Cyprus is continuing to fall short on key rule of law reforms, with the European Commission cautioning that delays in overhauling the legal service, slow moving courts and weak oversight of prosecution decisions remain among the country’s most serious institutional failings.

In its 2026 rule of law report issued on Saturday, the Commission said Cyprus had made only “limited further progress” in reforming the legal service and introducing effective review of decisions not to prosecute or discontinue criminal proceedings.

It urged authorities to complete the reform, including establishing the office of the director of public prosecutions, and to introduce effective oversight of prosecutorial decisions “including in victimless offences”, in line with European standards.

The report also described the administration of justice as a persistent concern, saying the length of court proceedings “remains a serious problem”.

It pointed to continued delays in creating an independent courts service, a reform intended to improve the efficiency of the judiciary and called on Cyprus to accelerate its implementation.

While acknowledging progress in some areas, the Commission said reforms to modernise the justice system continue to advance slowly.

It said the bill reforming the legal service remains before parliament, digital transformation of the courts is still limited, recruitment and infrastructure problems persist, and delays in opening the commercial court continue to concern businesses.

The Commission did, however, identify “significant progress” in strengthening the independent anti-corruption authority after legislation was adopted to improve its recruitment framework and resources, although it said further measures are still required to ensure the authority can perform its duties effectively.

It also welcomed reforms strengthening the independence of the audit office through fixed, non-renewable eight-year terms for the auditor general and assistant auditor general, together with stricter appointment criteria.

Elsewhere, the report referred to progress on transparency in media ownership, lobbying rules and public procurement oversight, while reforms governing state advertising and public media remain under way.

The Commission said the safety of journalists in Cyprus remains stable overall but warned that those employed in the media continue to face “precarious working conditions”.

It also pointed to improvements in public participation in decision making and reforms affecting civil society organisations, while concluding that businesses continue to face obstacles arising from the labyrinthine nature of certain legislation.