Green Line: Trade and crossings surge, irregular migration declines

Trade and personal crossings across the Green Line in Cyprus saw significant increases in 2023, while irregular migration dropped by more than 50%, according to the annual European Commission report on the implementation of the Green Line Regulation published Thursday.

Trade and Crossings Surge

The report noted that trade across the Green Line rose by 9.6% between 2022 and 2023, reaching €16 million. The increase in trade was primarily driven by building and construction materials, followed by furniture, plastics, mosaics, and marble. The value of goods for which accompanying documents were issued also increased by 5.7%, from €16.7 million to €17.6 million.

Personal crossings across the Green Line also saw a notable rise. In 2023, crossings by individuals increased to 7.1 million from 6.1 million in 2022. The number of crossings by Turkish Cypriots and EU nationals (excluding Cypriots) and third-country nationals exceeded pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.

According to the Cyprus Police, Greek Cypriots made 1,609,488 crossings (up from 1,372,564) and Greek Cypriot vehicles made 1,032,029 crossings (up from 871,898) from the government-controlled areas to the areas not under government control. Turkish Cypriots made 1,373,353 crossings (up from 1,111,529) and Turkish Cypriot vehicles made 532,206 crossings (up from 453,880) in the opposite direction.

**Irregular Migration Declines**

The report also highlighted a significant decrease in irregular migration. In 2023, 6,793 irregular migrants crossed the Green Line, a sharp decline from 16,627 in 2022. The main countries of origin for these migrants were Syria (2,199), Nigeria (990), Afghanistan (726), Cameroon (407), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (402).

Of the irregular migrants, 90% applied for international protection in the Republic of Cyprus, with the highest number of applicants coming from Syria.

Economic Aid and Community Support

The European Commission's report also detailed its ongoing support for the Turkish Cypriot community. Between 2006 and 2023, €688 million was allocated under the Aid Regulation, with €31.7 million committed for the 2023 annual action program.

The Commission continued to support Turkish Cypriots in meeting EU standards in food safety and animal health, with €3.5 million in grants distributed to 53 farmers, cooperatives, and food business operators in 2023. This support led to the first certification of Halloumi/Hellim cheese produced in the Turkish Cypriot community as PDO compliant in March 2023.

The Committee on Missing Persons, backed by the Aid Programme, continued its work, exhuming 1,186 sets of remains by the end of 2023, of which 1,044 were genetically identified and returned to their families. A new €2.6 million contribution agreement was signed to fund the Committee’s operations in 2024, bringing the EU's total support to €38.5 million from 2006 to 2023.