Contents

Country Overview

The Republic of Cyprus is an independent Eastern Mediterranean island state classified by the United Nations in Western Asia and a member of the European Union since 2004. A constitutional presidential republic, it has an internationally recognized government that exercises effective authority principally in the island’s south; the north is administered separately and divided by a UN-monitored buffer zone. Tourism, information services, maritime activities and international business contribute heavily to its economy. Its official economic and population statistics are particularly sensitive to differences between islandwide coverage and government-controlled areas. [3] [15] [6]

Reference status: Contemporary country profile • Verified: November 6, 2026 • Source years, coverage and provisional or political classifications are stated explicitly.

CapitalNicosiaDivided island capital [1] [15]
Population996,571Eurostat / EU 2026, government-area basis [3]
Islandwide estimate1,370,754World Bank 2025 series [4]
Surface area9,253 km²EU geographical figure [3]
Nominal GDP€38.314 billionCYSTAT revised 2025, Oct. 2026 [6]
CurrencyEuro (EUR)Euro-area member since 2008 [3]

Statistical and territorial caution: Cyprus is internationally recognized as one republic but is politically divided. Government-area population and GDP sources may not cover the same territory as World Bank islandwide population estimates. The statistical service revised 2025 GDP growth in October 2026; old estimates should not be silently treated as the latest.

Identity and State Formation

Official name
Republic of Cyprus. [1] [3]
Short name
Cyprus. [1]
Greek name
Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία (Kypriakí Dimokratía). [3]
Turkish name
Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti. [3]
Capital
Nicosia (Lefkosia); divided city crossed by a UN buffer zone. [1] [15]
Region
Eastern Mediterranean island at the interface of Europe, the Levant and Anatolia. [1] [3]
UN statistical subregion
Western Asia; this geographical convention does not affect EU membership. [2] [3]
Form of state
Independent presidential republic. [3]
Independence
16 August 1960, after British colonial administration. [1] [3]
Independence commemoration
1 October observed as Cyprus Independence Day. [3]
UN admission
20 September 1960. [1]
European Union accession
1 May 2004. [3]
Euro-area accession
1 January 2008. [3]
Currency in Republic-controlled areas
Euro (EUR). [3]
Currency in northern administration
Turkish lira is in use under the de facto northern administration; distinguish from the Republic’s euro. [15] [20]
ISO code
CY (alpha-2); CYP (alpha-3). [1]
Internet domain
.cy. [1]
International phone country code
+357. [1]
Time zone
Eastern European Time UTC+2; UTC+3 in summer. [1]
Official constitutional languages
Greek and Turkish; Greek alone is an official EU language among the two. [3]
State formation background
Cyprus developed under numerous Mediterranean civilizations, including ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Lusignan, Venetian and Ottoman eras. [18]
British administration
Under British rule before independence in 1960. [3]
1960 institutional settlement
Independence constitution provided Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communal power sharing. [3] [12]
Intercommunal conflict
Violence, constitutional rupture and displacement shaped the 1960s and 1970s. [16]
1974 turning point
Coup backed by the Greek military junta and Turkish military intervention were followed by lasting island partition. [16] [15]
Northern declaration
The self-declared “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” appeared in 1983; UN Security Council declared the secession legally invalid. [17]
International recognition
The northern entity is recognized only by Türkiye, not by the United Nations as a separate member state. [17] [20]
UK Sovereign Base Areas
Akrotiri and Dhekelia remain under British sovereignty under 1960 arrangements. [15]
Continued peacekeeping
The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has operated since 1964. [16]

Editorial distinction: Cyprus is internationally recognized as a single republic, but the northern part of the island is administered separately. Naming the northern de facto administration does not endorse a unilateral independence claim.

