Newsroom
Two new crossings could make life a little easier for people living near the dividing line. Now Brussels is testing whether something Turkey wants, an update to its trade deal with the European Union, can help get formal Cyprus talks going again.
Raffaele Fitto, the EU’s envoy for Cyprus, is expected to take the proposal to Ankara later this month, the Cyprus News Agency reported Wednesday. Under the proposal, Brussels would open discussions on updating its customs union with Turkey if negotiations on the island’s future resume.
The customs union allows most manufactured goods to move between Turkey and the EU without customs duties. Ankara has long pushed to update the arrangement, and the figures help explain why. The EU is Turkey’s biggest trading partner, and two-way trade in goods topped €217 billion last year. For now, what Brussels is putting on the table is a chance to discuss new terms.
Turkey’s position on Cyprus remains a hurdle. Ankara backs two separate states on the island, while the U.N. framework calls for reunification under a federation. In its annual report last week, the European Commission urged Turkey to renew its support for U.N.-led talks. Ankara rejected the report’s findings on Cyprus.
Closer to home, Monday’s agreement between President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman gives residents something more concrete to follow. The two leaders agreed to open crossings linking Louroujina with Lympia and Kampos with Karavostasi. Both are due to open together, and teams still need to assess an unpaved stretch on the Kampos route. An opening date has yet to be set.
Formal settlement talks have been stalled since they broke down in 2017. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres wants them to restart before his term ends in December. The next sign of progress will be whether Ankara’s response to Fitto helps put a date on the calendar.
