No payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are being or have been made to farmers in areas of the Republic of Cyprus that are not under the effective control of the government, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen clarifies.
The letter, dated 16 July 2026, was addressed to Cypriot MEP Michalis Hadjipantela of DISY and the EPP, in response to his question about possible EU agricultural payments to livestock farmers in the occupied areas.
Ms von der Leyen states in the letter that CAP funds for Cyprus “are managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, in accordance with the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027”.
Her letter also refers to the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Cyprus. She notes that eradicating it requires the implementation of measures consistent with EU veterinary legislation across the entire island.
She adds that her services remain in close contact with the government of the Republic of Cyprus to support its efforts to manage the outbreak.
The Commission President also welcomes cooperation between the two Cypriot communities, including through the Subcommittee on Veterinary Matters of the Technical Committee on Health.
Concluding, she stresses that the Commission will continue to support measures to ensure the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease throughout Cyprus as soon as possible.
Source: CNA