Geography and Population

Island
Cyprus is the third-largest Mediterranean island by area. [1] [3]
Geographical location
Eastern Mediterranean south of Türkiye and west of Syria and Lebanon. [1]
EU-reported geographical area
9,253 km² for the island, with territory and jurisdiction caveats. [3]
UN-reported area
Approximately 9,251 km² in the UN country table; measurement conventions differ slightly. [1]
Land neighbors
No land border with another sovereign state across the main island; internal administration is divided. [1] [15]
Main northern range
Kyrenia / Pentadaktylos Mountains near the northern coast. [1]
Main southern range
Troodos Mountains across central-western Cyprus. [1]
Highest point
Mount Olympus / Chionistra, approximately 1,952 m. [1]
Central plain
Mesaoria plain lies between the two main mountain ranges. [1]
Major peninsulas
Karpas Peninsula extends northeast; Akamas Peninsula is in the west. [1]
Coastal environment
Rocky headlands, sandy beaches, small wetlands and urbanized shorelines. [1]
Climate
Mediterranean: generally hot dry summers and mild wetter winters. [1]
Rainfall variation
Troodos highlands receive substantially different precipitation than low coastal areas. [1]
Drought risk
Summer aridity and water scarcity require storage, conservation and desalination. [1]
Wildfire exposure
Hot dry summers elevate wildfire risk in forests and scrubland. [1]
Natural habitats
Mediterranean woodland, maquis, wetlands, sea turtle nesting beaches and upland habitats. [18]
Administrative regions
Republic of Cyprus uses six traditional districts: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta and Kyrenia; governmental control differs. [3] [15]
Nicosia city
Administrative and economic center divided by the Green Line. [15]
Main controlled urban areas
Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos are prominent centers. [3]
Northern centers
Northern Nicosia, Kyrenia and Famagusta are under the northern de facto administration. [15]
UN buffer zone
The Green Line stretches approximately 180 km across the island. [15]
British bases
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia form distinct jurisdictional enclaves. [15]
Population, World Bank 2025
1,370,754, international estimated population series with broader geographic coverage. [4]
Population, Eurostat 2026
996,571, EU country-profile series associated with Republic-controlled-area statistical reporting. [3]
Population, CYSTAT year-end 2024
983,000 residents in government-controlled areas; not an islandwide census. [5]
Population, year-end 2023
966,400 in government-controlled areas, for context. [5]
Population increase, government area 2024
1.7% from the preceding national estimate. [5]
Ages under 15, government areas 2024
15.2% of the area-covered population. [5]
Ages 65+, government areas 2024
18.3% of the area-covered population. [5]
Births, government areas 2024
9,766 recorded live births. [5]
Total fertility rate, 2024
1.4 children per woman in national statistics. [5]
Urban coastal development
Tourism, ports, housing and environmental conservation compete for coastal land. [7] [18]
Boundary methodology
Area, population and GDP should not be mixed unless the same territory and date are covered. [3] [4] [5]

Population figures and reporting geography

Different source boundaries must not be interchanged without explanation. [3] [4] [5]

Source / reference year Population Geographic / methodology note
CYSTAT, end 2024983,000Government-controlled areas
EU/Eurostat, 2026996,571EU member-state statistical population
World Bank, 20251,370,754Broader international islandwide series; differs from national-area data

