and call on Member States to ensure quality, affordable and accessible care services and improve the situation for both care receivers and the people caring for them, professionally or informally 6 . More initiatives are recalled in the Demography Toolbox 7 , where older persons constitute one of the pillars. Age-related considerations can thus be relevant in the implementation of legislation and policies as outlined and also as part of the Commission’s work on its priority on ‘Supporting 1 Directive 2024/1499 and Directive 2024/1500. 2 COM(2008)426. 3 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/genderequality/gender-equality-strategy_en; https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combattingdiscrimination/racism-and-xenophobia/eu-anti-racism-action-plan-2020-2025_en; https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combattingdiscrimination/roma-eu/roma-equality-inclusion-and-participation-eu_en; https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combattingdiscrimination/lesbian-gay-bi-trans-and-intersex-equality/lgbtiq-equality-strategy-2020-2025_en; https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1484&langId=en 4 COM/2022/440 final. 5 2022/C 476/01. 6 https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/social-protection-social-inclusion/socialprotection/long-term-care_en 7 https://commission.europa.eu/publications/communication-demographic-change-europe-toolbox-action_en”
  EU competences on social policies · EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
• 2024-12-11 “P-002852/2024 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission The Commission does not intend to adopt stricter criteria for the authorisation of development projects in coastal areas close to Natura 2000 sites. Plans or projects likely to have a significant effect on Natura 2000 sites 1 must be subject to an assessment of their implications for the sites and be authorised in accordance with the Habitats Directive 2 . Furthermore, Member States must take appropriate steps to avoid deterioration of habitats and disturbance of species in the sites 3 , as well as ensure a general system of protection for strictly protected species 4 . For construction projects carried out with funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) 5 , ex-ante checks are carried out to clarify if the new construction activities will take place in or near biodiversity-sensitive areas, and to clarify if an Environmental Impact Assessment needs to be carried out. As a rule, and without prejudice to its role as guardian of the Treaties, the Commission does not assess the environmental impact of specific projects. Member States are primarily responsible and are requested to ensure compliance of specific projects with Union and national law, including the environmental acquis, to ensure that the use of funds complies with Union and national law, as provided by Article 22 of the Recovery and Resilience Facility Regulation 6 . Similarly, Member States are primarily responsible for ensuring that ‘do no significant harm (DNSH)’ conditions are fully respected at all times, taking into account commitments set out in the submitted RRPs in accordance with the DNSH Technical Guidance 7 . The Commission has opened an infringement procedure 8 against Cyprus for failing to properly assess projects that may have a significant impact on Natura 2000 sites as required by the Habitats Directive. 1 Either individually or in combination with other plans or projects. 2 Articles 6(3) and (4) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7–50. 3 Article 6(2) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC. 4 In accordance with Article 12 of Council Directive 92/43/EEC and Article 5 of Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds, OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7–25. 5 https://reform-support.ec.europa.eu/what-we-do/recovery-and-resilience-plans_en 6 Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility, OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 17–75. 7 https://commission.europa.eu/publications/dnsh-technical-guidance-amended-october-2023_en 8 INFR(2019)2303: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_24_663”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-11-18 “E-002566/2024 Answer given by Ms Albuquerque on behalf of the European Commission Directive (EU) 2021/2167 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2021 on credit servicers and credit purchasers 1 (‘the NPLD’), amending Directives 2008/48/EC 2 and 2014/17/EU 3 , had to be transposed by 29 December 2023 by Member States. It introduces requirements protective of the borrower in the context of debt purchasing and debt servicing in the EU. Regarding the protection of borrowers’ personal data, Article 10(1)(c) of the NPLD states that, in their relationships with borrowers, credit purchasers and credit servicers respect and protect the personal information and privacy of borrowers. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 4 lays down the rules to ensure the protection of personal data. Without prejudice to the competences of the Commission as guardian of the Treaties, the enforcement of the GDPR in individual cases lies with the competent national authorities and courts. In this context, Cyprus received a letter of formal notice in January 2024, and a reasoned opinion in July 2024, requiring the communication to the Commission of transposition measures of the NPLD. The Cypriot authorities have notified in November complete transposition of the NPLD. the status of this procedure can be followed under the following website (with the following infringement procedure reference INFR(2024)0018) 5 , which is currently being assessed by the Commission to ensure its completeness and conformity. These do not apply to NPL transferred prior to 30 December 2023 6 . For credit agreements transferred after this date to companies operating without a license, the NPLD requires Member States to provide national supervisory authorities with the power to act. 1 OJ L 438, 8.12.2021, p. 1–37. 2 OJ L 133, 22.5.2008, p. 66–92. 3 OJ L 60, 28.2.2014, p. 34–85. 4 Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1–88. 5 https://ec.europa.eu/atwork/applying-eu-law/infringements-proceedings/infringement_decisions/?lang_code=en 6 Article 2(5)(d) of the NPLD.”
