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Cyprus President And Turkish Cypriot Leader Explore New Crossing Points In Key Meeting

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

On Monday, President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar will meet at the residence of the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Colin Stewart, located in the UN Protected Area at Nicosia airport. The two leaders will discuss the potential opening of new crossing points across the divided island.

This meeting follows an October 15, 2024 agreement made during an informal dinner hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York. The leaders had expressed a shared interest in exploring ways to increase movement between the north and south of Cyprus.

The Greek Cypriot side has already proposed the opening of crossing points at Pyroi and Kokkina, which were submitted during prior meetings of the negotiators with Stewart. Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot side has raised the possibility of opening a regular crossing point at Mia Milia.

In his recent report to the UN Security Council on the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate, Guterres welcomed the commitments made by both Cypriot leaders to consider the opening of additional crossing points. “We are approaching the meeting with a constructive attitude and a commitment to progress,” stated the Government Spokesman to the Cypriot News Agency (CNA) on Sunday. He noted that the groundwork had been laid with specific proposals and positions, and expressed hope that these would be discussed with the same positive and sincere spirit.

In the lead-up to the meeting, residents of the Paphos district gathered on Saturday in Pachyammos, advocating for the opening of a crossing point at Kokkina. On Friday, joint events were held by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot organizations at the Ayios Dometios checkpoint, calling for the establishment of new crossing points.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied the island’s northern third. Despite several rounds of UN-led peace talks, a comprehensive settlement has yet to be reached, with the latest negotiations held at the Crans-Montana resort in Switzerland in July 2017 ending without progress.

The informal meeting in New York in October saw both leaders agree to continue dialogue under the UN Secretary-General’s auspices, focusing on the way forward and the opening of new crossing points to foster trust and facilitate movement across the island.

EU Farm Output Prices Decline For The First Time In Nine Months

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

EU Market Adjustments Signal New Price Trends

Agricultural output prices across the European Union declined in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a shift after several quarters of increases. Data from Eurostat shows that farm gate prices fell by 1.9% compared with the same period in 2024.

Crisis of Declining Prices In Select Markets

Cyprus recorded one of the more notable decreases in agricultural input costs among EU member states, with prices falling by 2.6% compared with Q4 2024. The reduction eased cost pressures for the local agricultural sector following periods of higher prices earlier in 2025. Across the EU, prices for goods and services consumed in agriculture remained relatively stable. Non-investment inputs such as energy, fertilisers and feedingstuffs showed limited overall changes during the quarter.

Country-Specific Divergence In Price Movements

Eurostat data highlights considerable variation across member states. Fifteen EU countries recorded declines in agricultural output prices. Belgium registered the largest decrease at 12.9%, followed by Lithuania (8.2%) and Germany (6.0%). At the same time, twelve countries reported increases in output prices. Ireland recorded the strongest rise at 6.8%, followed by Slovenia (5.6%) and Malta (4.2%).

Stability In Agricultural Inputs Amid Commodity Shifts

Agricultural input prices also showed mixed developments. Eleven member states recorded declines, including Cyprus (2.6%), Belgium (2.1%) and Sweden (2.0%). Other countries experienced moderate increases, including Lithuania (4.2%), Ireland (3.3%) and Romania (2.5%). Among major agricultural commodities, milk prices declined by 4.1% while cereal prices fell by 8.9% across the EU. In contrast, fertilisers and soil improvers increased by 7.9%, reflecting continued volatility in input markets.

Outlook For EU Agriculture

The latest Eurostat data points to uneven price developments across the EU agricultural sector. While input prices remained broadly stable in many markets, movements in output prices varied significantly between member states. These trends highlight the need for farmers and policymakers to adapt to shifting commodity prices and changing cost structures across the European agricultural market.

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