Economy and International Trade

Monetary unit
Euro (EUR); part of euro-area monetary policy. [3]
2025 nominal GDP, World Bank
US$41.23 billion, World Bank current-dollar vintage. [4]
2025 GDP per capita, World Bank
US$41,783.1, World Bank GDP/population coverage used for the per-capita series; not simply the GDP divided by the bank’s broader islandwide population display. [4] [3]
2025 revised national GDP
€38.3141 billion, revised current-price estimate published 20 October 2026. [6]
2025 revised real GDP growth
4.8% after October 2026 revision; earlier releases and the World Bank site may still show 3.8%. [6] [4]
2024 revised real growth
6.6% in October 2026 updated national accounts, replacing an earlier 3.9% estimate. [6]
World Bank 2025 growth vintage
3.8% on the inspected World Bank page; superseded for latest national real-growth comparison by CYSTAT October revision. [4] [6]
World Bank 2025 modeled unemployment
4.9%; methodology differs from Eurostat or national labor-force survey unemployment. [4]
World Bank 2025 consumer inflation
0.1% in the World Bank’s displayed series. [4]
Economic structure
Predominantly services, supplemented by construction, light manufacturing, shipping and agriculture. [6]
Information and communication
ICT activities and cross-border professional services are important GDP contributors. [6]
Tourism and hospitality
Accommodation, restaurants and travel-linked activities are major employers and export services. [7] [6]
Tourist arrivals, 2025
4,534,073, up 12.2% from 2024. [7]
Tourism revenue, 2025
€3.6961 billion estimated. [7]
Main tourism source, 2025
United Kingdom accounted for 31.8% of tourist arrivals. [7]
Second tourism source, 2025
Israel accounted for 13.0%. [7]
Other large tourism sources, 2025
Poland (8.2%), Germany (6.1%), Greece (3.9%) and Sweden (3.4%). [7]
Jan–Sep 2026 tourist arrivals
3,401,538, compared with 3,604,790 over the first nine months of 2025; a dated partial-year comparison. [8]
2025 national merchandise exports
€5.581 billion, National Statistical Service series. [9]
2025 national merchandise imports
€13.867 billion, national series. [9]
2025 national goods deficit
Approximately €8.286 billion, derived from the national merchandise figures. [9]
UNCTAD merchandise exports, 2024
US$4.418 billion, a distinct UNCTAD reporting convention. [11]
UNCTAD merchandise imports, 2024
US$13.325 billion, a distinct UNCTAD reporting convention. [11]
UNCTAD services exports, 2024
US$31.059 billion, illustrating service sector weight. [11]
UNCTAD services imports, 2024
US$22.042 billion. [11]
Services trade balance, UNCTAD 2024
Approximate US$9.017 billion surplus in the cited UNCTAD current-dollar series. [11]
Export industry: halloumi
Halloumi cheese is a prominent protected-origin agricultural-food export. [10]
Export industry: pharmaceuticals
Manufactured medicines form a significant export category. [10]
Fuel-related exports
Imported petroleum products can be processed and re-exported; fuel exports do not mean Cyprus has large indigenous oil production. [10]
Jan–Jul 2026 refined fuels exports
€1.2505 billion in national reported domestic-export category; source notes imported and processed inputs. [10]
Jan–Jul 2026 halloumi exports
€233.4 million in selected domestic-export categories. [10]
Jan–Jul 2026 pharmaceutical exports
€208.4 million in selected domestic-export categories. [10]
Shipping and logistics
Ship management, maritime services and ports have a significant international orientation. [6] [11]
Banking and finance
Financial services, professional activities and real estate contribute materially to domestic output. [6]
Construction
Housing, commercial development and public works form a significant cyclical sector. [6]
Agriculture
Citrus, potatoes, olives, grapes and specialty dairy coexist with constrained water resources. [10] [11]
Import dependence
Island location means fuel, machinery, vehicles, food and other products rely on seaborne and air transport. [11] [9]
Principal ports
Limassol and Larnaca serve freight, passenger or mixed transport roles. [9]
Fiscal and economic risks
Tourism sensitivity, energy costs, property cycles, regional conflicts and services-market changes matter. [6] [8]
Cross-region GDP caution
EU, CYSTAT and World Bank figures should be interpreted using their coverage and series vintages rather than divided mechanically into islandwide population figures. [4] [3] [6]

National and international economic measures

The October 2026 CYSTAT revision and World Bank display are not the same release vintage or currency. [6] [4]

Measure Latest shown Source / date
Nominal 2025 GDP€38.3141 billionCYSTAT, October 2026 revision
Real GDP growth 20254.8%CYSTAT, revised October 2026
Real GDP growth 20253.8%World Bank displayed data series
Nominal GDP 2025US$41.23 billionWorld Bank current-dollar series

Cyprus goods and services trade: non-equivalent series

2025 customs totals in euros are not directly comparable with 2024 UNCTAD totals in dollars; services are reported independently. [9] [11]

Flow Value Series
Goods exports€5.581bnCyprus 2025 national
Goods imports€13.867bnCyprus 2025 national
Goods exportsUS$4.418bnUNCTAD 2024
Goods importsUS$13.325bnUNCTAD 2024
Services exportsUS$31.059bnUNCTAD 2024
Services importsUS$22.042bnUNCTAD 2024

Tourism indicators (2025)

Annual arrivals and tourist expenditure from national statistical service. [7]

Indicator 2025 result Notes
Tourist arrivals4,534,073+12.2% over 2024
Estimated tourist revenue€3.6961bn+15.2% over 2024
UK source-market share31.8%Largest source market
Israel source-market share13.0%Second-largest source market

GDP comparability: The World Bank population display and nominal GDP/GDP-per-capita coverage do not use a simple common islandwide denominator. Use the original provider’s per-capita series rather than computing GDP divided by its separate population display. The national statistical office revised 2025 GDP growth upward to 4.8% in October 2026.

