Cyprus and the EU. The road to accession

Abstract:

EU accession was a bumpier road to tread for Cyprus than for many other candidate countries, and this story relates the bumps and potholes and occasional near landslides of that journey. The work comprises thirteen contributions by legal experts experienced in the Cyprus accession process.

Chapter one by way of introduction provides the background and the timetable for the negotiations. Chapter two explores the route to EU accession for aspiring Member States, looking at the new requirements and the efforts of the Republic of Cyprus to succeed in becoming an EU member. The third chapter examines Cyprus’ efforts to harmonise its agricultural sector with the acquis communautaire. The fourth chapter turns to aviation and the relations between Cyprus and the EU, presenting comparison of Cyprus law with Community law, and discussing the harmonisation process to date. Competition and state aid are the subjects of chapter five which has an overview of the existing anti-trust measures and those relating to mergers and state aid. Chapter six deals with environmental issues and the environment protection situation prior to the harmonisation process and the progress towards EU standards. Financial issues are covered in chapter seven, which examines the Cyprus laws and practices and the progress towards harmonisation in the areas of EMU and the free movement of capital. Chapter eight deals with the free movement of services and the freedom of establishment leading to liberalisation of the Cyprus service sector. Intellectual property rights are featured in chapter nine which considers the impact of EU harmonisation in areas such as patents, trade marks, designs and copyright. Chapter ten addresses social policy and employment and the ability of Cyprus to adopt and implement the acquis in areas such as labour law, social dialogue, health and safety at work and equality of treatment for men and women. Chapter eleven discusses justice and home affairs and the serious implications arising from Cyprus’ vulnerability to illegal immigration. Chapter twelve deserts the issue specific to consider the broader picture and the challenges and opportunities facing Cyprus as a ‘small state’ member of the EU. The final chapter looks ahead to the future after the transposition of the acquis communitaire into national law, exploring the potential for joy and pain as Cyprus matures into full effective membership status.

The work will interest scholars and students engaged in European Studies, European Law and the development of Cyprus.