Cyprus considers court action if EU forces through direct trade

THE CYPRIOT government is prepared to go to court over the possible establishment of direct trade regulations between the EU and the north, according to Politis newspaper.

The paper said yesterday the government would consider action if the European Commission was not prepared to change its proposal for the establishment of direct trade between the north and EU member states.

The report says the government is worried the EU could pass the legislation with a simple majority and does not need a unanimous decision on the matter, thus bypassing the Cypriot government’s veto.

The government is confident of its case, claiming the legal framework of the proposal covers third countries and not EU member states.

The issue was not discussed at yesterday’s EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting, but it could come up soon, as the German presidency of the EU is reportedly keen to finalise an agreement before handing over the leadership to Portugal for the second part of 2007. The German Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated its wish to reach an agreement on the issue.

Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis is expected to make comments on the matter today.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.