Speaking to journalists on 20 February 2026 ahead of his Brussels tour, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said Cyprus will use its six-month EU Council presidency to ‘lock in the mobility dividend’ of Schengen accession by aligning infrastructure finance with border-management reforms.
Presenting presidency priorities later this week to European Parliament committees, Keravnos will emphasise urban transport connectivity, digital border technology and skills mobility as pillars of post-2027 cohesion funding.
A briefing note released by the ministry says Cyprus will push for Cohesion Policy rules that allow regions in accession limbo—such as Cyprus—to fund Schengen-related hardware (e-gates, Entry/Exit System kiosks) from the European Regional Development Fund.
Keravnos also wants a carve-out under InvestEU for cross-border commuter rail links that could eventually connect Cyprus to mainland Europe via ferry-rail interoperability.
For companies planning long-term assignments in Cyprus, the presidency agenda is a sign that visa processes and transport links may improve in parallel rather than sequentially.
![Cyprus EU Council presidency outlines cohesion-policy priorities, flags Schengen readiness in Brussels brief]()
If EU co-financing is approved, the island could accelerate installation of biometric gates now scheduled for 2027, shortening queues for third-country assignees.
To help organisations and individual travellers keep pace with these anticipated visa and border changes, VisaHQ offers an easy-to-use online portal that streamlines Cyprus visa applications, provides real-time status tracking and ensures documentation is error-free—details are available at https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/
The minister will chair the 27 February General Affairs Council on cohesion, where Cyprus will table a ‘lessons-learnt’ paper calling for faster mobilisation of relocation funds during sudden migration surges.
Observers say the move seeks to guarantee that any future asylum-related influx does not derail business travel or cargo flows.
A mid-year stock-take is planned for the informal ECOFIN in Limassol in July, giving corporate stakeholders another milestone to watch.
Presenting presidency priorities later this week to European Parliament committees, Keravnos will emphasise urban transport connectivity, digital border technology and skills mobility as pillars of post-2027 cohesion funding.
A briefing note released by the ministry says Cyprus will push for Cohesion Policy rules that allow regions in accession limbo—such as Cyprus—to fund Schengen-related hardware (e-gates, Entry/Exit System kiosks) from the European Regional Development Fund.
Keravnos also wants a carve-out under InvestEU for cross-border commuter rail links that could eventually connect Cyprus to mainland Europe via ferry-rail interoperability.
For companies planning long-term assignments in Cyprus, the presidency agenda is a sign that visa processes and transport links may improve in parallel rather than sequentially.
If EU co-financing is approved, the island could accelerate installation of biometric gates now scheduled for 2027, shortening queues for third-country assignees.
To help organisations and individual travellers keep pace with these anticipated visa and border changes, VisaHQ offers an easy-to-use online portal that streamlines Cyprus visa applications, provides real-time status tracking and ensures documentation is error-free—details are available at https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/
The minister will chair the 27 February General Affairs Council on cohesion, where Cyprus will table a ‘lessons-learnt’ paper calling for faster mobilisation of relocation funds during sudden migration surges.
Observers say the move seeks to guarantee that any future asylum-related influx does not derail business travel or cargo flows.
A mid-year stock-take is planned for the informal ECOFIN in Limassol in July, giving corporate stakeholders another milestone to watch.
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