Cyprus suspends environmental assessments for projects in protected areas

The Environmental Authority of Cyprus has suspended the evaluation of development applications affecting Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) following a recent Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling. This judicial decision mandates that a valid assessment of environmental impacts cannot be conducted unless specific and clear conservation objectives are first established for each site within the Natura 2000 network.

This development, which gained momentum following a dispute between the Audit Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment regarding construction at the Akamas National Forest Park, affects a wide range of planned investments. Major tourism, energy, and infrastructure projects across the country are now in a state of indefinite suspension as the Environmental Authority lacks the necessary legal framework to issue approvals.

Investors and stakeholders are currently waiting for government departments to formalize the required conservation objectives. The situation remains critical for the development sector, with significant pressure on the Departments of Environment and Forestry to provide the regulatory clarity needed to resume the assessment process.