Today marks the 20th anniversary since the issuance of the EU regulation on the Green Line in Cyprus, as announced by the European Commission.
As noted, the regulation enabled Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to cross the Green Line and the UN-controlled buffer zone in Cyprus, contributing to building trust between the two communities and preparing the ground for the reunification of Cyprus.
Since the regulation came into effect in April 2004, there have been over 64 million crossings of the Green Line in both directions.
Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots cross the Green Line for various reasons: visiting friends, shopping and dining in the other community due to lower prices or a different range of available products, and visiting cultural monuments or different cities.
Several businesses engage in trade across the Green Line and cross it to meet their partners from the other community. Some Turkish Cypriots work and study in schools or universities in areas under the control of the government.
The Green Line has been instrumental in ensuring that both communities can freely enjoy their daily lives and benefit from what both communities offer.
The regulation also establishes rules regarding trade from the northern part of the island, where the application of EU legislation is suspended, to the territory of the Republic of Cyprus under the control of the government of Cyprus and is part of the EU single market.
European Commission efforts to boost trade across the Green Line have contributed to the increase in the value of trade transactions to a record €16 million in 2023, significantly higher than the €6.2 million recorded in 2021.
To further boost trade across the Green Line, the Commission launched a new €4 million support programme in April 2024, which will provide financial grants and technical assistance to Turkish Cypriot small and medium-sized enterprises to engage in trade across the Green Line or maximize their use of it.
One of the challenges facing these companies is to ensure that their products comply with EU standards. This compliance is a requirement for their access to the EU market. EU-funded projects will help these businesses achieve this goal.
In November 2023, the Commission also inaugurated in Nicosia the “EU One-Stop Shop for Trade Support across the Green Line and Businesses”, which has been set up to provide information, advice, and support to both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot producers and traders interested in conducting trade transactions across the Green Line.
