By Senior Associate Herodotos Taliadoros & Junior Associate Erato Alexandrou.
A new compliance obligation is now on the horizon for employers and persons responsible for certain public places in Cyprus, following amendments to the Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding Law and related Regulations.
The Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding (Amendment) Law of 2025 was published in the Official Gazzete on 25 June 2025, thereby amending the basic Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding Law of 2018 (Law 21(I)/2018). The Amendment Law will comes into force one year following its publication, on 25 June 2026, introducing new obligations for employers in relation to the creation or provision of breastfeeding rooms in private and public workplaces.
Specifically, in workplaces larger than 50 square metres, employers must either create a permanent breastfeeding room, used exclusively for breastfeeding and/or for expressing and storing breast milk, or provide a space for use as a temporary breastfeeding room.
In the case that employers choose to provide a temporary breastfeeding room, that room must be available to the breastfeeding employee immediately upon the commencement of her employment or return to work after her maternity leave and for as long as she continues to breastfeed.
The Amendment Law states that the availability of a breastfeeding room in a workplace or public place does not negate the breastfeeding woman’s right to choose whether to use the designated room or not when exercising her right to breastfeed her child. This provision is in line with and strengthens Cyprus’ previous position and efforts to protect breastfeeding mothers and their right to breastfeeding both in public places and at the workplace.
In addition to the above obligations in relation to the creation or provision of a breastfeeding room, employers must keep their staff informed of the location of the breastfeeding room within the workplace, as well as of the procedure for ensuring its use. Such information must be provided to female employees immediately upon the commencement of their employment and immediately after their return to work following maternity leave.
The Amendment Law has also introduced the mandatory creation of breastfeeding rooms in the following public places:
(a) Airports and ports;
(b) shopping malls;
(c) institutions of higher education;
(d) libraries;
(e) museums;
(f) hotels;
(g) hospitals;
(h) cinemas/theatres;
(i) sports venues where matches or events are held, including indoor and outdoor stadiums, sports centres and sports pools;
(j) public and broader public sector buildings serving the general public;
(k) banquet halls.
Finally, the Amendment Law authorises the Council of Ministers to issue Regulations in relation to the specifications which must be met for every breastfeeding room.
To that effect, on 4 July 2025, the Council of Ministers issued Regulations 198/2025, which set out the minimum specifications and requirements for breastfeeding rooms in workplaces and public places. The Regulations will come into force on 4 July 2026.
It should be noted that any person who violates the provisions of Law 21(I)/2018, as amended, and Regulations 198/2025, is guilty of an offence and upon conviction is subject to a fine of up to €7.000, while in cases of a second or subsequent conviction they will be subject to a fine of up to €8.000.
Given the imminent entry into force of the Amendment Law and Regulations, employers and persons legally responsible for public places should take steps to ensure timely compliance.
Please contact our Employment Law team if you require advice on all the obligations and requirements arising under the above laws and regulations.