Commonwealth and Cyprus after EU accession

This paper discusses the extent to which Cyprus’ Commonwealth membership has remained relevant following the country’s accession to the EU in 2004. It is argued that, despite the predominant role of Cyprus’ EU membership, the importance of the Commonwealth for the promotion of the country’s political agenda and international co-operation has not diminished. There has been a steady Cypriot participation at high-level Commonwealth meetings post-EU accession. However, the importance of the Commonwealth to the everyday life of Cypriot citizens remains marginal, especially when compared to EU membership. The decision of the UK to exit the Union could precipitate an increased interest on the part of Cyprus in its Commonwealth membership, that could, eventually, even act as a bridge that might help establish a partnership cooperation mechanism between the EU and the Commonwealth.