Cyprus lays out priorities for their Presidency of the European Union

Cyprus, currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, has laid out its priorities for the Presidency. Noting a focus on an ‘ambitious and results-oriented approach’, they have selected 5 overarching priorities: ‘Autonomy through Security, Defence Readiness and Preparedness’; ‘Autonomy through Competitiveness’; ‘Open to the World, Autonomous’; ‘An Autonomous Union of Values that Leaves No One Behind’; and ‘A long-term budget for an autonomous Union’.  

Under the priority of ‘Autonomy through Security, Defence Readiness and Preparedness’, the Presidency underlines that ‘a more autonomous Europe is a more secure Europe’ and stresses the need to ‘safeguard critical infrastructure’ and respond to ‘violations of EU airspace’ and ‘multidirectional hybrid attacks’. The Presidency also highlights the importance of ‘freedom of navigation and security across all routes’.  

Competitiveness is described as the basis for autonomy, with the Presidency stating that ‘only a more competitive Union can yield a more autonomous Union’. For airports, this aligns with commitments to ‘prioritise regulatory simplification … to streamline EU rules and reduce red tape’ and to ‘complete the Single Market’ by dismantling ‘unjustified barriers’. 

Connectivity features prominently within the competitiveness agenda, with the Presidency committing to advance ‘cross-regional connectivity, especially for islands and peripheral regions, through resilient digital networks, modern transport links, and key energy corridors’. This framing directly reinforces aviation’s role as an essential service for territorial cohesion and economic integration, particularly for Member States and regions where air connectivity is the primary mode of travel. Looking outward, the Presidency affirms that enlargement ‘represents a strategic investment in Europe’s future’ and commits to deepening cooperation with neighbouring regions, the Gulf, the US, and the UK, supporting the Union’s role as a global transport and trade actor. 

A long-term budget is presented as the instrument that will ‘convert our long-term goals into concrete action’. The emphasis on reducing ‘critical dependencies’, strengthening security, and supporting competitiveness will shape future funding priorities for airports and aviation infrastructure. 

Taken together, the Cyprus Presidency’s priorities position aviation and airports within the Union’s core objectives of autonomy, security, and competitiveness. By linking transport connectivity with critical infrastructure protection, regulatory simplification, digital sovereignty and cross-regional cohesion, the Presidency frames aviation as both a strategic asset and an enabler of economic resilience. ACI EUROPE will continue to advocate for airports within this framework, ensuring that airports are continually seen as key enablers of a wide range of socioeconomic benefits.  

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