Written question asked by Andrew Dismore (Labour) on Wednesday, 7 November 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 November 2007. It was answered by Jim Murphy (Labour) on Monday, 3 December 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Cyprus: Trade

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of (a) the scale of cross-green line trade and (b) obstacles to growth of cross-green line trade in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: The European Commission's 2007 report on the green line regulation (GLR), available at:"http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2007/com2007_0553en01.pdf"sets out in detail the scale of green line trade, and existing obstacles. In the period May 2006 to April 2007 the value of goods traded across the green line was €3,380,805, compared to a figure of €1,734,770 in the previous reporting period.Some of the obstacles cited in the report include the limited type and value of goods permitted under the GLR and political pressure to prevent the development of trade. We would support measures to expand the GLR, thereby putting market forces at the service of a comprehensive settlement.

Secondary information