Cyprus’s rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union comes to an end this June and, to review and explain the work carried out in the field of transport over recent months, the Chamber hosted a meeting on 7 May with Nicolas Lyrakides, Counsellor for Transport and Communications at the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the European Union. In his presentation, Mr Lyrakides outlined the priorities set by the Presidency and the progress made in these areas, with one of the main objectives being to achieve reliable transport and good connections between EU Member States.

The breakfast debate began with a brief introduction by the Chamber’s Secretary General, Marta González Benguria, who framed the event as part of the Chamber’s series of breakfast debates aimed at monitoring the presidencies of the Council of the EU.

The minister then highlighted passenger rights, efforts to improve competitiveness and streamline transport, as well as investment in connectivity, as some of the key priorities on which the presidency has been working.

During his speech, the speaker also noted that these actions require companies in the sector to work towards combating the fragmentation of strategic decisions among member states, as well as tackling the fuel crisis collectively, for example. In conclusion, he referred to the Presidency’s commitment to a pragmatic and balanced approach to achieving greater European competitiveness through collaboration.

Finally, attendees had the opportunity to share perspectives and raise questions regarding passenger rights and renewable fuels, amongst other topics, with Nicolas Lyrakides, who expressed his appreciation for the lively discussion generated during the Q&A session.