People and Society

Official languages
Greek and Turkish under the Republic’s constitutional framework. [3]
Greek language
Greek predominates in government-controlled areas. [3]
Turkish language
Turkish is spoken chiefly among Turkish Cypriot communities and in the north. [3]
English use
English is extensively used in tourism, commerce and education. [7]
Greek Cypriot community
Major population community in government-controlled areas. [3] [16]
Turkish Cypriot community
Major population community in the north with islandwide citizenship and settlement issues. [3] [16]
Armenian community
Recognized religious-minority community with a representative in the House’s nonvoting reserved arrangement. [12]
Maronite community
Historic community with church, language and cultural heritage ties. [12]
Latin community
Historically Roman Catholic minority represented in the House’s special arrangements. [12]
Religious traditions
Greek Orthodox and Sunni Muslim traditions are especially prominent, with Catholic and other communities. [18] [20]
Orthodox Church
Orthodox ecclesiastical institutions are important for religious and historical life. [18]
Turkish Cypriot cultural life
Cultural, language and community institutions developed on both sides of the division. [16]
Education
Republic-controlled areas have public and private schools and universities within a European higher-education environment. [3]
Higher education
Nicosia and other cities host national, private and international university communities. [3]
Literacy and schooling
Educational outcomes and professional training are important to a services-led economy. [3] [4]
Healthcare
Public and private health systems provide clinical services under Republic-administered arrangements. [3]
Life expectancy
About 82 years in World Bank 2024 population-health indicator. [4]
Fertility and aging
The 2024 government-area fertility rate of 1.4 indicates demographic aging and potential workforce pressure. [5]
Population migration
Migration, asylum, foreign workers and expatriate communities affect population composition. [5] [20]
Citizenship across division
Turkish Cypriots meeting Republic citizenship/document conditions have EU citizenship rights. [3]
Food traditions
Halloumi, olives, pulses, wheat preparations and regional Mediterranean dishes shape cuisine. [10] [18]
Music and dance
Community-specific folk music, dance and festival forms reflect Greek, Turkish and Levantine traditions. [19]
Archaeological culture
Neolithic settlement, ancient Greek and Roman remains and Byzantine art span several millennia. [18]
Media environment
Independent journalism operates in Republic-controlled areas with political and commercial pressures. [20]
Freedom House evaluation
“Free,” 90/100 in the 2026 score for the Republic of Cyprus; the separate northern area is not included. [20]
Civil rights concerns
External monitors report shortcomings in anti-discrimination protection, treatment of migrants and transparency. [20]
Social cohesion
Historical displacement, missing-person questions and divided property ownership continue to affect families and institutions. [16]
Cultural heritage preservation
Archaeological sites and churches are significant cultural, educational and tourism resources. [18]

