European Commission launches infringement procedures against Cyprus and other EU states

The European Commission has initiated infringement procedures against Cyprus and numerous other EU member states for failing to fully transpose two major European directives into national law. In one case, Cyprus and 17 other nations received letters of formal notice regarding the sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/1640), which mandates rules for accessing registers of beneficial ownership. Separately, Cyprus and 25 other member states were notified for failing to implement the revised Directive on the market for hydrogen and decarbonized gases (Directive (EU) 2024/1788) by the August 5, 2026, deadline.

The hydrogen and decarbonized gas directive aims to update natural gas market rules and introduce a regulatory framework for hydrogen infrastructure to facilitate the transition to low-emission energy sources. Italy is currently the only member state to have fully complied with this directive. These infringement procedures represent the first formal step in the EU legal process, compelling the affected countries to provide explanations or complete their legislative transpositions within two months. If the member states fail to comply, the Commission reserves the right to issue reasoned opinions to further enforce adherence to the legislative requirements.