Alcohol regulations in Cyprus

Licences needed

Manufacturer's Licence (Intoxicating Liquor Manufacture Law, Cap. 140), Tax Warehouse Authorisation (Form E.D. 1), and Authorised Warehouse Keeper Licence (Form E.D. 2)

Authority

Department of Customs and Excise, Ministry of Finance

Documents

Application forms (Form E.D. 1, E.D. 2, and Form A under Cap. 140), architectural plans, building and planning permits, evidence of title or leasehold, technical equipment specifications (stills, storage vats, metering apparatus), internal inventory/excise recording systems, clean criminal record certificates, and bank guarantee or financial security for excise liabilities

Fees

Statutory application and licence fee under Cap. 140, plus costs of maintaining required excise financial securities and premises inspection fees

Time to obtain

Typically 2 to 6 months depending on facility inspection and security assessment (not confirmed statutory limit)

Who can import

Any registered commercial business entity established in Cyprus or the EU with an active VAT number and an Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number. Movements under duty suspension require Registered Consignee or Tax Warehouse Keeper status.

Licences or registrations

EORI number; Registered Consignee or Tax Warehouse Keeper status for movements via EMCS; Dealer's Licence under Cap. 144 for domestic wholesale and distribution

Authority

Department of Customs and Excise, Ministry of Finance

Documents

Single Administrative Document (SAD) for third-country imports, commercial invoice, bill of lading / airway bill, packing list, certificate of origin, analysis/health certificates if requested, and EORI identification

Fees

No fee for EORI allocation; administrative customs processing fees apply per entry

Time to obtain

EORI registration takes 1 to 5 business days; excise warehouse or consignee authorisation takes 4 to 8 weeks

Required

no

Process

Cyprus does not require pre-market label approval or brand registration (no COLA system). Products conforming to EU spirit drinks regulations may be placed directly on the market subject to general post-market compliance checks. Protected Geographical Indications (e.g., Zivania, Ouzo) must comply with verified technical product specifications.

Authority

Department of Agriculture / Medical and Public Health Services (Ministry of Health)

Documents and samples

None required prior to marketing; technical dossiers, specifications, and lab analyses must be kept on file for official regulatory inspection upon request

Fees

Not applicable

Renewal

Not applicable

Time to obtain

Immediate / not applicable

Goods imported from non-EU countries require declaration via the Single Administrative Document (SAD), valuation declaration, commercial invoice, and certificate of origin. Cyprus does not have a state alcohol monopoly. Excisable spirits moving into Cyprus from within the EU must travel under duty suspension via the Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) accompanied by an electronic Administrative Document (e-AD), or on a duty-paid basis via the simplified administrative procedure. Physical tax stamps or strip stamps are not mandatory on spirits bottles in Cyprus. Certified age and origin certificates are required for whiskies, brandies, and GI spirits.

0% customs duty on distilled spirits classified under HS heading 2208 imported from third countries under the EU Common Customs Tariff.

Excise duty on ethyl alcohol/spirits is €956.82 per hectolitre of pure alcohol (€9.5682 per litre of 100% vol alcohol). A 50% reduced excise rate is available for independent small distilleries producing not more than 10 hectolitres of pure alcohol annually. Standard Value Added Tax (VAT) of 19% is levied on the total sum of CIF value, customs duty, and excise duty.

Alcohol is sold through private channels including supermarkets, bottle shops, convenience stores, and licensed on-premise venues (bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels). Sellers must hold a Retailer's Licence or Dealer's Licence issued by the local Municipal Council or District Administration under the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors Law (Cap. 144). Operating hours are subject to municipal trade bylaws and tourism establishment licensing. Sale, supply, and consumption of alcohol to anyone under 18 years of age is prohibited.

Allowed. Online retailers must possess a valid liquor licence under Cap. 144 and implement mandatory age verification (verifying purchasers are 18 or older) during checkout and upon physical delivery.

Labels must comply with EU Regulation (EU) 2019/787 and Food Information to Consumers Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. Mandatory information includes legal spirit category name, nominal volume (metric: cl, ml, or l), alcoholic strength (% vol), list of allergens preceded by 'Contains' (must be in Greek), lot/batch number preceded by 'L', and name and address of the EU producer or importer. General labeling must be in an easily understood language (Greek is required for allergens and health warnings). Tax stamps are not mandatory.

Regulated under the Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations Law of 1998 (as amended), the Consumer Protection Law 2021, and the Cyprus Advertising Regulation Organisation (CARO) Code. Alcohol advertising cannot be directed at minors, depict minors drinking, encourage excessive consumption, link alcohol to motor vehicle driving, or claim therapeutic, social, or sexual benefits. The Cyprus Radio-Television Authority (CRTA) enforces broadcast restrictions and can levy fines up to €8,500 per day of infringement.

Fully governed by EU Regulation (EU) 2019/787. Minimum ABV thresholds: Whisky/Whiskey ≥40%, Rum ≥37.5%, Vodka ≥37.5%, Gin ≥37.5% (Distilled Gin/London Gin ≥37.5%), Brandy/Weinbrand ≥36%, Neutral alcohol of agricultural origin ≥96.0%. Specific local spirits with protected Geographical Indications include Zivania (minimum 40% ABV) and Ouzo (minimum 37.5% ABV).

No dry areas exist within the territory controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. The northern part of Cyprus is administered by Turkish Cypriots and operates under de facto separate controls; trade across the UN Buffer Zone is governed by specific Green Line Regulation limits.

• Strict enforcement of the unified legal drinking and purchase age of 18 across all on-premise and retail trade under the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors Law (Cap. 144).
• Application of EU-wide small independent producer excise duty certifications allowing reduced rates for qualifying craft distilleries producing under 10 hl pure alcohol.
• Strengthened digital advertising regulations prohibiting the profiling and targeting of minors for alcohol promotion under the EU Digital Services Act and national media regulations.

Cyprus offers a duty-free market (0% customs duty on spirits) with high per capita spirit consumption sustained by over four million international tourists annually. Strong opportunities exist for premium whiskies, craft gins, rums, and premium agave spirits distributed through established private distributors supplying the hotel, restaurant, and bar sectors.

• Department of Customs and Excise, Ministry of Finance
• Medical and Public Health Services, Ministry of Health
• Cyprus Radio-Television Authority (CRTA)
• Consumer Protection Service, Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry

1. Business in Cyprus - Sale of Intoxicating Liquors Licence (Cap. 144)
2. Cyprus Customs and Excise Department - Ministry of Finance
3. US TTB - Cyprus Beverage Alcohol Labeling and Import Requirements
4. European Commission - Excise Duties on Alcohol in the European Union
5. CyLaw - Intoxicating Liquor Manufacture Law (Cap. 140)