Late in 2004 Cyprus joined the group of Member States which have transposed the SE Directive. As regards transposition, it is worth describing the process by which social-policy and employment-related legislation is formulated. In preparation for implementing Regulation 2157/2001 and transposing Directive 2001/86/EU, the Department of Industrial Relations at the Ministry of Labour drafted a law in the summer of 2004.

The draft law was introduced for a first reading in the Tripartite Advisory Committee (Ergatiko Symvouleytiko Soma) – which incorporates the main social partner representatives – early in September 2004. After going through the Tripartite Advisory Committee the draft law was submitted for scrutiny by the legal service and a proposal was subsequently submitted to the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers endorsed the draft law and forwarded it to the Parliament. The Law was accepted in one of the last parliamentary sessions of 2004.