Tag: EU

HP News
President Tatar tells EU to ‘contribute to a solution, not to the conflict’ in Cyprus

“We are ready to continue and expand our cooperation with the EU”, President Ersin Tatar told Mario Nava, the European Union Director-General for Structural Reform Support, in an online meeting on Thursday, 3 February. The Turkish Cypriot leader was discussing improving cooperation with the European Union (EU) through different projects that are designed to aid […]

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European Commission offers 140 scholarships for Turkish Cypriots to study in the EU

A new funding initiative has been announced by the European Union to help Turkish Cypriots wanting to pursue higher and vocational education in an EU member state. Earlier this week, the European Commission announced details of its latest scholarship programme for “the Turkish Cypriot community” for the next academic year. The 2022/23 EU Scholarship scheme […]

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Modanisa slams “regressive” ECJ headscarf ban ruling, claiming it ‘validates intolerance’

The world’s biggest retailer of modest fashion has criticised the European Court of Justice’s decision to uphold an employer’s right to ban religious garments, including headscarves. Modanisa claimed the decision “ will disproportionately impact Muslim women”. The ECJ said that its ruling, made last Thursday, 15 July, was to ensure all employees “dress neutrally”. “A […]

HP Features
Food policy advisor Funda Ayhan explains what the new hellim / halloumi PDO means for Turkish Cypriot producers

A fortnight ago, the European Commission adopted a package of measures to protect an important part of Cypriot heritage – its cheese. Called ‘hellim’ in Turkish, and ‘halloumi’ in Greek, this renowned Cypriot cheese was registered as a protected designation of origin (PDO), essentially banning the misuse of its name by imitation products across the […]

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Awkward moments as Erdoğan and Michel leave von der Leyen standing in chair snub

Eyebrows were raised as Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Council of Europe President Charles Michel took their seats, leaving European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen standing. The awkward start to the meeting on Tuesday between the European Union’s top two executives and the Turkish leader at the Turkish presidential palace in Ankara was captured […]

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Turkish Cypriot hellim producers can sell to EU through island-wide PDO, but will still face discrimination

After years of disputes, Cypriot cheese – known in Turkish as hellim and in Greek as halloumi – has been granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Union. Member states “unanimously supported” the PDO proposals earlier today, which are applicable to “all parts of Cyprus”, according to a tweet by Elisa Ferreira, the European […]

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‘Greek bias’ costs EU observer role at upcoming Cyprus Talks

Josep Borrell’s visit to the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus on Friday didn’t generate the results he was hoping for, after the Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar rebuffed his efforts for the European Union to attend as observers at the upcoming Cyprus summit. President Tatar issued a statement following his 5 March meeting with the […]

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Over 55s next for Covid jab after TRNC receives over 85,000 vaccinations

The coronavirus vaccination programme in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) continues to progress, with those aged 55-to-65 next in line for inoculation from the deadly virus. The TRNC received 2,000 Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccination jabs last Thursday, 18 Feb, as part of a larger batch sent to Cyprus by the European Union. TRNC […]

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South Cyprus under fire for discriminatory vaccination policy

The Greek Cypriot authorities have come under fire for implementing a discriminatory policy on the COVID-19 vaccines that are due to be delivered to the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) this week. Turkish Cypriots are set to receive two thousand Pfizer BioNTech vaccines sent by the European Union (EU) via South Cyprus, but accusations […]