Includes the barriers (tariff and non-tariff) that U.S. companies face when exporting to this country.
Last Published: 7/29/2019

Republic of Cyprus:
 

As a member of the European Union (EU) since 2004, most trade barriers in the Republic of Cyprus mirror those of other EU members.

Biotechnology
Cyprus has adopted several restrictive biotechnology policies since 2011.  Parliament passed a law in April 2011 requiring local stores to place all bioengineered products with biotechnology content over 0.9 percent on separate shelves with a sign clearly declaring them as containing genetically modified organisms or "GMOs."  Cyprus was the first EU country to introduce such legislation, and therefore the law sets an important precedent, although the European Commission has not raised any objections to it.  The practical effect of the law is to discourage store owners from stocking food products with biotech content.  Parliament also passed a law in 2012 providing “zero tolerance” of biotech content in conventional seeds.  Under this legislation, any load of conventional seeds imported into Cyprus cannot contain even a trace of biotech seeds.  The law also provides that each shipment of seeds into Cyprus must be accompanied by a "Certificate of non-Biotechnology."  The government also consistently advocates EU member states' right of choice whether to allow growing biotech crops on their soil, and votes against applications to the EU for new bioengineered crops.  In November 2015, the European Commission approved the ROC’s request to exclude the entire ROC territory from cultivating GMO crops.

 

Area Administered by Turkish Cypriots:

For more information on trade barriers, contact the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.