EU leaders and institutions gave a positive assessment of the Cyprus EU Council Presidency at the final European Council session held under its chairmanship, according to sources close to the summit who spoke to philenews.
President Nikos Christodoulides presented the results of the Cyprus Presidency on the first day of proceedings. According to sources close to the session, interventions by EU leaders recognised significant progress achieved over the past six months, across both high-priority political files and issues affecting citizens’ daily lives, with some long-pending matters brought to a close.
The European Council President congratulated the Cyprus Presidency on the successful conduct of its term, with a special mention of the role of the Deputy Minister of European Affairs, according to the same sources.
The President of the European Commission noted that the Presidency had worked across numerous files with many deliverables, only some of which were reflected in the Roadmap — a reference that government sources said highlighted the breadth of work completed and the institutional recognition that the Cyprus Presidency had produced substantive results beyond its most prominent files.
The President of the European Parliament specifically welcomed the submission of the negotiating framework for the Multiannual Financial Framework, noting that the Parliament was ready to begin consultations. The Parliament President also highlighted the agreement on new air passenger rights, describing the outcome as made possible by strong inter-institutional cooperation and the commitment of the Cyprus Presidency.
Italy thanked the Cyprus Presidency for the outstanding work it carried out over the past six months, according to sources who commented on the remarks by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to philenews. The Cypriot government attached particular significance to this assessment.
Ireland, which takes over the Council Presidency on July 1, also thanked Cyprus for its work during the term. Germany expressed thanks for the Presidency’s achievements, including on migration, while Spain specifically recognised progress on the Migration and Asylum Pact and highlighted the importance of its implementation for frontline member states.
A government source speaking to philenews said the Cyprus Presidency was concluding with a strong record, describing Cyprus as having acted as a credible and honest broker in a complex European and geopolitical environment, advanced difficult files, and strengthened the country’s image as a member state capable of producing results.
