Nicosia, Cyprus. Police in Cyprus have stepped up inspections of electric bicycles operating on urban roads, particularly in Nicosia, with dozens of bikes stopped and removed for further examination. Authorities describe the operations as a road safety measure, while questions have been raised about legality, enforcement and fairness.
Shift toward electric mobility
Electric bicycles have become part of Cyprus’ effort to align with European climate commitments, following state subsidy schemes for electric mobility introduced since 2022 and backed largely by EU funding.
EU-backed measures under the Recovery and Resilience Plan
Under Cyprus’ Recovery and Resilience Plan, two major EU-backed measures support sustainable urban mobility and electric mobility. A European Commission official told the Cyprus Mail that the EU allocates €20 million for sustainable urban mobility projects, “including at least 35 kilometres of transport routes.” Another measure allocates €53 million to promote electric mobility, targeting the purchase of at least 4,287 electric vehicles and bicycles, alongside the scrapping of 1,393 older vehicles.
According to the official, “neither of these measures has yet been formally assessed by the European Commission through a payment request,” meaning the final assessment of delivery is still pending.
Infrastructure and definitions
Officials have promoted e-bikes as a way to reduce congestion and improve urban environments, but cycling infrastructure in Cyprus remains limited, fragmented and often disconnected.
At EU level, an e-bike is defined as having a maximum motor power of 250W and assistance limited to 25 km/h, with vehicles beyond those limits falling into a different category. The report says enforcement in Cyprus appears to be advancing ahead of regulation.
Police instructions and inspections
Tasos Assikis, first sergeant at the police traffic department, told the Cyprus Mail that instructions were issued as early as November 2025 after concerns emerged about the number of e-bikes on the road and their speed.
How should enforcement of e-bike rules be balanced with the expansion of electric mobility policies in Cyprus?
