Policy Profile Cyprus
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Policy Profile Cyprus
The island of Cyprus has a rich history and the first signs of civilisation date back to the 7th millennium BC.The country’s cultural landscape represents many historical periods in the island’s evolution and of the East Mediterranean region as well. The tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Cyprus is impressive and its preservation merits to be a priority for the government.
The country has ratified the World Heritage Convention from the beginning, adopted the European strategies for the protection of cultural heritage and has signed many memoranda of understanding with several countries concerning the preservation of cultural heritage.
In 2004, Cyprus became a full member of the European Union and since then all EU laws, regulations, directives and policies are applied in all sectors, including those related to heritage and culture.
The European Commission has a Representation Office in Cyprus which is engaging with the government, the citizens, the stakeholders and the media.The European Parliament has also a Liaison Office in the capital of Cyprus which is responsible for the implementation of the EP’s institutional communication activities in the island.
The Cypriot Government has a Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels. The mission of this office is to promote the country’s interests in the EU and to participate and contribute to the community.
At the national level, η Γραμματεία του Υπουργικού Συμβουλίου (the Council of Ministers) exercises executive power, while η Βουλή των Αντιπροσώπων (the House of the Representatives) has the legislative power on all issues including the preservation of cultural heritage.
The safeguarding and conservation of Cultural Heritage relies under the mandate of two central institutions of the Government, το Υφυπουργείο Πολιτισμού (the Deputy Ministry of Culture) and το Υπουργείο Εσωτερικών (the Ministry of Interior).
The Deputy Ministry of Culture is responsible for the safeguarding and promotion of the Cultural Heritage of Cyprus, tangible and intangible. The Deputy Ministry is organised in three Departments, the Department of Antiquities, the Department of Contemporary Culture and the Department of Handicraft.
The mandate of the Antiquities Department is to manage the archaeological heritage of Cyprus. Main areas of activity include the systematic excavations and the archaeological surveys, the establishment and operation of archaeological museums, the conservation of monuments, sites and architectural heritage listed under the Antiquities law and the organisation of educational and cultural activities surrounding heritage.
The Department of Contemporary Culture is responsible for the development of the Letters and the Arts in the island in many ways and in different sectors.
Last, the Department of Handicraft is responsible to preserve and promote the heritage of Cypriot craftsmanship and secure that the local know-how in craft making will be preserved. The policies of the Department encourage artisans workshops, marketing of handicrafts and the strengthening of the domestic production in order to ensure a sustainable economic model for the Cypriot craftsmanship.
At the Ministry of Interior, the Department of Town Planning & Housing is responsible for the spatial and land-use planning development, the planning control and the preservation of the Architectural heritage and the landscape preservation. The Department elaborates policies concerning the safeguarding and management of Areas of Special Character that are included in the binding Development Plans issues preservation Orders and is also responsible to issue planning permits (consents) for the adaptation of listed buildings.
In 2024, Cyprus underwent a local government reform aiming to maximise synergies of scale in the operation and administration of organisations which provide services of similar nature. Five new District Organisations of Local Government have been established, one for each District. Each one took the responsibility of major services such as the Water Supply, Sewerage and Solid Waste management of their administrative area. At the same time the District Organisations of Local Government became a single licensing authority for each district, including licensing for the building permissions of the listed buildings.
The establishment of a single licensing authority was based on the arguments to achieve uniformity in the way listing applications are examined and to avoid different speeds in issuing permits. The above decision shifted the power of the issuing of permits for the architectural heritage from the municipalities of the main urban areas to the District Authorities.
View all Cyprus policies gathered so far
* = This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence
