Greece sets July 1 target for Cyprus to enter Schengen zone
President Nikos Christodoulides says Athens aims for the island to become the Schengen area's 30th member on July 1, when Greece takes over the EU Council presidency.
Greece is aiming for Cyprus to become the 30th member of the Schengen area on July 1 next year, the day Athens assumes the EU Council's rotating presidency, President Nikos Christodoulides has told the Cyprus Mail. He said objections raised by some member states have been mostly resolved.
Christodoulides sought to reassure Turkish Cypriots and their relatives who are entitled to use the island's crossing points, saying their current rights to move between the two sides would be preserved. On the EU's new digital entry/exit system for third-country nationals, he said a workaround involving some form of controls at Larnaca and Paphos airports is planned, without giving further detail.
The European Commission backed Cyprus's bid in July, and the matter is expected to return to the EU's justice and home affairs council, which next meets on December 3 and 4.
What it means for residents
Schengen membership would mainly change how people travel to and from the island, not daily life inside it. Until the entry/exit system question is settled, the practical arrangements at airports and at the Green Line remain uncertain.
- Travel: expect shorter, passport-free trips to most EU countries once the change takes effect, but carry ID as usual in the meantime.
- Crossings: Turkish Cypriots and their families should keep their existing crossing rights, though the technical details are still being negotiated.
- Timing: July 1 is a target, not a guarantee — watch the December council meeting for signs of progress.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
