2016 Annual Report European Parliament Information Office in Cyprus Annual Report 2016 2 Contents Contents Foreword by the Head of the Office ................ ....................................................5 Activity Summary for 2016............................. ......................................................7 Flagship Events ................... ...........................................................................10 Women ’s Rights and Gender Equality Conference..... .................................... :................10 Politico -academic conference ‘Quo Vadis Europa’ ..........................................................12 Televised debate of President SCHULZ with Greek Cypriot & Turkish Cypriot Youth.......... 14 Celebrations for Europe Day .................... ...............................................................................16 European Mobility Week...................... .....................................................................................18 Local Conference ‘Aiming at Sustainable Tourism’ ..................................................................20 Local Conference ‘Aiming for the Development of the Blue Economy ’...... ...........................21 Conference on ‘The Social Dimension of the EU’ :................................................................22 Multi -thematic Events.........................................................................................24 Visits from the European Parliament ...... .......................................................37 Official visit of President Martin SCHULZ ................. ....................................................39 Visit of the Special Committee TAXE II...................... .....................................................50 MEPs Working Breakfast with stakeholders ..................................................52 Events for the European Parliament Prizes ................................................58 European Citizen ’s Prize............... ........... ..........................................................................61 Screenings of the LUX Prize films........ .......................... ......................................................70 Sakharov Prize ........... .......................... ...............................................................................72 Media Actions .......................................................................................................74 Social media .............................. ...........................................................................82 Special focus on Youth....................................................................................84 Special publications of the Office......................................................................98 Quick statistics................. ............................... ..................................................100 The role of the Office........................................................................................102 The staff of the Office ............. .......................................................................103 3 Annual Report 2016 4 Foreword Foreword Dear reader, 2016 was a very active year for the European Parliament Information Office (EPIO) in Cyprus. This booklet aims to present an overview of our EPIO’s main activities for 2016 in accordance with the principles of accountability and transparency which govern the European Parliament as a whole. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to my colleagues in the European Parliament Information Office for their valuable contribution towards the successful materialisation of our activities in 2016. I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to our stakeholders and especially to the journalists who contributed decisively in implementing and promoting our goals. It is very important for the EPIO to be in close cooperation with Cypriot journalists and the media in general as they inform Cypriot European citizens about the debates and decisions taking place at the European Parliament in both Brussels and Strasbourg. In particular, I would like to thank the former and the current President of the House of Representatives, as well as the Permanent Secretary of the House and her colleagues for their remarkable support in implementing important actions, even in the plenum of the national Parliament. Undoubtedly, the House of Representatives presents the most important institutional interlocutor for the EPIO in Cyprus. I would also like to extend my warmest thanks to the Minister of Education and Culture and his collaborators who facilitated our mission in presenting the importance of the institutional role of the European Parliament to thousands of pupils