Government and Institutions

Constitutional order
Presidential republic under the 1960 constitutional framework and subsequent political practice. [3] [12]
Head of state
President Nikos Christodoulides, in office since March 2023. [13]
Head of government
The president also heads the executive; there is no prime minister. [3] [13]
Presidential election cycle
Five-year term; next ordinary presidential election is expected in 2028. [3] [13]
Executive cabinet
Council of Ministers led by the president. [3]
Legislature
Unicameral House of Representatives (Vouli Antiprosopon). [12]
House seat structure
80 constitutional community seats: 56 Greek Cypriot seats filled and 24 Turkish Cypriot seats vacant in current practice. [12]
Religious group representatives
Armenian, Maronite and Latin communities each elect a special nonvoting representative in the House. [12]
Last parliamentary election
24 May 2026. [12]
Number elected in May 2026
56 members. [12]
2026 largest party
Democratic Rally (DISY), 17 seats. [12]
2026 second party
Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL), 15 seats. [12]
2026 ELAM seats
National Popular Front (ELAM), 8 seats. [12]
2026 DIKO seats
Democratic Party (DIKO), 8 seats. [12]
2026 Alma seats
Alma — Citizens for Cyprus, 4 seats. [12]
2026 Direct Democracy seats
Direct Democracy Cyprus, 4 seats. [12]
2026 parliamentary turnout
66.9% per IPU election dataset. [12]
Speaker
Annita Demetriou, elected Speaker of the new legislature 4 June 2026. [12]
Women elected in 2026
11 of 56 elected seats (19.6%). [12]
Republic territorial jurisdiction
The Republic of Cyprus is internationally recognized across the island but does not exercise effective authority in the north. [3] [16] [17]
Northern de facto authority
Turkish Cypriot institutions administer the northern territory; they are not recognized by the UN as a separate sovereign state. [16] [17]
1983 declaration and UN position
Security Council Resolution 541 rejected the purported unilateral secession and urged non-recognition. [17]
United Nations role
UNFICYP supervises ceasefire lines and maintains a buffer zone while supporting confidence-building measures. [16]
Green Line crossings
Civilian crossings opened from 2003, subject to identity and security procedures. [15]
British base jurisdiction
Sovereign Base Areas are constitutionally and territorially distinct from the Republic government-controlled area. [15]
EU law in the north
Application of the EU acquis is suspended where the Republic government lacks effective control. [3]
EU Council presidency
Cyprus held the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January to 30 June 2026. [14]
Schengen position
Not yet fully participating in the Schengen area as of November 2026. [3] [22]
Judicial and civil institutions
Courts, elections and public administration operate as Republic institutions in areas of effective control. [3] [20]
Governance rights assessment
Freedom House rates political rights and civil liberties in the Republic-controlled area, not the north, in its Cyprus country report. [20]
Reunification process
UN-led diplomacy seeks a settlement, but constitutional governance and security arrangements remain disputed. [16]

2026 House of Representatives election

Results for the 56 contested and filled Greek Cypriot community seats; 24 Turkish Cypriot seats remain vacant. [12]

Party Seats won May 24, 2026
Democratic Rally (DISY)1730.4% of 56 seats
AKEL1526.8%
ELAM814.3%
DIKO814.3%
Alma — Citizens for Cyprus47.1%
Direct Democracy Cyprus47.1%

Seat-count note: The 56 seats reported in the 2026 election results do not replace the 80 constitutionally designated House seats; 24 Turkish Cypriot seats are currently vacant. The three special minority representatives are a separate nonvoting arrangement.

International Profile and Heritage

United Nations
Member since 20 September 1960. [1]
European Union
Member state since 2004. [3]
Euro area
Member since 2008. [3]
Schengen
Accession process remains incomplete as of the editorial cutoff. [3]
WTO
Member since 30 July 1995, now within the EU’s external trade-policy framework. [21]
Eastern Mediterranean diplomacy
Strategic location connects European, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean political and commercial networks. [3] [16]
Türkiye relationship
Relations are dominated by division, recognition, security, maritime and property disputes. [17] [16]
Greece relationship
Close cultural, linguistic and diplomatic ties as EU members. [3]
United Kingdom relationship
Historical ties, diaspora, tourism and the sovereign bases shape the bilateral relationship. [15] [7]
UN peacekeeping
UNFICYP mandate continues while negotiations on a political settlement remain unresolved. [16]
Security Council action
Resolution 541 (1983) calls on states not to recognize a Cypriot state other than the Republic of Cyprus. [17]
EU legal scope
The whole island is treated as EU territory while EU law remains suspended in areas outside Republic control. [3]
Tourism links
United Kingdom, Israel, Poland and Germany are significant source markets. [7]
Maritime connections
Eastern Mediterranean trade and maritime administration support the service economy. [11]
UNESCO World Heritage
Three inscribed properties as of November 2026. [18]
Paphos
UNESCO cultural property inscribed in 1980; noted for ancient mosaics and archaeology. [18]
Painted Churches in Troodos
UNESCO cultural property inscribed in 1985, with 2001 modification. [18]
Choirokoitia
Neolithic settlement inscribed in 1998. [18]
World Heritage tentative sites
11 properties on the tentative list, separate from inscriptions. [18]
Intangible cultural heritage
UNESCO intangible cultural heritage uses separate nomination and inscription rules from World Heritage. [19]
Regional environmental cooperation
Water use, forest and coastal ecosystem conservation require cooperation across the island. [18] [16]
Cross-community heritage
Sacred sites and archaeological heritage lie on both sides of the island’s division. [18] [16]
EU institutional participation
Cyprus is represented in EU Council meetings by its directly elected president and ministers. [13] [3]
Council presidency 2026
The 2026 presidency was Cyprus’s second, following 2012. [14]
Long-term challenge
Reunification negotiations, regional security, migration and sustainable services growth remain central national and external questions. [16] [20] [6]

