Commission announces new initiative to facilitate Green Line trade

The European Commission (EC) has announced a new EU funded initiative to establish a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) designed to provide information and technical assistance to Cypriots interested in trading across the Green Line.

“The OSS will be established in agreement and with the support of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (TCCC), who share the joint aim to facilitate the legal trade of products that are compliant with all the necessary European regulations and standards in an effort to pave the way for the reunification of the island,” the EC said.

It said the aim was to implement the project this coming October by setting up a physical office, following a procurement process over the summer.

“The OSS will offer in-person, online and phone consultations to provide tailored support regarding the product-specific requirements for trade while also facilitating the ‘matchmaking’ of potential traders and buyers,” the Commission said.

It added that the office will be supplemented with an online platform, accessible in both languages, which will serve as a central hub for information, resources, and documentation “assisting businesses on both sides of the divide in increasing Green Line trade”.

“The European Commission is incessantly working to implement the Green Line Regulation up to its full potential and provides support to Turkish Cypriot businesses to make sure their products comply with all necessary requirements in order to access the EU market,” the EC said. “Besides the economic advantages for both communities of the island, Green Line trade also helps to build trust and business relations across the divide, hence contributing to bringing the two communities closer to each other.”

Kjartan Björnsson, the Deputy Director and Head of Unit for Cyprus Settlement Support in DG Reform, said the agreement demonstrated the continued commitment of the EU, along with the two Chambers, to fostering economic development and cooperation in Cyprus.

“We are pleased to have both business communities and their representatives on board with this initiative,” Björnsson said. “By providing accessible and tailored support for Turkish Cypriot businesses to comply with EU standards and regulations, we are helping to create a level playing field for the Turkish Cypriot community, preparing the ground for the reunification of the island which is our ultimate goal.”

The Council Regulation 866/2004EN••• ("Green Line Regulation") sets out the terms under which persons and goods can cross this line from the non-government-controlled areas into the government-controlled areas. Pursuant to the introduction of the Green Line Regulation in 2004, the value of Green Line trade (trade of goods from the Turkish Cypriot community to the Greek Cypriot community) reached an all-time high in 2022, €14,647,241, constituting a 138% increase compared to 2021 (€6,151,022).

“However, despite the significant increase, the annual value of Green Line trade is still modest and there is a lot of room for enhancement,” the EC said.