in primary and secondary schools across Cyprus. Our main aim has been to explain to students that the EU is primarily a peace project that safeguards fundamental human rights for all. Maintaining close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Culture is also vital for us in order to implement the pioneering “European Parliament Ambassador School Programme”, which for the first time this year is being implemented in all EU Member States. For the current school year 2016-2017, this programme involves the participation of fifteen Cypriot Lyceums and Technical-Vocational Schools. Undoubtedly, it would not be possible to successfully implement the mission of our Office, without the support we receive from the Cypriot MEPs. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all six Cypriot MEPs for their significant support towards me and my colleagues at the EPIO in Cyprus. Without their important contribution, we would not be able to achieve our aims. The Cypriot MEPs are the Ambassadors of our Office and are always at the epicentre of our activities. Andreas KETTIS Head of the European Parliament Information Office in Cyprus 5 Annual Report 2016 6 Activity Summary for 2016 2016 Activity Summary 15 January 2016 (Nicosia) Reception with Cypriot MEPs and journalists 16 January 2016 (Nicosia) Bicommunal Educational Conference: Develop Peace Culture 29 January 2016 (Nicosia) Presentation of the project of the Committee on Missing Persons with MEP Reimer BöGE (EPP, Germany) 08 February 2016 (Nicosia) Roundtable discussion on "Federation and the Cyprus Issue" with MEPs Eleni THEOCHAROUS (ECR, Cyprus), Takis HADjIGEORGIOU (GUE/NGL, Cyprus) and Demetris PAPADAkIS (S&D, Cyprus) 12 February 2016 (Nicosia) Working Breakfast of MEP Neoklis SYLIkIOTIS (GUE/NGL, Cyprus) with stakeholders on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) 04 March 2016 (Nicosia) Conference on Gender Equality in Cyprus with MEP Takis HADjIGEORGIOU (GUE/NGL, Cyprus) 19 - 20 March 2016 (Paphos) Press Seminar in Droushia on “The EU: The role of the European Parliament" with MEPs Takis HADjIGEORGIOU (GUE/NGL, Cyprus) and Lefteris CHRISTOFOROU (EPP, Cyprus) 22 and 31 March 2016 (Nicosia) A two-day conference: ‘Quo Vadis Europa’ with MEPs Gianni PITTELLA (S&D, Italy), Eleni THEOCHAROUS (ECR, Cyprus), Costas MAVRIDES (S&D, Cyprus) and Demetris PAPADAkIS (S&D, Cyprus) 29 and 30 March 2016 (Nicosia) Official visit of the President of the European Parliament, Martin SCHULZ (S&D, Germany) to Cyprus 29 March 2016 (Nicosia) Televised Debate of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot youth with the President of the European Parliament, Martin SCHULZ (S&D, Germany) 09 April 2016 (Nicosia) Diplomat and Youth gala dinner under the title "Youth participation in the process of peace building and conflict resolution in Cyprus" 7 Annual Report 2016 15 April 2016 (Nicosia) Visit of the EP Special Committee TAXE II, headed by the Chair of the Committee Alain LAMASSOURE (EPP, France) and accompanied by other Members of the Committee 20 April 2016 (Nicosia) Thematic discussion on ‘Gender Equality in Cyprus: Challenges and Expectations’ with MEP joão PIMENTA LOPES ( GUE/NGL, Portugal) 20-22 April 2016 (Nicosia) 2016 Congress of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, with video address by President of the European Parliament Martin SCHULZ (S&D, Germany) 07 May 2016 (Limassol) Celebrations for Europe Day with MEP Costas MAVRIDES (S&D, Cyprus) 20 May 2016 (Nicosia) Working Breakfast of MEP Lefteris CHRISTOFOROU (EPP, Cyprus) with stakeholders on the Energy Union 29 May 2016 (Nicosia ) Supporting the Cyprus 3rd Pride Parade under the slogan “TransForm your Mind” 03 June 2016 (Nicosia) Working Breakfast of MEP Costas MAVRIDES (S&D, Cyprus) with stakeholders on Banks Unfair Terms and Practices 8 July 2016 (Nicosia) Working Breakfast of MEP Demetris PAPADAkIS (S&D, Cyprus) with stakeholders on Migration and the Refugee Crisis 17 September 2016 (Nicosia) Mobility Week with MEPs Takis HADjIGEORGIOU (GUE/NGL, Cyprus), Demetris PAPADAkIS (S&D, Cyprus) and Costas MAVRIDES (S&D, Cyprus) 22 September 2016 (Ayia Napa / Protaras) Conference on "Sustainable Tourism" with MEPs Lefteris CHRISTOFOROU (EPP, Cyprus) and Nikos ANDROULAkIS (S&D, Greece) 23 September 2016 (Limassol) National Award Ceremony for the European Citizen’s Prize to kolossi Lyceum with MEPs Takis HADjIGEORGIOU (GUE/NGL, Cyprus), Neoklis SYLIkIOTIS (GUE/NGL, Cyprus), and Lefteris CHRISTOFOROU (EPP, Cyprus) 26 - 29 September 2016 (Brussels) joint Press Seminar for Financial Editors in Brussels on the “Single Market: Tax justice and Tax Fair Competition” with all the Cypriot MEPs, in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in Cyprus 8 Activity Summary for 2016 30 September 2016 (Nicosia)