UNESCO inscribed World Heritage in Cyprus

These are three inscribed World Heritage properties, not the 11 tentative-list sites. [18]

Site Year first inscribed Category
Paphos1980Cultural
Painted Churches in the Troodos Region1985Cultural
Choirokoitia1998Cultural

Sources and Methodology

Entries are a source-anchored reference compilation, not a single statistical extract. Census counts, administrative population figures and international estimates are separate series; nominal GDP is not purchasing-power-parity output. WTO, UNCTAD and national customs trade series can differ by definition, coverage and reporting period. Regional classification follows the United Nations M49 statistical convention rather than asserting exclusive cultural or political geography. UNESCO inscribed, tentative and intangible heritage are distinct categories.

Editorial cutoff: November 6, 2026 (Pacific Time). A dated statistic describes its reference period, not necessarily its publication date. Disputed or internationally contested governance claims are described with their attribution and jurisdiction. The page may require later revision when new releases or events occur.

  1. UN Data — Cyprus — UN Western Asia designation, islandwide statistical measures, UN membership, capital and geography.
  2. UN Statistics Division — M49 classifications — United Nations regional classification used for Asian indexing.
  3. European Union — Cyprus member-state facts — EU and euro-area dates, 2026 Eurostat population, Schengen status and EU-law jurisdiction caveat.
  4. World Bank — Cyprus country data — 2025 modelled island population, nominal US-dollar GDP, and World Bank indicator series.
  5. Statistical Service of Cyprus — Demographic Statistics 2024 — 2024 population and fertility in government-controlled areas.
  6. Statistical Service of Cyprus — Revised national accounts, 20 October 2026 — latest 2025 national GDP revision and growth rate available before cutoff.
  7. Statistical Service of Cyprus — Tourism Statistics 2025 — 2025 tourist arrivals, source markets and tourism receipts.
  8. Statistical Service of Cyprus — Tourism arrivals, September 2026 — January–September 2026 provisional tourism comparison.
  9. Cyprus Statistical Service — Foreign Trade Statistics (June 2026 release) — calendar-2025 national merchandise imports and exports in euros.
  10. Statistical Service of Cyprus — August 2026 provisional / July final goods trade — January–July 2026 domestic merchandise categories and re-export methodology.
  11. UNCTAD — Cyprus General Profile — 2024 merchandise and cross-border services trade in an independent statistical series.
  12. Inter-Parliamentary Union — Cyprus 24 May 2026 election — 2026 legislative party seats, 56 filled positions, Turkish Cypriot vacancies, vote turnout and speakership.
  13. EU Council — Cyprus Presidency and current President — President Nikos Christodoulides and 2026 European Union Council presidency.
  14. Council of the European Union — 2026 presidency timeline — Cyprus presidency January through June 2026 and rotation of the Council chair.
  15. UNFICYP — The Cyprus buffer zone — de facto division, Green Line, 1974 ceasefire and crossings.
  16. UNFICYP — Factsheet, September 2026 — UN mandate and conflict-management arrangements as of 2026.
  17. UN Security Council Resolution 541 (1983), official Cyprus government transcript — United Nations non-recognition position toward the unilateral northern declaration.
  18. UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Cyprus — three inscribed properties and tentative-list separation.
  19. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — Cyprus — intangible cultural heritage, a different program from inscribed tangible sites.
  20. Freedom House — Freedom in the World 2026, Cyprus — independent assessment of political rights and civil liberties in Republic-controlled areas only.
  21. WTO — Cyprus and the WTO — WTO membership since 1995 and WTO membership alongside the European Union.
  22. European Union — Cyprus EU state profile — EU Schengen integration remains incomplete at November 2026 cutoff.