President Nikos Christodoulides announced that Cyrus is on track to solve all the technical requirements to join the Schengen Area by the end of 2025.
During a conference in Nicosia, President Christodoulides said that the country is working on resolving political concerns regarding the country’s division and is finalizing the necessary technical details.
Cyprus and Ireland, which have no land borders with other EU countries, are the only EU member states outside the Schengen Area. Currently, the Schengen Area includes 29 European countries, with Romania and Bulgaria being the latest countries to join the free-travel zone on January 1, 2025.
President Christodoulides emphasized the benefits the Schengen membership would bring to Cyprus, particularly in tourism, which plays a key role in its economy.
He said that 2024 was an outstanding year for tourism, with Cyprus hitting a record of over 4 million tourist arrivals. Tourism brought in a total of €3 billion euros last year, which contributed to 13.5% of the country’s GDP.
President Christodoulides acknowledged that full Schengen membership would require changes to the EU’s Green Line Regulation, which governs movement across the island. This shift could see the introduction of passport checks at crossing points, possibly increasing tensions in the divided country.