Court of Appeal upholds damages against ETEK for membership registration denial

On May 13, 2026, the Cyprus Court of Appeal finalized a legal dispute dating back to 2004, ruling against the Scientific and Technical Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK). The court dismissed all 16 grounds of appeal brought by ETEK, upholding a primary court decision that awarded €70,000 in damages, plus interest and legal costs, to a land surveyor and valuator. The claimant had applied for membership in February 2004 based on his professional international title, but was rejected by ETEK. Despite securing three separate annulments of the chamber's rejections by the Supreme Court, the claimant was not registered until May 2012. The professional had originally sought €630,000 for lost income during the eight-year period of exclusion. The court concluded that ETEK’s repeated refusal to register the member constituted an illegal administrative act that directly caused the claimant economic harm. The final ruling confirms that the damages reflect actual losses incurred due to the chamber's obstruction.