Cyprus ignored 57 EU warnings about deadly Takata airbags—Why?

Since 2019, the EU’s early warning system, Rapex-Safety Gate, has issued 57 alerts about defective Takata airbags, classifying the risk as "injuries" and warning that if deployed, metal fragments could injure or kill vehicle occupants. Despite these repeated warnings, the Cypriot government failed to respond—neither investigating the issue nor taking steps to recall affected vehicles.

The first official alert came on January 11, 2019, when Romania flagged the danger, prompting a wave of action across Europe. Over the years, 37 additional notifications followed, with another 15 in 2024 and five more in 2025—yet Cyprus’ Road Transport Department (TOM) remained silent.

In every single case, the Rapex-Safety Gate system flagged Cyprus as one of the few EU member states that failed to provide any feedback. While other countries identified affected car models, recalled vehicles, and replaced faulty airbags, Cyprus neither reported the issue nor warned its citizens.

The Silent Crisis: A Failure to Protect Cypriot Drivers

The danger posed by Takata airbags is well-documented. The EU warnings have repeatedly emphasized that:

- Ammonium nitrate propellant used in the airbags degrades over time, especially in hot and humid climates.
- A deployment could cause the inflator to explode, sending deadly shrapnel toward passengers.
- Millions of vehicles worldwide have been recalled due to this defect.

Despite these clear risks, Cyprus’ TOM ignored its legal obligation to monitor, investigate, and act on Rapex-Safety Gate alerts. EU regulations (Implementing Decision 2019/417) require member states to track safety alerts and report back on corrective actions.

This raises serious concerns:

- Did Cypriot authorities even check if affected vehicles were on the roads?
- Why was no recall process initiated, unlike in other EU countries?
- How many Cypriots are unknowingly driving cars with potentially lethal airbags?

"Absolute Negligence": A Scandal Unfolds

The scale of inaction becomes even more apparent when comparing Cyprus’ response to that of other EU nations.

- From the very first alert in 2019, 13 EU countries—including Greece, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Portugal—acted immediately, identifying and recalling affected vehicles.
- In contrast, Cyprus remains absent from all 57 notifications related to Takata airbags.

Had Cypriot authorities monitored the alerts, they would have seen that the problem extends beyond EU-standard cars to imports from third countries, making the lack of action even more alarming.

Government Policies Put the Burden on Consumers

Adding to the controversy, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeadis' approach has drawn further criticism. Instead of ensuring state-led inspections, the government expects individual car owners to obtain certificates proving their vehicles are not under recall orders.

This is completely at odds with the rest of Europe, where:

- Technical inspection bodies (such as Belgium's "Controle Technique") verify safety compliance before a vehicle is sold or transferred.
- Authorities handle recalls proactively, instead of placing the responsibility on individual consumers.

In Cyprus, however, the burden falls entirely on citizens—many of whom may be completely unaware that their vehicles contain a known deadly defect.

The 2019 EU Report: A Red Flag That Cyprus Ignored

A 2019 EU report on the Rapex-Safety Gate system highlighted the urgency of car recalls:

- 80% of all monitoring actions that year involved vehicle safety recalls.
- Takata airbag alerts were among the most widely reported cases, spanning multiple EU countries.

Despite this, Cyprus failed to engage in the process, delaying action by six years and leaving thousands of drivers exposed to unnecessary risk.

What Happens Now?

This scandal exposes serious gaps in Cyprus’ road safety policies and raises urgent questions:

- Will the government finally act to investigate and recall affected vehicles?
- How will Cyprus ensure it never ignores such critical safety alerts again?
- Who will be held accountable for this six-year failure?

With pressure mounting and more EU warnings expected, the Cypriot authorities can no longer afford to look the other way—because this time, lives are at stake.

*This article was translated and sumarized from its Greek original.  To read more of  Pavlos Xanthoulis' article and gain full access to in-depth reports (in Greek), subscribe now to Kathimerini's print edition and stay informed with comprehensive coverage on this and more!