Brussels, 17/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 17 February, the European Commission announced that it had decided to transfer the management of the Task Force for the Turkish Cypriot Community from the Regional Policy Directorate General directly to the control of the President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Vice President in charge of the Euro and Social Dialogue, Valdis Dombrovskis. It added that this measure takes effect immediately.
This workgroup was set up to apply the EU aid programme to the Turkish Cypriot community and help it prepare for the island's reunification. It has subsequently been transferred to the Secretary General's Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS), which will coordinate all the Commission's efforts to facilitate the process for the reunification of Cyprus, explained the Commission. In its press release, it explained that “this decision underlines the determination of the Commission to continue to actively support the process at all levels”. Negotiations with the reunification of the island are continuing between the leaders of the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Cyprus of the North. The latter is only recognised by Turkey.
The Turkish Cypriot taskforce was set up in 2004 and since 2014 has been part of the Directorate General for Regional Policy. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)