European Commission releases annual progress report on Turkey and Cyprus

On November 4, 2026, the European Commission released its annual enlargement report, which reaffirms that the future of EU-Turkey relations is strictly linked to a resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus problem. The report calls on Turkey to reverse unilateral actions in Varosha, end military activities in Cyprus's maritime zones, and abandon its insistence on a two-state solution, which the Commission rejects as contrary to UN Security Council resolutions. Notably, the report highlights a July 2026 memorandum signed between Turkey and the unrecognized entity in the north regarding an undersea gas pipeline, as well as the appointment of Raffaele Fitto as the EU Special Representative for the Cyprus problem.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry rejected the findings, dismissing them as biased and detached from reality, while labeling the criticism of its maritime agreement with Libya as null and void. Unal Ustel, the leader of the self-proclaimed entity in the north, also criticized the report, accusing the EU and UN of losing their neutrality and demanding recognition of political equality and sovereignty for Turkish Cypriots. Despite Turkey's goal of EU membership, the Commission maintains that accession negotiations remain frozen, noting concerns over democratic backsliding and Turkey’s failure to align with EU foreign policy.