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Portugal took over the rotating Council Presidency on 1 January 2021, amidst a well being and financial disaster. But what are the Portuguese MEPs’ expectations?
As Europeans proceed to face the unprecedented socioeconomic results of the COVID-19 pandemic, Portugal takes over the six-month presidency of the Council of the EU decided to prioritise restoration.
Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa unveiled the programme of its presidency throughout a distant press conference with European Parliament President, David Sassoli, held on 2 December 2020.
Given the present difficult occasions, Portugal is dedicated to selling a resilient, social, inexperienced, digital and international Europe. The slogan of the brand new presidency is “Time to ship: a good, inexperienced and digital restoration”.
It will even should proceed work on among the priorities of the earlier German presidency: the future of EU-UK relations, progress on climate action, the EU’s long term budget and the COVID recovery plan.
Portuguese MEPs had been requested about their expectations and their views on the priorities put ahead by the brand new Presidency.
According to Paulo Rangel (EPP), the three priorities that can dominate the agenda of the presidency are the “launch of the recovery fund, the vaccination strategy and future EU-UK relations – with or without deal”. He underlines the significance of the social pillar, which “should focus more on health”, and of the EU-India summit. The Conference on the Future of Europe and the brand new technique for Schengen together with the EU Migration Pact “deserve more attention” from the presidency, he added.
Portugal is “combining social and climate agendas with the digital transition as engines of the European Union’s resilience and recovery,” mentioned Carlos Zorrinho (S&D). Lisbon “is also committed to repositioning the EU as a multilateral power, namely through the summits with Africa and India,” he mentioned. Referring to “an increased uncertainty” led by the pandemic and Brexit, Zorrinho sees the Portuguese presidency as “a unique opportunity for the EU to rediscover itself and its founding principles”.
Francisco Guerreiro (Greens/EFA) mentioned that Portugal’spPresidency coincides with “the greatest global crisis ever – the one related to the rampant destruction of biodiversity”. In his view, one of many largest challenges is the completion of the negotiations for the way forward for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which retains a serious share of the EU funds. “We do not have expectations that there will be any structural changes to the CAP capable of accomplishing the European Green Deal and respecting the ‘ Farm to Fork’ strategy or [with regard] to the preservation of biodiversity,” he mentioned.
Marisa Matias (Greens/EFA) mentioned that “social Europe, the green transition and the digital transition are the right priorities and in line with the challenges” at present being confronted by the EU. However, she addedthat “Europe is experiencing moments of deep division” and is struggling to supply options to the structural challenges. “There are fewer and fewer opportunities to make sense of the European project and none can be missed,” Matias mentioned, including that she hopes that “the Portuguese presidency will not get lost behind its intentions”.
Portugal is beginning its fourth presidency of the EU. On 1 January, it celebrated 35 years since its accession to the EU along with Spain.
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