As the third Member State in the current Trio Presidency after Poland and Denmark, Cyprus assumed the Presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January 2026.

Under the motto “An Autonomous Union. Open to the World”, the Cypriot Presidency is striving to promote a more autonomous Europe through enhanced security, defence readiness, and preparedness. In this spirit, it is supporting key defence initiatives such as the implementation of the White Paper on the Future of European Defence and the accompanying Readiness Roadmap 2030, as well as the EU Maritime Security Strategy.

Critical dimensions of security form an integral part of the Presidency’s agenda:

• Economic security as a core pillar of the programme, with the Presidency steering the implementation of the 2023 Economic Security Strategy;
• Water resilience, migration management, protection against attacks on democracy, and the fight against discrimination;
• Strengthening strategic autonomy through competitiveness, which includes completing the Single Market, boosting Europe’s financial economy, strengthening energy security, and enhancing Europe’s digital sovereignty;
• Continuing efforts to establish the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034 (MFF).

The Presidency also aims to reinforce the EU’s role as a strategic global actor by advancing the enlargement agenda. In the area of Justice and Home Affairs, the Cypriot Presidency has the following aims:

• To enable the EU to effectively manage its external borders, protect its citizens from internal and external threats, and uphold fundamental rights;
• To continue to advance the JHA agenda for effective migration management, with a strong focus on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and the development of comprehensive partnerships with third countries;
• To consolidate a well-functioning Schengen area by closely monitoring the operation of the European Entry/Exit System (EES), supporting progress towards the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), and continuing trilogue negotiations on the Regulation establishing the Digital Travel Credentials Application;
• To further pursue cooperation with the United States, the Western Balkans, and Latin America.

The internal security of the Union will also be further strengthened as follows:

• Enhancing law-enforcement capabilities and deepening cooperation among Member States and EU agencies;
• Leading discussions on the forthcoming proposal to transform Europol into a more operational law enforcement agency and by launching negotiations on the reform of Eurojust;
• Addressing transnational and organised crime, including through efforts to deprive criminal networks of their illicit proceeds, while tackling emerging threats stemming from technological developments;
• Placing particular emphasis on better protecting minors from both online and offline threats;
• Giving priority to negotiations on the Directive to combat child sexual abuse, the Regulation preventing and combating child sexual abuse, and the reform of the European Investigation Order (EIO);
• Combating organised crime, migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, terrorism, violent extremism, and trafficking in cultural property;
• Addressing drug trafficking within the framework of the new EU Drugs Strategy and the EU Action Plan against Drug Trafficking, with equal emphasis on demand and supply reduction;
• Exploring alternative approaches for young people in conflict with the law.

The Cypriot Presidency will end on 30 June 2026 and will be followed by a new Trio Presidency, beginning with Ireland, followed by Lithuania and Greece.