The Cyprus Union of Communities is the 3rd level legal public body representing all the communities in Cyprus. It is organized at the district level with the Secretariat in Nicosia representing all five districts. It is partly funded by the State and is involved in the drafting and implementation of all laws pertaining to the rural areas and communities. It acts as an advisor to the Government and the House or Parliament in its area of expertise and it’s the vehicle through which the rural communities voice their concerns and exert political pressure to improve the status of the rural areas and the living standards of the people living there. Internationally it represents Cyprus in the Congress of Local and Regional Councils of the Council of Europe and the European Union Regional Committee. Two of the proposed participants come from the Troodos area own property in the area and live part of time in the area. Since its establishment, the Union has developed a multiform and multilateral activity for the protection and service of the well-intended interests of the Communities and their inhabitants. To promote this aim, the Union has made every effort to obtain financial assistance for the Communities and secure the participation of their elected representatives in the decision taking centres, so that their voice is also heard where the decisions are reached. The Union of Communities does its utmost to influence the formation of the policy at the stage of study and formulation of governmental positions, so that the final decision taking embodies its views. It is therefore in continuous communication and has contacts with the competent ministries and other organisms, as well as with the House of Representatives. One of the Union’s important functions is the representation of Communities abroad through the participation in international organs of local self-government and through its representation at various local and international congresses. Among others, the Union of Communities also endeavours to achieve further collaboration between the communities, a fact that will turn out to the advantage of communities themselves, especially as regards its finances. To this effect, it organises evening parties and other district and regional activities, to enable the presidents and members of the communities to meet and exchange views, experiences and opinions about community issues and further develop their relations. The Union is also intensely active in the organisation of training conferences designed for the presidents, members and secretaries of the local authorities, especially on subjects concerning the European Union and legislations. Indeed, the action of the Union is intense and multidimensional, as it deals with all the issues and problems the Communities are concerned with and face. It makes continuous efforts to solve the numerous problems the communities encounter every day, both on an institutional and financial level, and it struggles for the rationalistic development of the communities, the improvement of their inhabitants’ standard of living, putting forward motives encouraging them to stay in the communities and especially in the mountainous and remote areas, in order to limit and dissuade rural depopulation. Generally, it promotes the statutory aims of its foundation, which are the defence and promotion of the powers, interests, rights and privileges of the members and, generally; the independence and self-sufficiency of the local authorities of the country. Among the priorities of the Union were, from the beginning, the financial self-sufficiency and self-administration of the Rural Local Self-Government Organisms and the involvement of the elected local authorities in the decision taking centres for issues concerning the communities. They succeeded with much labour : the Federation, the Government and the House of Representatives recognised its essential role and, as a collective organ, it started to be invited in all the committees dealing with issues concerning the Communities. This resulted in the increase and extension of the Federation’s activities and volume of work.
The Aims of Union
The defence and promotion of the Members’ powers, interests, rights and privileges and, generally, of the independence and self-sufficiency or the Local Authorities. The permanent and on an organised basis cooperation and exchange of views between them, for the achievement of common targets. The collection of data and information being useful for the cooperation of the Communities. The expression of opinions to any Authority, Body, Organism or person (including the Government and the House of Representatives) and claiming from the state matters aiming at the development and expansion of the Local Self-Government institution. The participation in International Organs of Local Self-Government and its representation at Local and International Congresses. The European projects that the community are/have been involved ( Projects 1,2, 3,4, 5, with close collaboration with the Unit of Environmental Studies of the University of Nicosia and the active participation of Kyriakos E. Georgiou) :
1.LEONARDO DA VINCI PROGRAMME (partner) Project title : Bios & Environment Transnational Network Second Phase 2000-2006
2.INTERREG IIIB ARCHIMED (partner) Project title: MANWATER – Management of Water Resources and Wetland Protection in Tourism Developing Areas 2006-2008
3.INTERREG IIIB ARCHIMED (partner) MEDRISK – Mediterranean Risk Management 2006-2008
4.National funded programme between Greece and Cyprus (partner) Project title: e-HERITAGE 2006-2008
5. European Project on Civil Protection (partner) Project title: ARTEMIS 2008-2009
6.LIFE + Environment Policy and Governance (partner) Project tilte: CALCHAS 2010-2013
7. Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) (partner) Project title: Cy e-Invoicing for Local Authorities 2018-2019
