This year began with Cyprus taking up the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. At a time of growing internal and external pressures, the EU Presidency assumes a particularly important role in protecting EU values, advancing legislative files, and defending human rights and democracy.
The Programme and Priorities of the Cyprus Presidency highlight – among other priorities – the promotion of social cohesion, as well as decent work and fair pay across the labour market, next to tackling sexual abuse and protecting children from online and offline threats.
In 2022, the European Commission proposed a Regulation on preventing and combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, and later, in 2024, it presented a proposal for a revision of the Combating child sexual abuse Directive, both remaining under negotiation. In the meantime, the Commission has proposed an extension of the Interim Regulation.
La Strada International welcomes these priorities and hopes that the Cyprus Presidency will actively support progress in the negotiations to ensure stronger protection of children online, as well as further promote protection of labour rights.
LSI welcomes that fair employment for social justice will be a key discussion topic at the Informal EPSCO Council in February 2026. All jobs, from highly qualified roles to low-paid work, deserve decent working conditions and fair wages. It is hoped that upcoming Fair Labour Mobility Package, aiming to promote a coordinated European approach to labour mobility, will protects all workers’ rights.
As discussions on the Omnibus package continue, LSI stresses that simplification must not come at the expense of human rights protections – not in Europe nor abroad. The Presidency’s commitment to promoting and protecting EU values and democracy must also translate into stronger protection and support for civil society organisations, whose role is essential in safeguarding rights and democratic accountability. LSI also supports the Presidency’s prioritisation of the first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Under the Cyprus’ presidency, both the EU Victims’ Rights Strategy and the EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings will be developed. Human trafficking and exploitation remain stark realities across the EU, and addressing them should be a priority for all EU Presidencies, also in relation to EUMS’s current responsibilty to transpose the amended EU Anti-Trafficking Directive. This includes preventing exploitation, improving identification of victims, ensuring adequate support for trafficked persons, and guaranteeing their access to justice.
As expected, significant attention is given to migration management and combating organised smuggling, including implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum with much focus on returns, and limited attention to the exploitation of migrants within Europe.
As the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum is currently underway and appears to be a priority for most EU Member States, it is crucial that implementation efforts do not overlook one of the European Union’s foundational cornerstones: human rights. Upholding human rights for all, irrespective of migration status, is essential to protecting the EU’s values and legal order. Ensuring safe and legal migration pathways is a key tool to prevent exploitation and human trafficking
Image CopyRight: European Union