Cyprus will join the Schengen Area in 2026, the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, has said.
The President said that his country is making a huge effort in order to achieve this goal, Schengen.News reports.
We will join the Schengen zone in 2026. A huge effort is being made by the end of 2025 from a technical point of view. This is our goal, we will have completed everything we need to do as a state, with the aim of 2026, precisely, for the Republic of Cyprus to join the Schengen zone.
He told Cyprus Mail that this decision would be a strategic decision and a development for both Cyprus and the European Union.
In addition, the President of Cyprus said that his country needs the contribution of the European Parliament to succeed in this effort. Christodoulides said that he was pleased with the outcome of the meeting he had with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
But first, we have to complete our work, and I assure you that by the end of 2025, we will complete all the technicalities we need to ensure that our country will be in the Schengen zone in 2026.
The European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Magnus Brunner, recently said that the Commission is closely observing Cyprus’ progress in fulfilling the requirements to become the newest member of the Schengen Area.
Brunner said that more than €292 million worth of EU funding has been allocated up to this point for Cyprus’ border management, migration and police cooperation under the 2021-2027 program.
Last month, the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Constantinos Kombos, said Cyprus had made significant progress towards Schengen accession in the two years since the current government came to power.
In addition, he told Cyprus Mail that becoming part of the Schengen Zone is a top political priority for his country.
Earlier this year, the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, said that Cyprus would resolve all the technical issues required in order to become part of the borderless area of Schengen by the end of this year.
Cyprus entered the European Union in 2004; however, it has still not become part of the Schengen Area.
In addition, the President said that the Schengen Area membership would boost tourism, among others, which is essential for Cyprus’ economy.