Brussels ‘understands’ Cyprus’ concerns over impact of ‘Fit for 55’ on island’s economy

The European Commission has registered and understood Cyprus’ concerns regarding the impact of the ‘Fit for 55’ package to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on tourism and the country’s economy, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said after a meeting with the Commission’s Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans in Brussels.

Karousos also said that Cyprus’ proposal for a mechanism to promote sustainable fuels in aviation now has the support of the EU Council at the level of transport ministers, and added that he hopes the proposal will be finally adopted by the EU’s ministers for the environment in their meeting on June 28.

This proposal is included in one of the many pieces of legislation of the ‘Fit for 55’ package proposed by the Commission. Once the position of the Council of the EU on the proposal is agreed by the environment ministers, and once the European Parliament has adopted its own position, the institutions will negotiate the final content of the bills.

In a statement from Brussels, Karousos said that he had a constructive meeting with Timmermans, during which he analysed and presented Cyprus’ concerns regarding the measures that are being formulated and the way in which they will affect Cyprus’ economy.

The extent to which Cyprus is affected “is disproportionate to the rest of the EU member states,” Karousos stressed, noting that the country’s gross domestic product will be affected eight times more than the EU average.

“We are very pleased that the executive vice president has understood this issue,” the minister noted, adding that he found Timmermans to be well informed.

“It seems that our recent initiatives, especially in the last two months, to brief the European Commission, the European Parliament and aviation stakeholders on this issue are bearing fruit,” he said.

According to Karousos, there understanding on behalf of the Commission. The minister underlined the importance of the fact that several of Cyprus’ proposals, particularly in relation to the mechanism to support alternative fuels in aviation, have been approved by the Transport Ministers of the EU.

“The aim is to finalise this proposal at the Council of Environment Ministers which will take place on the 28th of this month,” he continued, stressing that this proposal will benefit air carriers, but also given them an incentive to use alternative fuels.

He said it was very important that a proposal that Cyprus has put forward, is being promoted and discussed, that several Member States support it, and added that it will be an important success for the country if it is adopted.