Cyprus’ heavy dependence on road transport, above-average traffic congestion and strong road safety performance were among the findings highlighted in a new European Commission report published this week examining transport and tourism trends across the European Union.

The report, titled ‘Transport and tourism in the European Union – Current trends and issues’, provides an overview of recent developments across the bloc, assessing competitiveness through sustainability, resilience, connectivity, safety, security and the social dimension of mobility.

It also presents detailed country factsheets for each member state, allowing Cyprus’ transport performance to be compared with EU averages across a broad range of indicators.

According to the report, 83.5 per cent of inland passenger transport in Cyprus was carried out by passenger cars in 2023, slightly above the EU average of 82.0 per cent.

The remaining 16.5 per cent of passenger transport in Cyprus was provided by buses and coaches, more than double the EU average of 8.2 per cent.

The report also showed that road transport accounted for 100 per cent of inland freight transport in Cyprus during 2023, placing the island alongside Malta as the only EU member states entirely dependent on roads for domestic freight movement.

As Cyprus has no railway network, rail market competition indicators included in the report do not apply to the country.

The commission also pointed to transport emissions as a significant contributor to Cyprus’ greenhouse gas output.

In 2023, greenhouse gas emissions from transport, including international maritime and aviation fuels, accounted for 37.9 per cent of Cyprus’ total emissions, equivalent to 3.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Across the EU, transport represented 31 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions, amounting to 1,039.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Despite its reliance on road transport, Cyprus performed relatively well on road safety.

The report ranked Cyprus eighth among the EU’s 27 member states for the lowest number of road deaths per million inhabitants in 2023, recording 36 fatalities per million people.

The country also ranked 14th for the lowest number of road deaths per distance travelled, with 46 fatalities per 10 billion passenger kilometres.

Traffic congestion, however, remained an area where Cyprus exceeded the European average.

The commission reported that the average peak-hour delay per driver in Cyprus reached 40.2 hours in 2023, compared with an EU average of 28.6 hours.

On electric vehicle infrastructure, the report found that Cyprus had significantly exceeded the minimum charging power target required under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation.

While the country’s required target stood at 608 kilowatts, the total available charging output had reached 15,472 kilowatts.

In terms of aviation, Larnaca airport remained Cyprus’ busiest airport in 2024, handling 8.876 million passengers.

Overall, Cyprus’ airports handled 12.514 million passengers during 2024, representing 0.8 per cent of total passenger traffic across the EU.

Air freight passing through Larnaca amounted to 30.6 thousand tonnes, almost the entirety of Cyprus’ total air cargo volume of 30.7 thousand tonnes.

In maritime transport, Limassol port was Cyprus’ busiest passenger port in 2024, handling 9,000 passengers, accounting for all recorded passenger port traffic on the island.

For freight, Zygi port handled 4.212 million tonnes of cargo, representing 47 per cent of Cyprus’ total maritime freight volume, which reached 8.945 million tonnes.

Beyond Cyprus-specific figures, the report underlined the strategic importance of transport to the European economy.

It stated that the EU transport sector comprises around 1.4 million public and private companies, employing approximately 10.4 million people.

Transport and storage services, including postal and courier activities, accounted for more than 5 per cent of total EU employment and around 5 per cent of gross value added in 2023.

The commission said the volume of goods transported across the EU increased by 43 per cent between 1995 and 2023, while passenger transport rose by 32 per cent over the same period.

Passenger transport was particularly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, falling 27 per cent between 2019 and 2020, whereas freight transport experienced a much smaller decline.

The report also highlighted the dominant role of maritime transport in the EU’s external trade.

In 2025, 74.8 per cent of imports and exports by volume were transported by sea, accounting for 45.7 per cent of trade value.

Road transport represented 9.5 per cent of trade volume and 22.3 per cent of value, while air transport accounted for only 1.1 per cent of trade volume but 22.9 per cent of total value, reflecting the high-value nature of goods carried by air.

The commission also reviewed the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on European transport.

It said the EU Solidarity Lanes, established in May 2022 after Russia blocked Ukrainian seaports, had enabled Ukraine to export around 214 million tonnes of goods, including almost 91 million tonnes of grain, oilseeds and related products, while facilitating imports of around 100 million tonnes.

The total value of trade handled through the Solidarity Lanes was estimated at approximately €270 billion, including around €198 billion worth of imports into Ukraine.

The report added that road transport agreements with Ukraine and Moldova had strengthened the initiative, while EU sanctions affecting air, maritime, road and rail transport had reduced Russia’s ability to obtain goods for military purposes and weakened its economic base.

The publication also devoted significant attention to tourism, describing it as one of the EU’s most important economic sectors, supporting growth, employment and regional development.

It highlighted that the EU recorded a record number of more than 3 billion overnight stays in tourist accommodation during 2025, the highest level ever registered.

What is more, the commission said it is preparing an EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, aimed at supporting a more competitive, sustainable and inclusive tourism model while strengthening resilience against future crises and supporting local communities.

The report also outlined broader challenges facing the transport sector, including climate change, technological advances, demographic shifts and geopolitical developments, arguing that future policy must ensure transport remains accessible, efficient and connected while becoming increasingly sustainable, innovative and resilient.