Cyprus Unions Demand Urgent Inspections Over Rising Use Of Temporary Hotel Workers

Trade unions representing hotel and leisure-centre workers in Cyprus are calling for immediate workplace inspections, warning that the growing use of temporary agency workers is undermining labour protections across the hospitality sector.

Unions Raise Legal And Contractual Concerns

Ouxeka-Sek and Syxka-Peo have written to Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas, Labour Relations Department Director Andis Apostolou and Labour Department Director Alexandros Alexandrou, urging the government to intervene.

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The unions said the increasing use of temporary agency workers in hotels and leisure centres has become a widespread problem. They argue the practice violates the Temporary Agency Work Law of 2012, Law 174(I)/2012, while also undermining collective agreements and labour regulations.

Pressure Mounts On Labour Oversight

The unions warned that the issue has been compounded by the new framework governing the employment of third-country workers. In their view, the combined effect is weakening labour protections and distorting competition across the hospitality sector.

Their intervention follows an earlier warning from the Labour Relations Department. In a letter dated June 17, 2025, Apostolou reminded hotel associations of their legal obligations under the existing framework.

The unions said the practice has nevertheless continued and is becoming more widespread, increasing pressure on the government to step up enforcement.

Part Of A Wider Pattern Across Key Sectors

The concerns in the hospitality sector follow similar warnings from the construction industry, where Peo, Sek and Deok said the growing use of temporary workers has led to violations of collective agreements, unsafe working conditions and the treatment of employees as disposable labour.

Meanwhile, the government has announced plans to double the number of labour inspectors from eight to 16 as part of efforts to strengthen enforcement against illegal and undeclared employment.

Call For Immediate Action

Ouxeka-Sek and Syxka-Peo are calling on the Labour Ministry to carry out immediate inspections at hotels and leisure centres, enforce compliance with labour legislation, stop unlawful practices and protect workers’ rights.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 24, 2026

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.

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