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Government Seeks Cap On Penalty Growth For Undeclared Work Fines

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

June 23, 2026

The Cypriot government is moving to curb the explosive growth of administrative fines tied to undeclared work, after the Cabinet approved a proposal from the Ministry of Labour that would place a ceiling on how much the penalty can increase over time.

What The New Proposal Would Change

Under the bill submitted to Parliament, employers and self-employed individuals who fail to pay an administrative fine on time would no longer face unlimited escalation. Instead, the increase in the penalty would be capped at no more than twice the original fine, as set out in current legislation. In practical terms, the total amount due would not exceed the initial administrative fine or, at most, double that amount if Parliament approves the measure.

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Why The Current System Has Become Unworkable

At present, under the Social Insurance law, unpaid fines for undeclared work rise by €50 per day for every day of delay. What began as a deterrent has, in practice, become a debt accelerator. Many employers and self-employed workers who missed the deadline saw their obligations snowball into substantial liabilities owed to the Social Insurance Fund. Others paid promptly to avoid the extra burden.

The result has been a significant accumulation of debt and, in many cases, legal action by the authorities.

Debt Swells To €65.6 Million

According to the Social Insurance Services, unpaid obligations linked to undeclared work have now reached €65.6 million. Of these, €56.7 million relates to employers and €8.8 million to self-employed individuals. The figures reflect the impact of the daily €50 surcharge, which has caused total liabilities to rise by 252%, or 26.2 times the original penalty in some cases.

Beyond the financial burden, dozens of debtors have been taken to court. The Social Insurance Services have already filed civil cases before district courts seeking judgments or orders against natural and legal persons over debts tied to undeclared and illegal employment.

More Than 800 Fines Imposed Since 2017

Official data show that between June 2017 and March 2026, authorities imposed administrative fines totaling €2.5 million on 827 individuals and businesses.

Of those, 722 employers received fines amounting to €2.4 million, while 105 self-employed individuals were fined a combined €74,000. Despite the penalties imposed, collections have reached €6.1 million, reflecting both payments already made and additional amounts generated through surcharges.

Retroactive Relief Could Cut The Burden Sharply

Should Parliament approve the proposal and apply it retroactively, total liabilities would fall from €65.5 million to €7.9 million.

Under that scenario, the amount owed by the 722 employers would decline to €7.6 million, compared with the current €56.7 million, while liabilities for the 105 self-employed individuals would fall to €224,000. The calculations include the original fines, accrued surcharges, and amounts already paid to the Social Insurance Fund.

A Policy Shift Framed As More Proportionate

The government argues that introducing a cap would make the penalty framework more proportionate while maintaining its deterrent effect.

Support for the measure has also come from the Ministry of Finance, despite the expected reduction in future revenue linked to lower surcharge collections. The proposal will now be examined by Parliament, where lawmakers will decide whether to retain the current system or introduce limits on the growth of unpaid fines.

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Irregular Meal Timing May Raise Heart Risk In Men, New Study Suggests

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 8, 2026

Eating breakfast at lunchtime or dinner during normal sleeping hours may seem like a minor weekend indulgence. New research suggests, however, that this type of irregular meal timing, described by scientists as “eating jet lag,” may be linked to higher cardiovascular risk in men.

A French study published in Communications Medicine found that each additional hour of eating jet lag was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% higher risk of coronary heart disease among men. No similar association was observed in women.

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Why Meal Timing Matters

Weekend schedules often differ from weekday routines, with work and school timetables shifting when people eat. Over time, researchers suggest, these changes may interfere with the body’s biological rhythms.

“This study suggests the importance of regular meal-timing patterns, beyond sleep and diet quality, in cardiovascular disease prevention,” the authors wrote.

Researchers followed more than 100,000 participants for 14 years, analyzing the timing of their first and last meals on working days and weekends between 2009 and 2023.

Risk Pattern Appeared In Men

Participants were grouped according to how their meal times changed between weekdays and weekends. One group ate earlier on weekends, another maintained similar schedules, and a third ate later.

Both groups with irregular meal timing showed higher cardiovascular risk than those with stable schedules, regardless of overall diet quality. The association was observed only among men.

Researchers proposed several possible explanations. Men generally have a higher absolute risk of cardiovascular disease, while women tend to have stronger morning-oriented routines that may influence how their bodies respond to changes in meal timing.

Circadian Rhythms May Explain The Link

One possible explanation is that irregular eating disrupts the body’s circadian system, which regulates many physiological functions over a 24-hour cycle.

Light is the main signal that sets circadian rhythms, but food timing also helps synchronize peripheral clocks in organs including the liver and heart. Eating in alignment with these rhythms is generally associated with better metabolic regulation, while irregular timing may disrupt that balance.

What It Means For Prevention

The findings do not prove that irregular meal timing causes heart disease. However, they add to growing evidence that when people eat may matter nearly as much as what they eat for long-term cardiovascular health.

If confirmed in larger studies, regular meal timing could become a useful target for public health interventions aimed at reducing chronic disease risk. For individuals, employers and schools, greater consistency in daily routines may be more than a lifestyle preference and could form part of a broader strategy to protect heart health.