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Cyprus is expected to receive approximately €800 million from the European Union between 2028 and 2034 to support migration policy, security initiatives and border management, Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou announced on Monday.
Speaking at the fourth meeting of the Monitoring Committees for the 2021-2027 Internal Affairs Funds, Ioannou said the planned allocation reflects the importance attached by the EU to these policy areas.
The minister said the committees play an important part in overseeing the implementation of funded programs and ensuring that available resources are managed effectively. Their work also contributes to planning and coordinating projects financed through the EU's Internal Affairs Funds.
According to Ioannou, the Ministry of Interior's Directorate of European Funds is responsible for advancing both national and European priorities through programs agreed at the EU and domestic levels. He added that securing the highest possible use of available European funding remains one of the directorate's main objectives.
For the current 2021-2027 funding cycle, the European Commission has approved €304 million for Cyprus. The amount is more than 70 percent higher than the allocation received during the previous programming period. When national co-financing is included, the total budget available reaches €375 million.
So far, authorities have completed or launched 95 projects under the current framework, representing commitments worth €271 million.
Additional funding has also been approved to support migration management. The European Commission authorized a further €98 million for related projects, bringing the total value of that package to €105 million once national contributions are added.
As a result, the overall funding approved for Cyprus during the current programming period has reached €480 million.
The Directorate of European Funds has also taken on responsibilities beyond its traditional role. Among them is the direct management of a grant agreement with the European Commission for the construction of the Limnes Reception Center and the Pre-Removal Center in the Menogeia area.
At the same time, the directorate is coordinating preparations linked to the implementation of the European Union's Migration and Asylum Pact, which comes into force on June 12, 2026. Funding allocated through the pact has already been distributed to projects intended to address key migration-related requirements and obligations.
Looking ahead, Cyprus is participating in discussions on the future framework governing justice and home affairs funding as part of preparations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework. During Cyprus' current Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Directorate of European Funds has been involved in negotiations concerning the regulations that will shape funding instruments for the 2028-2034 period.
Current projections indicate that Cyprus will receive around €800 million for migration, security and border management during that seven-year period, providing a substantial increase in resources dedicated to those sectors.