  European Banking Union · Financial regulation
• 2024-10-23 “E-002232/2024 Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission Energy poverty and high energy prices in Europe need to be addressed urgently. Energy prices are a central factor for the competitiveness of European companies and for the wellbeing of citizens. The Commission has put forward a reform of the Electricity Market Design, which has been adopted by the co-legislators and is being implemented by the Member States, and it will continue its work to address these issues, including with an Action Plan on Affordable Energy as part of the Clean Industrial Deal. Internal market rules already allow Member States to introduce certain short-term measures, for example regulated retail tariffs in compliance with the Electricity Directive 1 and incentives for consumers to shift their demand away from periods with tight electricity supplies. Also, regulatory restrictions to the participation of storage, demand response and independent aggregators in the electricity market should be removed in line with the Directive. Article 66a of the revised Electricity Directive extends the possibilities for short term interventions in retail markets in case the Council declares an electricity price crisis. The Commission will continue to work with Member States, including Cyprus, on the implementation of the Directive. Moreover, the Value Added Tax (VAT) Directive 2 includes the supply of electricity in the list of goods and services which can benefit from a reduced VAT rate. Where genuine excessive profits arise, Member States may introduce fiscal measures to address them, provided that such measures do not interfere with the proper functioning of wholesale electricity markets and the investment incentives. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32024R1747 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32006L0112”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-10-22 “E-002208/2024 Answer given by Mr Hoekstra on behalf of the European Commission The European Climate Risk Assessment confirmed that Europe is experiencing the impacts of climate change and that these will worsen with further warming, southern Europe is a hotspot for multiple climate risks and islands in the Mediterranean are especially sensitive to climatic changes 1 . The Commission takes many climate adaptation actions also covering freshwater availability and agriculture as committed in the EU Adaptation Strategy 2 and the Communication on Managing Climate Risks 3 . Progress on implementation of the strategy has been reported 4 . Public and private actors are supported through several EU spending programmes and instruments under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework, such as the European Regional Development Fund 5 , the Cohesion Fund 6 , funding under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 78 - among others to farmers, forest holders and rural communities through the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 and in the Rural Development Programme 2014-2022, the EU programme for the environment and climate action 9 and Horizon Europe 10 . They are complemented by additional support under the NextGenerationEU funding, in particular the Recovery and Resilience Facility 11 . The Commission will step up work on climate resilience and preparedness, among others through a European Climate Adaptation Plan. Climate resilience of food production will also be addressed in the EU Vision for Agriculture, while the objective of the European Water Resilience Strategy will be to preserve water quality and quantity in the EU and beyond, enhance the competitive innovative edge of our water industry, and address the root causes of water challenges, including pollution, scarcity and the impacts of climate change. 1 European Environment Agency, European Climate Risk Assessment, 2024. 2 EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, COM(2021) 82 final. 3 COM(2024) 91 final. 4 SWD(2023) 338 final. 5 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/erdf/ 6 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/cohesion-fund/ 7 https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/ruraldevelopment_en 8 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy_en 9 LIFE, https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/life_en 10 https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/horizon-europe_en 11 https://next-generation-eu.europa.eu/index_en”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-10-08 “P-001994/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Šefčovič on behalf of the European Commission It is the duty of Cyprus authorities to verify compliance with national and EU environmental legislation and, after having consulted the public, to decide whether a permit for a new quarry can be issued. Impacts of plans and projects on the environment must be assessed in accordance with EU legislation on strategic environmental assessment 1 and/or environmental impact assessment 2 . In case Natura 2000 sites are likely to be significantly affected, such projects shall be subject to an assessment of their implications for the sites and be authorised in accordance with Articles 6(3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive 3 . In relation to existing quarries in Natura 2000 sites, Member States must take appropriate steps to avoid the deterioration of the habitats and significant disturbance of species for which the sites have been designated. The Environmental Liability Directive 4 (ELD) provides