The Cypriot President is making a working visit to Berlin today, Nikos Christodoulidisin view of the Republic of Cyprus taking over the Presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January 2026. Cyprus will hold the Presidency in the first half of 2026.
Her priorities will be at the center of the visit Cyprus Presidency. According to the draft program released in Brussels, Nicosia is preparing an agenda with a strong emphasis on the negotiations for the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework, on strengthening European competitiveness through “simplifying” regulations and reducing administrative burdens, as well as on continuing enlargement with strict merit-based criteria.
At the same time, an exchange of views is expected on the Cyprus issue and the EU’s role in the effort to restart talks under the UN, as well as coordination on European issues that concern Berlin and Nicosia, such as European defense, immigration and energy security. The appointment has also been announced by Berlin as a meeting with the main purpose of preparing Cyprus for taking over the presidency of the EU.
The meeting comes as the government of Friedrich Merz completes 6 months in the Chancellery, following his election in May 2025 in the second round of voting in the Bundestag. Its profile and priorities, such as strengthening German competitiveness, stronger European defense and closer cooperation with partners to manage migration flows, provide the framework within which Nicosia attempts to frame its own priorities for the first half of 2026.
On the energy agenda, the dialogue is expected to touch on European support for mature transnational projects that enhance resilience and reduce energy costs. The European Commission has repeatedly expressed its political will in its favor Greece-Cyprus electrical interconnectiona project that is a strategic priority for both Nicosia and Athens, despite Ankara’s reactions.
Beyond high politics, Cyprus-Germany bilateral capital has a strong footprint in shipping, tourism and education. For example, in shipping management, a sector where Cyprus remains a European hub, Germany is the main trading partner, with a share of around 30% in the sector’s revenues in the first half of 2025, according to the Central Bank of Cyprus.
Current mobility builds on a positive background. In February 2024, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier made the first official visit of a German President to Cyprus, a development that marked an upgrade of contacts and political symbolism.