On 12 February 2020 in Nicosia a new project aimed at modernisation of the Cypriot civil procedure was launched. This modernisation is an element of the on-going complex reform of the court system in Cyprus. The Supreme Court of the Republic of Cyprus with the support of the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) of the European Commission (EC) and the Council of Europe is undertaking an ambitious reform process to improve the court system. This reform process is focusing on four areas: court operations, judicial training, e-Justice and the reform of the Rules of Civil Procedure (RCP).

Under the launched Project the Council of Europe will provide support to the Cypriot authorities in completing the process of adopting new Rules of Civil Procedure.

The need for the revision of the current civil procedure, in place since 1960, was expressed by the Cypriot legal community on several occasions. The Minister of Justice of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. George Savvidis, who attended the event confirmed that the adoption of the New Civil Procedure Rules is an important task. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Mr. Myronas Nikolatos, who attended the meeting together with the Director of Justice Reform Mr. George Erotokritou, also stated that the modernisation of the civil procedure is necessary.

The New Civil Procedure Rules are regarded as a prerequisite for the successful reform of the court system in Cyprus. It is expected that they will make the civil justice system more accessible, reliable and swift, which shall contribute to the economic stability based on an efficient judicial system.

The meeting was attended by representatives of various stakeholders in the project: registrars and judges, representatives of the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Justice, Cypriot Bar Association.