The Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026 was established following the appointment of the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Ms Marilena Raouna, on 17 January 2024. Under the political supervision of the Deputy Minister, the Secretariat is responsible for the preparation of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026.
The responsibilities of the Deputy Minister, as stipulated in the Deputy Minister to the President for European Affairs Law of 2023, are defined and limited by the nature of the Cyprus Presidency and the obligations it entails, and include the following:
(a) Political oversight of the Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026
(b) Political representation in EU bodies and institutions, and contacts with these institutions and bodies
(c) Overall political oversight, in collaboration with the competent Ministers, of the preparatory work and execution of the Cyprus Presidency, including responsibility for the coordination of:
(i) the programme and priorities of the Cyprus Presidency
(ii) the organisation of meetings to be held in the Republic, as well as other organisational matters, and
(iii) the communication strategy, in close cooperation with the Government Spokesman and the Press and Information Office
(d) Participation in discussions at Council of Ministers meetings on matters within the Minister’s competence as provided by the Law, and submitting of relevant briefing notes, without participation in the decision-making process.
source: Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026 – gov.cy