**NICOSIA** – As Cyprus prepares to assume the mantle of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, France has articulated significant expectations for the island nation’s six-month tenure. Paris has pledged robust backing and offered its expertise in an advisory capacity, underscoring a shared vision for a more assertive and strategically independent Europe. This collaborative approach signals a concerted effort to bolster the EU’s capacity to navigate complex global challenges and safeguard its collective interests.
The Franco-Cypriot alignment on the EU's future trajectory was recently highlighted during a meeting in Nicosia between France’s Minister Delegate for Internal Affairs, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, and her Cypriot counterpart, Justice Minister Costas Fitiris. This engagement followed a similar high-level discussion last month in Paris, where President Emmanuel Macron conveyed France's confidence in Cyprus’ ability to lead key initiatives. Macron explicitly stated that France would stand alongside Cyprus, offering support and guidance throughout its presidency, emphasizing that Paris "knows that we can count on [Cyprus] to ensure that Europe asserts its own interests and strategic autonomy."
France anticipates that Cyprus will play a pivotal role in advancing the EU’s agenda for enhanced competitiveness, streamlined regulatory frameworks, and the promotion of "European preference" – a policy aimed at favouring goods and services originating within the EU's single market. Furthermore, substantial investment in strategic industrial sectors and the fortification of the Capital Markets Union, an initiative designed to foster greater integration and investment flow across member states, are expected to be central to Cyprus's programme. This focus reflects a mutual understanding between Paris and Nicosia that a sovereign Europe must be economically robust and capable of independent action.
The strengthening of bilateral ties between France and Cyprus is a discernible outcome of this proactive engagement. Beyond the immediate objectives of the upcoming presidency, France's support is intrinsically linked to its broader ambition of reinforcing security and defence capabilities across the continent. The shared objective is to equip the EU with the resilience needed to confront a spectrum of threats, ranging from unfair international trade practices and insidious attempts to undermine democratic processes, to the protection of younger generations from online interference and exploitation.
During its term, Cyprus is poised to tackle these multifaceted security concerns head-on, with France’s diplomatic and strategic support providing a crucial underpinning. The Cypriot presidency, therefore, represents a significant opportunity not only to advance specific policy objectives but also to solidify the EU's resolve in asserting its influence on the global stage. The collaborative spirit between Paris and Nicosia suggests a determination to leverage this pivotal period to foster a more cohesive, secure, and self-reliant European Union.