CYPRUS Trends and Developments Contributed by: Ioannis Economou, Eleftherios Economou, Michalis Zivanaris and Elli Economou, Economou & Co LLC
Russia, Georgia, and Belarus Judgments issued by courts of Russia, Georgia, and Belarus are recognised and enforced pursuant to the Treaty between the Republic of Cyprus and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Legal Assis - tance in Civil and Criminal Matters (L172/86). Accord - ing to Article 23 of the treaty, judgments that can be enforced include: • judgments rendered in civil matters and amicable settlements approved by a court; • judgments for the payment of legal costs; and • judgments in criminal matters concerning the pay - ment of damages and other civil law claims. Some indicative requirements for the recognition and enforcement of a judgment issued in these states include: • the judgment being final and enforceable under the law of the contracting state; • proper notification to the parties; • the jurisdiction of the issuing court; and • the absence of prior final judgments on the same matter. Ukraine Judgments issued by the courts of Ukraine are rec - ognised and enforced pursuant to the Agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and Ukraine on Legal Assistance in Civil Matters (L8 (III)/2005). The term judgment includes judgments rendered in civil matters (including family matters and amicable set - tlements approved by the court) and judgments in criminal matters concerning damages. Such judgments will be recognised and enforced pro - vided they meet conditions such as: • finality and enforceability; • proper notification; • absence of conflicting final judgments; • compliance with public order; and • the jurisdiction of the issuing court. Procedure for Recognition and Enforcement The formal process for recognition and enforcement depends on the statute which applies in the individual
The EU Regulation 1215/2012 does not apply to: • revenue, customs, or administrative matters; • state liability for acts and omissions in the exercise of state authority; • the status or legal capacity of natural persons, or rights in property arising from a matrimonial rela - tionship or similar relationships; • bankruptcy proceedings and similar processes; • social security; • arbitration; • maintenance obligations arising from family rela - tionships, parentage, marriage, or affinity; or • wills and succession, including maintenance obli - gations arising by reason of death. United Kingdom Post-Brexit, judgments issued by the courts of the United Kingdom are recognised and enforced pursu - ant to the Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforce - ment) Law (Cap 10). The term “judgment” encom - passes a monetary judgment or order given by a court in any civil or criminal proceedings. The judgment must be final and conclusive, and execution in the country of origin must be possible. A judgment will be deemed final and conclusive notwithstanding that an appeal may be pending. As a member of the EU, Cyprus is also bound by the Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Com - mercial Matters of 2019 (the “Hague Convention”), to which the European Union acceded in July 2022. The Hague Convention, which entered into force on 1 September 2023, aims to reduce costs, promote access to justice, facilitate trade, and manage trans - action and litigation risks. It applies to civil and com - mercial judgments, excluding certain matters like fam - ily law, insolvency, privacy, intellectual property, and specific antitrust issues. With the UK’s ratification of the Hague Convention, it became effective there on 1 July 2025 and applies to civil and commercial judg - ments from the Courts of England and Wales. This development represents a significant step forward in international legal co-operation, providing clarity and predictability for cross-border enforcement of judg - ments.
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