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From 1 January to 30 June 2026, the Republic of Cyprus will hold the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, taking responsibility for steering the Council’s work across its policy agenda and legislative processes over this six-month period. The motto of the presidency is “An Autonomous Union. Open to the World”.
Presidency rotates among the 27 EU Member States on a six-monthly basis, with each state assuming the chair of Council meetings, representing the Council in relations with other EU institutions, and facilitating the EU’s legislative and policy continuity. The
Cyprus takes over from Denmark, which held the Presidency from 1 July to 31 December 2025 as part of the ongoing Poland–Denmark–Cyprus trio under the Lisbon Treaty system, and will hand the role on to Ireland for the second half of 2026.
Cyprus EU Presidency 2026: Research, Innovation and Enlargement Feature Prominently in the Draft Programm
The draft programme of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union outlines a policy agenda in which research and innovation (R&I) and EU enlargement occupy a visible and structured role.
In the field of research and innovation, the Presidency places strong emphasis on strengthening the European Research Area (ERA), advancing excellence and inclusiveness in European research systems, and reinforcing the contribution of R&I to competitiveness, resilience and the green and digital transitions. The programme explicitly links R&I policy to societal challenges, economic transformation and cohesion, signalling continuity with ongoing ERA policy processes and Horizon Europe objectives.
Enlargement and relations with candidate and potential candidate countries are another cross-cutting priority. The programme underlines the strategic importance of EU enlargement for stability, security and prosperity, with particular reference to the Western Balkans. The Presidency plans to facilitate political discussions and high-level meetings addressing the enlargement process, reforms, and gradual integration into EU policies and programmes. This includes engagement formats that support closer alignment of enlargement countries with EU acquis and policy frameworks, including in areas related to knowledge, innovation and institutional capacity-building. Western Balkans-related issues – such as participation in EU programmes, policy convergence and reform progress – will be addressed in multiple policy domains, including education, research and innovation.
For more information please refer to the source of this announcement: Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Draft Programme: https://cyprus-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/media/yklh0cxl/programme_cyeupresidency_en_branding.pdf and Cyprus presidency of the Council of the European Union