Time for a "Fair, Green and Digital" EU Presidency: The Focus and Priorities of the Portuguese EU Presidency 

At the beginning of 2020, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva announced that the priorities for Portugal’s Presidency of the EU Council, which will be held for the fourth time since its accession to the EU in 1986, were shaped on the basis of the challenges faced by the EU. However, the EU's priorities and agenda, which felt the multi-faceted effects of the coronavirus pandemic as of March, had to be reshaped around the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, after Croatia spent half of its first-ever EU presidency managing the panic wave created by the pandemic, Germany struggled to steer the budget discussions during its presidency where the fight against the coronavirus was articulated. Having achieved important gains in this regard, Germany also guided those that would later take over the Presidency. In this direction, Portugal, which has to adapt its priorities to the current reality of fighting COVID-19, positions itself as an actor that will play a critical role in the period of shaping the European future.

Highlights of the Portuguese EU Presidency and the Three Priorities

For the Presidency of the Council of the EU which will last until 30 June 2021, Portugal determined five fields of action within the framework of three major priorities driven by its motto “Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery”:

-To promote Europe's recovery, leveraged by the climate and digital transitions,
-To implement the Social Pillar of the European Union as a key element for ensuring a fair and inclusive climate and digital transition,
-To strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy keeping it open to the world.

Portugal assumes the Presidency of the European Council in a period when the EU is on the edge of transformation on many issues after a period of multi-faceted discussions on the axes of the Brexit, 2021-2027 budget, COVID-19 and the Green Deal. Accordingly, Portugal will have the opportunity to play a role in the implementation of these decisions. Being aware of both the chance and responsibility to coordinate key transformation in a challenging time, Portugal is keen to make concrete contributions to European integration.

Portugal’s EU Journey and Aimed Contributions to European Integration

As a result of the Carnation Revolution launched in 1974 under the leadership of General Antonio de Spinola, the fascist Salazar regime was overthrown and a democratic government system based on semi-presidency was created in the country. The Constitution of the Portuguese Republic adopted on 2 December 1976, defined the government system as a democratic republic.

Portugal acceded to the EU together with Spain on 1 January 1986 and has been included in the Euro Area since the first day of its establishment on 1 January 1999 and joined the Schengen Area on 26 March 1995. Portugal represents 2% of the EU population, and has 21 seats in the EP. Moreover, Portugal holds the portfolio of Cohesion and Reforms in the Ursula von der Leyen Commission led by Portuguese Elisa Ferreia, which reveals Portugal’s motivation to have a say in the reforms shaping the future of the EU within the 2019-2024 Commission. Strengthening that motivation with a focus on social, economic and political transformation, Portugal also added the fight against the coronavirus in a bid to pursue a holistic EU presidency.

Having previously assumed the EU’s rotating presidency three times, in 1992, 2000 and 2007, the country has been prepared for the fourth time to take effective steps both in the Union's domestic and foreign policy, within the scope of five lines of action.

Resilient Europe: Promoting Europe's recovery, cohesion and values

This aim, which is stated as the first field of action of the three major priorities, reveals that the targets of the EU budget, which is focused on combating the coronavirus, will be completed. At the same time, while emphasizing the importance of reducing the EU's external dependence; Portugal indicated its aim in the review and strengthening of trade, food safety and SMEs in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the protection of the EU’s fundamental values, it is underlined that within the framework of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, efforts will continue to focus on the comprehensive nature of migration policies to include both regular and irregular migration while tackling any sort of human rights violations.

Green Europe: Promoting the EU as a leader in climate action

As a line directly linked to the European Green Deal, Portugal also pledges that it will endeavour to approve the first Climate Law of the Union during its term presidency. Portugal specifically pays attention to the transformation in the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, which will be prioritized accordingly. Accelerating the changes necessary for the adoption of the circular economy in all sub-sectors in order to achieve the “Carbon Neutral Europe” goal by 2050, describes the key motivation for this line of action.

Digital Europe: Accelerating digital transformation in the service of citizens and enterprises

Portugal has added digitalisation to its EU presidency activities within the framework of the Commission's “Digital Decade” objective, thus reminding us once again that digital reforms are indispensable in the realisation of all the other priorities. Digital tools, which directly touch various policy areas, including intellectual property, industry, justice, transportation, organic agriculture, health, and research and innovation, are also positioned as key to progress in these areas.

Social Europe: Strengthening and promoting the European social model

While the “social pillar” added to the EU literature by the Juncker Commission is depicted as one of the six priorities of the von der Leyen Commission; it also stands out as a policy area that Portugal aims to highlight during its EU presidency. It is planned that a Summit under the theme of “European Pillar of Social Rights” will be held in the city of Porto in May and even an action plan will be adopted as the output of the Summit. Drawing attention to the importance of realising all highlighted reform ideas and activity agendas “without leaving anyone behind”, Portugal paves the way for the strengthening of social policies and for all citizens to benefit fairly and equally from the outcomes of the changes to be experienced.

Global Europe: Promoting Europe’s openness to the world

Portugal, attaching great importance to strengthening relations with third countries, especially with the UK and the USA, and for communication channels to work in a healthy and transparent manner, pledges to reinforce the EU’s position as a global actor. Under the last line of action, further improvement of relations with Mediterranean countries could be argued as consisting of steps to resolve the tension with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, which reveals a positive signal. However, the frame strictly described as “neighbours and relations with third countries”, shows that a priority within the framework of Turkey’s accession negotiations is not included in the Portuguese Presidency. On the other hand, with Portugal pledging to organise the 6th EU-Africa Summit in a bid to strengthen the cooperation between European and African continents, also reveals its initiative to hold a Meeting of European Leaders with the Indian Prime Minister in Porto in May 2021.

For further information about Portugal's Presidency of the EU Council please visit https://www.2021portugal.eu/en/ .