MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Illegal purchases and sales of Greek Cypriot properties encouraged by the occupation regime – E-002963/2024(ASW)

Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006 (the Aid Regulation)[1] provides that the Commission shall ensure that in the implementation of actions financed under the regulation the rights of natural or legal persons, including the rights to possessions and property, are respected.

To this end, the Commission systematically consults the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus to avoid infringing property rights by such actions.

Outside the scope of the Aid Regulation, the Commission has no competence to ensure that property transactions in the non-government-controlled areas respect the rights of the owners concerned, due to the suspension of the acquis in those areas pursuant to Protocol 10 of the 2003 Act of Accession[2].

The Commission is aware of civil cases decided by courts of the Republic of Cyprus against EU citizens involved in illegal property transactions and property developments in the areas not under the effective control of the government of the Republic of Cyprus.

All courts of the Member States are obliged to comply with the judgment of the Grand Chamber in the Case C-420/07 Apostolides v Orams[3].

• [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32006R0389
• [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A12003T%2FPRO%2F10
• [3] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2023-000070-ASW_EN.html