Sovereign base area of Cyprus
Cyprus is an independent republic within the Commonwealth. It is a divided State with the Republic of Cyprus (Greek) in the south and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the north. Protection for Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) may be obtained via independent registration in the Republic of Cyprus. When Cyprus became independent in 1960, the United Kingdom (UK) retained two Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) at Akrotiri and Dhekelia on the south coast of the island. SBA laws mirror Republic of Cyprus laws. European Union (EU) accession is planned for Cyprus as a single state but the SBAs will remain outside the EU with SBA laws continuing to mirror Cypriot law.
