Enlargement Commissioner Reassures Cyprus Over EU Accession

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

08 July 2002

Speaking last week in Brussels, the European Union's Commissioner on Enlargement, Guenther Verheugen reassured the Cypriot authorities that the EU's position has not changed on the country's planned accession to the European bloc.

Addressing the 45th Plenary Session of the Committee of the Regions, the Enlargement Commissioner reiterated the fact that finding a solution to the Cyprus problem - although desirable - is not a precondition for joining the Union.

'Of course we all hope that there will be a solution, and we (will) all help in that respect,' he stressed, before adding that: 'I want to emphasize that whatever happens, the timeframe of the enlargement will not be changed, and that the decision for Cyprus' accession will be made in December in Copenhagen.'

According to a statement released by the Cypriot government last week, the jurisdiction was represented at the meeting by President of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, and Mayor of Nicosia, Mr Michalakis Zampelas.

For Turkey, however, it is a completely different story. In an interview given to the AFP news agency on last Monday, Mr Verheugen revealed that the European Commission is not prepared to give Turkey a date for the start of its negotiations for joining the European Union until it has fulfilled the criteria for membership.

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