a European framework requiring operators to remediate in kind occurrences of environmental damage which respond to the Directive criteria and to prevent the damage in case of imminent threat thereof. The ELD addresses cases of significant damage to species and sites protected under EU legislation 5 as well as to water and land, in line with the polluter pays principle. The Regulation on nature restoration 6 requires Member States to put in place measures which aim to ensure that key habitat types do not significantly deteriorate. It is for national authorities to identify, in their national restoration plan due by September 2026, the areas and the restoration measures to be implemented. The Commission expects that the construction of marine and coastal projects is fully compliant with EU law and makes use of nature-based solutions. 1 Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, OJ L 197, 21.7.2001, p. 30 – 37. 2 Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. OJ L 124, 25.4.2014, p. 1–18. 3 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7–50. 4 Directive 2004/35/CE of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage, OJ L 143, 30.4.2004, p. 56–75. 5 Birds (Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds, OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7–25) and Habitats Directive. 6 Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869. PE/74/2023/REV/1. OJ L, 2024/1991, 29.7.2024.”
  Energy (green transition)
• 2024-07-16 “P-001356/2024 Answer given by Mr Reynders on behalf of the European Commission Directive 93/13/EEC requires Member States to ensure that consumers are not bound by unfair terms and have effective remedies against such terms. It applies to all kinds of contracts on the purchase of goods and services, including contracts on financial services 1 . It is the primary responsibility of national authorities and courts to safeguard consumer rights in individual disputes 2 . The Commission opened in 2013 an infringement procedure against Cyprus for ineffective enforcement of Directive 93/13/EEC 3 and Directive 2005/29/EC 4 . While Cyprus responded positively to several concerns, certain unresolved grievances were addressed by an additional letter of formal notice on 25 July 2019 5 and a reasoned opinion on 18 February 2021 6 . The Commission is finalising its assessment of the case, taking into account inter alia the reply of 16 April 2021 to the reasoned opinion, subsequent changes to Cypriot consumer law last notified to the Commission in November 2022 7 , relevant administrative practice and further analysis undertaken as part of the preparation of the report on the implementation of the Modernisation Directive, published by the Commission on 18 June 2024 8 . Based on this assessment, the Commission will consider next steps before the end of 2024. In relation to the concern of the Honourable Member regarding the transposition of Directive (EU) 2021/2167 by Cyprus, an infringement procedure for non-communication is indeed ongoing. In this context, the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to the Cypriot authorities on 24 January 2024 and subsequently a reasoned opinion on 25 July 2024 9 . 1 See Section 5 of Commission Notice – Guidance on the interpretation and application of Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts, OJ C 323, 27.9.2019, p. 4–92, COM(2019) 5325 final. 2 See for example CJEU judgment of 30 September 2003, Case C-224/01, Köbler. 3 Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts, OJ L 95, 21.4.1993, p. 29‐34. 4 Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market and amending Council Directive 84/450/EEC, Directives 97/7/EC, 98/27/EC and 2002/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Unfair Commercial Practices Directive’), OJ L 149, 11.6.2005, p. 22‐39. 5 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/INF_19_4251 6 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_21_441 7 See in particular the Cypriot Consumer Protection Laws of 2021 to (No 2) 2022. 8 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/2161 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 amending Council Directive 93/13/EEC and Directives 98/6/EC, 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rules, (COM(2024) 258 final). 9 INFR (2024) 018 - information available at https://ec.europa.eu/atwork/applying-eu-law/infringementsproceedings/infringement_decisions/?lang_code=en&langCode=EN”
  EU restrictions on unfair commercial practices
• “Chair, miss Rona. We're seeing Mr. Trump out of control. And Mr. Netanyahu, who is officially a war criminal. They have opened the gates of hell in the Middle East and for the peoples of Europe as well. We're not talking about democracy. Democracy does not exist in Iran, but it does not exist in the other Gulf countries as well. So democracy cannot be enforced by bombs. Let's be honest, it's all about the oil. So the consequences for the peoples will be huge loss of life. About which miss von der Leyen is very selective, very high prices and refugee flows. So we need to give some space to diplomacy and peace, respect international law. We recognise the EU solidarity in Cyprus, but that was not done through the EU. It was done by single countries. So and Turkey is still there. You need to stand up.