EU Adopts 'Green Line Regulation' For Cyprus Accession

by Lorys Charalambous, for LawAndTax-News.com, Cyprus

03 May 2004

The recent meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg has resulted in the approval of a "Green Line Regulation" which establishes the legal framework for the crossing of goods, persons, and services between Turkish-occupied north Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot-controlled south of the island following the country's accession to the European Union at the weekend.

Reports in the regional media revealed that the regulation stipulates that the "Green Line" between the two sections of Cyprus does not constitute an external border of the EU.

EU Head of Delegation, Van der Meer explained last week that the entire island would be joining the EU on May 1, but that the application of the acquis communautaire would be suspended in the north.

The regulation also reinforced the central role of the Republic of Cyprus with regard to responsibility for and control of commercial transactions.

Reporting on the agreement, Cyprus' Financial Mirror explained that:

"Regarding the treatment of goods arriving from areas not under the effective control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus, these shall be accompanied by a document issued by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce duly authorized for that purpose by the Commission, in agreement with the government of Cyprus or by another body so authorized in agreement with the latter."

All goods which come from the north and comply with the conditions laid out by the EU will therefore be considered to have the status of Community goods.

A statement issued by the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers observed that the approval of the Green Line Regulation can be taken as confirmation of the willingness of the Republic of Cyprus to work towards reunification of the island, and to help the Turkish Cypriot community recover economically via the development of improved relations and commercial exchanges.

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