The European Commission has started legal action against Cyprus. This is because Cyprus has problems with important EU rules. These rules are about renewable energy and water management.
The EU told Cyprus it must follow the rules better. Cyprus has not put the new Renewable Energy Directive into its laws. Also, Cyprus is not checking its water use permits as it should. Cyprus has two months to explain and show it will fix these problems. If not, the case may go to the European Court of Justice. This could mean big fines for Cyprus.
These legal steps show the EU is serious about its environmental laws. The renewable energy rule was meant to be in place by May 2025. Cyprus has already missed this date. The rule aims to use more clean energy. The Water Framework Directive also needs regular checks of water permits. This helps protect water quality.
The Commission found that Cyprus has not sent its new energy laws to the EU. For water, Cyprus is not doing the required checks on water permits. This is to meet EU standards. Cyprus knows about these issues. However, the parliament has not yet made the necessary legal changes. Other countries like Greece, France, and Italy have also faced similar actions.
If Cyprus does not respond well in sixty days, the Commission can take the case to the EU court. The court could order daily fines. This pressure is important. For the EU, Cyprus using more renewable energy helps meet climate targets. For Cyprus, managing water well is very important because of climate change.