Nicosia must convince the Netherlands and Austria and meet two remaining requirements.

Cyprus’s accession process has entered a new stage. In September, the issue was examined for the first time by the relevant working group of the Council of the EU. According to available information, 120 points of technical preparation have already been closed, and the European Commission’s assessment was positive.

At the meeting, a number of countries spoke in favour of Cyprus. Among them were Greece, Italy, Spain, Malta, Bulgaria, and Romania. The Netherlands and Austria, however, did not publicly support the application. Their position matters greatly, because a new Schengen member can be admitted only by unanimous consent.

That is why Cypriot representatives travelled to The Hague. There they discussed how the future Schengen regime would work on a divided island, along the Green Line, and in the presence of the British bases.

Two points remain before the technical part is complete: the procedure for checks along the Green Line must be settled, and controls at the two crossing points of the British bases must be brought into line with the required European standards.

Migration is a separate issue. At the next stage, some countries may request additional guarantees that Cyprus will not become a new route for irregular entry into the Schengen area.

Technically, then, Cyprus is already close to completing its preparations, but there is still no date for accession. After the remaining conditions are met, Nicosia will still need the political approval of all Schengen members.

@cyprus_kipr