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Relations between Cyprus and the
EU date back to the 1970%26rsquo;s when
the government of the Republic of Cyprus
signed an Association Agreement with the
European Economic Community (EEC) in
1972.
These
relations were steadily developed over
the years despite the difficult
circumstances created in the island by
the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation
of a large part of its territory. The
invasion and occupation of Cyprus led to
the delay of the signing of the Customs
Union Agreement with the EEC, which was
finally signed in 1987.
By the end
of the 1980%26rsquo;s, Cyprus%26rsquo;
relations with the EEC were mainly of a
trading character. Following the
submission of the application of Cyprus
to join the EU in July 1990,
Cyprus%26rsquo; European relations were
upgraded and they were set in a new
framework making Cyprus%26rsquo;
accession course the government%26rsquo;s
main political choice. The aim of
Cyprus%26rsquo; accession to the EU is to
safeguard a peaceful future for all
Cypriots on the island in conditions of
safety and prosperity.
Cyprus%26rsquo; accession course
is pursued steadily by the government of
the Republic within the general framework
of the EU%26rsquo;s own enlargement
policy. It is also part of the
Mediterranean dimension of the
EU%26rsquo;s enlargement and its policy
of creating conditions of stability,
security and cooperation in the
region.
The
accession procedure does not replace
Cyprus%26rsquo; main aim, which is the
resolution of the Cyprus
problem.
The main
historical landmarks of the evolution of
Cyprus%26rsquo; relations with the EU are
the following:
1,
Association Agreement, 1973
2. Customs
Union, 1987
3.
Submission of the application for
Cyprus%26rsquo; Accession to the EU,
1990
4. European
Commission%26rsquo;s Opinion (Avis),
1993
5. Corfu
European Council Decision,
1994
6. Decision
of 6 March 1995
7.
Luxembourg European Council Decision,
1997
8. Beginning
of Accession Negotiations,
1998
Cyprus-EU Accession
Negotiations
European Institute of
Cyprus |
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