Cyprus

1) REFERENCES

Commission Opinion [COM(93) 313 final - Not published in the Official Journal]Commission Report [COM(98) 710 final - Not published in the Official Journal]Commission Report [COM(1999) 502 final - Not published in the Official Journal]Commission Report [COM(2000) 702 final - Not published in the Official Journal]Commission Report [COM(2001) 700 final - SEC(2001) 1745 - Not published in the Official Journal]Commission Report [COM(2002) 700 final - SEC(2002) 1401 - Not published in the Official Journal]Commission Report [COM(2003) 675 final - SEC(2003) 1202 - Not published in the Official Journal]Treaty of Accession to the European Union [Official Journal L 236 of 23.09.2003]

2) SUMMARY

In its July 1993 Opinion the European Commission drew attention to certain points, notably in the road and sea transport sectors.

The November 1998 Report concluded that progress had been achieved in the fields of air and road transport, but that further efforts were necessary on shipping.

The October 1999 Report noted that Cyprus had made progress in harmonising its legislation with the acquis in all transport sectors, but that a substantial part of the legislation still had to be transposed (in the areas of maritime safety and the operation of the shipping register, particularly with regard to flag State control).

The 2000 Report recorded significant progress in the field of land, air and especially maritime transport. As regards horizontal issues, there was very little progress to report other than the completion in October 1999 of the TINA process (Transport Infrastructure Needs Assessment) that was to form the basis for extending the Trans-European Networks to Cyprus.

The November 2001 Report noted good progress in the harmonisation of the basic legislative and administrative framework with the acquis. Cyprus had made significant progress in nearly all sectors of transport policy.

The October 2002 Report noted that Cyprus had continued to align its legislation with the acquis and that it had made progress, particularly in the field of road and maritime transport, as well as in strengthening administrative capacity in those sectors.

The 2003 Report stressed that Cyprus is meeting most of its obligations and requirements in the road and air transport sectors. However, it must give priority to adopting implementing provisions and further enlarging its administrative capacity, in particular by computerisation, in order to apply the acquis in the maritime transport sector.

COMMUNITY ACQUIS

Community transport policy consists of initiatives in three main areas.

EVALUATION

Progress has been achieved in the field of road transport, especially in the field of technology and safety legislation. In 2002 a number of regulations were approved that provide for the installation of tachographs in newly registered vehicles, as well as in existing buses and heavy goods vehicles. A law on Vehicle Taxes has been enacted, completing harmonisation with the fiscal acquis on charging for heavy goods vehicles.

A law and regulations concerning the minimum training level for professional road transport drivers have been enacted. Since January 2002, all new cars must have safety belts on all seats. However, harmonisation has not yet been achieved in the transport of dangerous substances field and efforts are needed for implementing the Community acquis from the social and technical angles.

Cyprus has been granted transitional arrangements up to the end of 2005 with regard to the obligation to install and use monitoring devices on existing vehicles used for domestic transport.

As regards air transport, the latest amendments and the revised Eurocontrol Convention were ratified by Cyprus in June 2000. In this context, some regulations adopting the Eurocontrol standards for air traffic management equipment and systems entered into force in 2001. Negotiations between the European Community and Cyprus to join the draft Multilateral Agreement on the Establishment of a European Common Aviation Area started in January 2000. As regards administrative capacity, recruitment of additional staff has been approved for the Department of Civil Aviation (DAC).

Regulations on air traffic management equipment and systems for the adoption of Eurocontrol standards entered into force in 2002. Cyprus has yet to become a full member of the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) and strengthen its administrative capacity.

In the field of maritime transport, the Government adopted a more restrictive policy for the registration of Cypriot ships at the beginning of 2000 to enhance the quality of the Cypriot flagged fleet and to improve its overall safety record. In February 2000 the Harmonised System for Survey and Certification (HSSC) was put in place to better regulate the role of classification societies.

In 2001, Cyprus aligned its legislation with the acquis, particularly regarding safety inspections. Compliance with more stringent standards is required for the registration of very old vessels and a stricter policy is being applied to non-compliant vessels. However, the percentage of Cyprus flagged vessels detained following port State control was still far higher than the average for EU-flagged vessels.

In 2002, Cyprus transposed the legislation on marine equipment. The Department of Merchant Shipping has started issuing recognition endorsements to all officers serving on board Cypriot ships.

As regards administrative capacity the global network of ship inspectors has been strengthened.

In 2003 the Cypriot flag is still on the blacklist of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control. Appropriate administrative structures have been established in this area but they need to be further strengthened.

Computerisation of the Merchant Marine Department is urgently necessary, in particular regarding ship-file management. Cyprus must also complete the adoption of implementing provisions in areas concerning port reception facilities and the system of mandatory surveys for the safe operation of regular ro-ro ferry and high-speed passenger craft services.

Last updated: 13.01.2004