Cyprus hands EU presidency to Ireland as OLAF cooperation deal signed
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11 days · 10 summary articles
Cyprus on Saturday handed over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union to Ireland, marking the end of its six-month term and the start of Dublin’s eighth stint in the role. The transfer ceremony in Limassol underscored Cyprus’s push to strengthen the bloc’s fight against fraud and corruption, as Nicosia signed an administrative cooperation agreement with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to share company register and beneficial ownership data .
Speaking at the event, Cypriot officials said the deal would bolster transparency and help trace illicit financial flows across the EU. The agreement was finalised during a technical workshop on digital tools held in Limassol on Tuesday, just days before Cyprus’s presidency concluded. “This cooperation will enhance our collective ability to detect and deter fraud,” a government spokesperson said.
Cyprus’s outgoing presidency also coincided with broader debates over the EU’s economic and strategic direction. On Friday, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin wrote in the *Cyprus Mail* that the rotating presidency offers smaller member states like Cyprus and Ireland a chance to shape EU decisions at the highest level. “On July 1, we will take up the baton with a commitment to support all Europeans,” Martin wrote, framing Ireland’s priorities as continuity and stability during a period of global uncertainty .
The handover comes as the EU grapples with competing pressures: rising protectionism in the United States, internal divisions over migration and digital regulation, and the challenge of integrating Western Balkan candidates without lowering standards. A Politico report on Friday highlighted a new European Commission plan to offer pre-accession economic benefits to candidate countries, a move aimed at accelerating enlargement while maintaining rigorous criteria .
Meanwhile, Slovenia and Türkiye announced plans to deepen their strategic partnership during talks on the sidelines of the Dubrovnik Forum in Croatia. Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay agreed to draft a new action plan to enhance economic cooperation, signalling growing ties between the EU and Ankara despite ongoing disputes over enlargement and human rights .
As Ireland prepares to assume the presidency, analysts warn that the bloc faces a critical juncture. German politician Anton Hofreiter of the Greens criticised EU plans to end automatic temporary protection for some Ukrainian men of conscription age, calling the move “short-sighted” amid ongoing war in Ukraine . The decision, still under discussion, reflects the EU’s struggle to balance solidarity with Ukraine against domestic political pressures.
With global trade tensions and AI governance dominating the agenda, Ireland’s presidency will test whether smaller member states can broker consensus in an increasingly fragmented union.
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Cyprus signs cooperation deal with OLAF for access to company registers and beneficial ownership data The Department of Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property has signed an administrative cooperation agreement with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), in a move officials say will strengthen the fight against fraud and corruption. The agreement was signed during an event held in Limassol last Tuesday as part of a technical workshop on digital tools […]
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