EU supports unhindered flow of persons and goods across Green Line

The European Commission is strongly interested in the unhindered flow of persons and goods across the Green Line in Cyprus.The position was outlined by Themis Themistocleous, Head of the European Commission Representation in Cyprus, commenting on the decision of the illegal regime in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus to impose a 30% tax on goods exceeding 135 euros which Turkish Cypriots purchase from the government controlled areas of the Republic.
Themistocleous clarified that ”the rules of the Green Line Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 866/2004) apply only to the crossing of goods from the northern part of Cyprus to the government-controlled areas” and that ”any rules governing the crossing of goods in the opposite direction are unilateral rules of the Turkish Cypriot authorities and fall under their sole responsibility.”
The 135-euro rule in Article 6 of the Regulation, he added, “means that persons crossing the line may introduce goods purchased in the northern part of Cyprus independent of their origin without any duties and formalities up to a value of 135 euros, provided that they have no commercial character.”
”For cigarettes and spirits specific rules apply, that is 40 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits for personal consumption,” he added.
In addition, if goods purchased in the northern part of Cyprus exceed the value of 135 euros, they may cross the line if they originate in the northern part of Cyprus. Their origin needs to be proven by an accompanying document issued by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, Themistocleous pointed out.
He added that “the European Commission is strongly interested in the unhindered flow of persons and goods across the Green Line in Cyprus” and that ”obstacles and restrictions to the interaction of citizens and communities in Cyprus should be eliminated.”
On 29 April 2004, the Council of EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg approved a proposal titled ”Green Line Regulation”, which determines the legal framework of the crossing of goods, persons and services as of 1 May 2004 in Cyprus.
The EU Green Line Regulation says that the products produced in the occupied areas can be sold and consumed in the free areas of the Republic or exported to the EU countries via the legal ports of Cyprus, as long as there is a correct certificate from the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and a relevant control by an EU expert who works in Cyprus for this task.