12/09/23 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday, 12 September, the European Commission adopted the 2023 Annual Action Programme (https://aeur.eu/f/8ij ) for the Turkish Cypriot community, which allocates €31.7 million to this community in order to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus. The programme offers wide-ranging EU support to help Turkish Cypriots meet the standards under the Halloumi/Hellim package before the end of 2024. In 2021, the European Commission registered Halloumi/Hellim as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and adopted a decision according to which Turkish Cypriot producers will be able to sell this PDO-compliant cheese across the Green Line—thus placing it on the EU market—once the relevant EU food safety and animal health standards have been met. The EU will continue to support the Turkish Cypriot community in producing this cheese (see EUROPE 13197/10). (LC)