British High Commissioner Supports Cyprus EU Entry

by Harry Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

16 April 2001

Edward Clay, British High Commissioner to Cyprus, told a meeting of the island state's Rotary Club last week that Britain will offer all possible assistance during Cyprus's accession process to the EU. He thought that the goal of completing the negotiations by this time next year is a formidable, but achievable target, saying: "There is no reason to suppose that Cyprus will not soon be ready to join - the outstanding issues between the EU and Cyprus are being quietly resolved as negotiations continue".

Cyprus is still at the head of the queue of applicant countries along with Estonia, with Malta close behind. It is one of only two candidate countries judged by the European Commission to already have fully functioning market economies and it meets the Copenhagen Criteria on democracy and human rights.

Addressing what some see as the biggest road-block in the way of EU entry, the Turkish problem, the High Commissioner said that Britain stands by the Helsinki Summit conclusions, which state that a settlement is not a precondition for accession, and that all factors will be taken into consideration when the time comes for the EU to decide on this issue. Clay said Britain's energies and all of the EU's energies are engaged in doing everything to aid a just and comprehensive settlement before accession by the whole of Cyprus. "We support completely the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and his Special Representative, Alvaro de Soto, and their efforts to bring the two parties together to reach a solution. People speculate about the role of the EU, the UK, and the US, and about whether any, or all, of these have a Plan B up their sleeve. They shouldn't. There is no other show in town," he said.

The EU also wants to see a democratic, Western-looking Turkey enter the European Union, said the Commissioner: "Turkish membership would guarantee the security of this south-eastern corner of Europe. It would also open up a large new market to the EU's companies."

Turning to the process of legislative and cultural adjustment during acccession, Clay said that Britain does not come to lecture, but has built up experience and knowledge through its own accession and dealings since with the EU, and is happy to share it. "Much of the time the things that Britain and Cyprus have in common helps that process. We have similar legal systems... We are both seeing an increasing trend towards services, and away from industry and agriculture. So it comes as no surprise that Cyprus naturally turns, for example, to the UK's standards agency to regulate its goods," he said.

Transposing laws was one challenge, implementing them was another, said the envoy. Shipping was a case in point where the inspectors of the Maritime Department have been taking action to transform Cyprus' fleet from what was, according to Clay, a flag of convenience, to what will soon be a safety-conscious, well-regulated fleet, which will be the largest in the EU. "Britain has encouraged Cyprus every step of the way, and has offered assistance and the benefit of experience throughout the process. We stand ready still to help," Clay finished.

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