IN 2011 the EU wrote to Cyprus seeking answers on the Title Deeds issue. Responding to a petition from the Cyprus Property Action Group (CPAG) and 41 MEPs, EU Commission Vice President Viviane Reding said that:
“…an administrative letter has been sent to the Cypriot authorities enquiring on the one hand, as to the actions carried out at national level to address the reported practices and… On the other hand, about the measures taken to ensure that consumers are adequately informed about the Cypriot law transposing Directive 2005/29/EC on Unfair Commercial Practices (the ‘UCPD’).
“Should the information communicated be unsatisfactory, the European Commission is prepared to take further action as appropriate”.
Although the EU received a reply from Cyprus in January 2012 and completed its report into the matter last April, nothing further has been heard from the EU.
In a written question to the European Commission, Scottish MEP David Martin has requested an update:
to the Commission
Rule 117
David Martin (S&D)
Subject: Commission report on property development in Cyprus
The Commission will be aware that in January 2012 it received a reply to a letter it had sent to Cyprus. The Commission’s initial letter was an enquiry into the actions carried out at a national level to address the practices of property developers and the measures taken to ensure that consumers are adequately informed about the Cypriot law on unfair commercial practices.
In April 2012 the Commission finalised its report on the Cypriot response.
Could the Commission outline the conclusions of this report and provide an update on the situation regarding consumer protection in dealings with property developers (this question is with regard to Alpha Panareti Limited specifically)?
@Costas Apacket – Yes all questions raised in the European Parliament are answered.
If you want to follow progress on any of the questions raised, visit the European Parliament’s Questions and declarations page and use the search facility provided.
Does anyone ever get a response to these questions from the EU?
They will learn that “But this is Cyprus” doesn’t carry any weight in the EU.
The question would have been better expanded to read: “…..the situation regarding consumer protection in dealings with property developers in general and Alpha Panareti in particular”.
It is very likely that the reply to the commission from the Cyprus government was that if you ignore the problems they will go away or become somebody else’s problem, just so long as you don’t expect a positive response.