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “Thank you very much. I do agree with what has just been said by the German member. I think that's right. Water. Is extremely important. It's vital. And. Any. Statements that fail to recognize that clear fact and that question. The green transition. Or that don't pay heed to climate change, then that fails us. I've read recently a scientific report, namely about the fact that the next war is going to be a war for water. I'd like to thank Thomas Baiada for this very good report. Uh, it's an excellent initiative, and I would like to commend him for the seeing things in the round and for helping us along the path to a better strategy for water resilience. Water is a human right, and we have to support it. We need healthy water. We need safe water for everybody. What's important in trying to do that is that we ensure that public purse manages to make adequate investments in infrastructure in pipe works. Pipe work in general. All of that needs to be invested in and maintained, and they are local authorities that border lakes and seas need to make sure that water pollution is not able to enter those bodies of water. I'd also like attention to be drawn to the situation in the Mediterranean, because over the recent decades there have been many implications on life in that area.”
  Water pollution
• “Thank you very much. I must say that. In my. On my payroll, there is a young woman. Who I employ. And I saw for the first time yesterday. And she said. I don't need the money. What I do need is to get outside the house. It's to have work and to feel useful. She said that. When she went to an appointment for a specialist, to see a specialist doctor to. And to assess her entitlement to allowances, she was told you can speak so you don't have a problem. She said, yes, I can speak, but I cannot hear. And I need €2,500 for a hearing aid in order to be able to hear, and the state only gives me 300. So what does that mean? Am I doomed to never hear again? I'm delighted by what I've heard today. Discrimination knows no colour. Knows no ideology. We've heard very important statements today. And. You can count on my full cooperation in order to include these remarks in the final text. Indeed, I believe that at a time when we're seeing vast political conflicts, I think that this committee can send a strong message, and that is that there are a number of areas you know, beyond party lines, beyond ideologies, can actually lead to cooperation, to work that will show that Europe has values, has culture, has a sense of civilization.”
  EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• “47:42 – 14:49:28): Thank you very much. First thing I would say is that Bosnia and Herzegovina is at a very crucial stage in its move towards the EU accession. Of course, it remains the objective for the country and its citizens, but progress is going to presuppose more political stability as well as more reforms. Now, this has been a big challenge for cooperation between all the political forces in recent years and often that has made the decision-making process extremely difficult. Of course, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, as well as the fight against corruption are all of paramount importance. And then there's a whole question of constitutional electoral reform to make sure that we strengthen the functioning of the country. We need to make sure that we have freedom of the media as well as real public dialogue. These are all absolutely essential for the country. But of course, Bosnia and Herzegovina also has an important role to play in the wider region of the Western Balkans and of course we are always happy to support the country's European perspective. I've got friends there and I ask them, do you really want to make the necessary efforts and join the EU? Now, we on the left, of course, want to collaborate, we want to assist the rapporteur, and we genuinely do want to see the completion of this very important job of work.”
  EU relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina
• “Thank you, Mr. President. I will speak Greek. Dear colleagues.We have before us an extremely important task. We must propose a new strategy. To address the needs of disabled persons, while at the same time guaranteeing their rights. We need to understand that it is not. The disability that kills people. It's the fact that these people are excluded and therefore we need to include such persons. We need to inform them, keep them in the loop. They need to have equal access to health care as a common public good, and therefore we should speak the truth and be open and honest. We need to have access to. To ensure accessibility in every area of life. We need to make sure that Member States public hospitals support this. When it comes to access by disabled people to health care services, we need to reduce inequality between member states but also within member states. We need to strengthen the directive on cross-border health care so that all expenses are covered. We need to guarantee the integration of disabled persons in research. We need to improve the training of medical professionals in the area of disability. And we also need to provide more financing for health care services, specifically for disabled people, and also support their families. We need to ask for a European strategy, a modern Strategy for 2025, 2030 so that there is more equal access to orphan drugs, among other things. And I would like to say to all the cooperators that it is very important for us to have fruitful collaborations so that we can have the best possible results, together with all political groups. And I would like to thank the Secretariat for its help, which is so precious, and also. For the role that it will be playing up to the vote of this opinion. Thank you.”
  EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• “Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Minister. Good morning and welcome on behalf of the left here in the Parliament. We wish you the best of luck during the Cyprus presidency. Now, this presidency comes at a moment of multiple crises climate, environment, social imbalances and inequalities. And now recently we had Mercosur. It's an agreement which has led to a number of different questions with regard to its democratic legitimacy and its undermining the institutional respect that ought to exist between the various institutions of the European Union. The president of the Council Is said that he that he will move forward with implementation of this particular agreement. And of course, the questions come into play with regard to the court and the Parliament and the role that we play in this particular agreement. Now, as concerns the environment, the health of individuals, the quality of foods, environment, once again, I emphasize the environment because that's my particular, uh, portfolio, if you like, today here, uh, we're worried about this particular agreement because it appears that there has not been proper, uh, assessment as to what this particular agreement means, in essence. So taking into consideration all of this, uh, well, first of all, there's been, uh, as far as the green transition and the ambitions of the European Commission, They seem to be limited, limited in a broader framework of competitiveness, of the need to create agreements, trade agreements, uh, arms agreements, moving away from dependence of the on the United States, on Russia as well. And on top of that, we have Mercosur. So how do you feel it can facilitate or help us in this issue of green transition, respect for the environment, uh, upgrading the quality of what we eat and strengthening the agricultural sector. I'd like to hear what your opinion is with regard to this. Thank you.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Madam Commissioner. When you were speaking, I heard ten will and 20. Should the wildfires we saw in Europe this year. Should that an austerity policy is a disaster. Cyprus, unfortunately, has lost a huge amount of its, uh, its surface area, 1 million hectares. Well, um, we've been promised, uh, firefighting helicopters, etc., but they still haven't arrived. We've lost a lot. Um, nobody, uh, from the ministers have been supporting us since 2016. We on the left have been asking for a Europe, uh, European base of fire fighting place to be set up in Cyprus. But instead of looking on this, you've been looking at individual responsibility and climate issues. So, um, we are being told that we need investment. Well, we need that. We need for the equipment. Please, um, let the, uh, the military industry and the defence industry maybe make less profit. Finally.”
  Management of EU forests
• “And that include fully persons with disabilities. Because beyond words, beyond discourse, we need to take action. We need an action plan that is EU wide, that is fully integrated, and an oversight mechanism. Regarding what Member States are doing and what the EU is doing in this area. Another thing, in order to implement these actions, we need financing. And so this needs to be included in the MFF. Often persons with disabilities say and and here going back to what the French Italian colleagues were saying. You know, when we're discussing persons, persons with disabilities, often families come up. The fact that families also require support. Often these people, people's biggest fear is, you know what will come of me when my family won't be there anymore? Who will care for me? What Julian said as well On. A what Esther said all of this has been taken on board. And I think there will be no issue in incorporating this into a text that will be useful and powerful for the EU, but also for member states. I remain at your disposal and I'm ready to cooperate in a constructive way. And I will try to leverage all the different amendments and include them in the text. Thank you.”
  EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• “Thank you very much, president. Mr. Lenaers, I'm very glad indeed that on behalf of the EPP, you admitted that although the a lot of work has been done intense work as Pegasus the committee and that we've given everything events, testimonies, names, addresses, country names, recommendations have been made, but they did nothing. Or rather they did something. They allowed for the use of spyware used on journalists. That's the truth, Commissioner. That's the truth, Minister. And, uh, words are not enough anymore. We need not dead letter. The situation is much more serious than it was before. It's being used actively. Actively? We heard about graphite, which is a development of Pegasus developed by the Israeli NSO. Right now, the Israeli ambassador to to Spain with great gall indeed revealed this particular fact. The fact that there is surveillance because Spain recognized Palestine. So what is it that you don't understand? We need courage. We need to have a ban on this immediately. Otherwise you are complicit, as you are complicit in so many other things. Thank you.”
  Surveillance equipment & spyware