About: Portuguese Presidency
Ireland: EU-Mercosur trade deal ‘unlikely’ during Portuguese presidency
Ireland considers it "unlikely" that the EU-Mercosur trade agreement will be concluded during the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union and insists on guarantees that deforestation of the Amazon will be halted.
EU Presidency: AstraZeneca vaccine decisions ‘affect everyone’
The Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union on Wednesday warned member states that individual decisions affected everyone regarding the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, involved in risks of blood clots, calling for the most coordinated position possible among the 27. A statement issued after the...
EU social summit offers prospect to move ‘from principles to action’, presidency says
Portugal's Secretary of State for European affairs, Ana Paula Zacarias, assured Lusa on Tuesday that there is a prospect of moving "from principles to action" at the planned Social Summit of the European Union to be held next month in Porto, which is to be a centrepiece of the country's six-month presidency of the Council of the EU.
Commissioner supports modernising, expanding EU railways
European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform Elisa Ferreira has expressed her support for expanding railways in the European Union, calling for investment in modernisation and regional connections.
Portuguese EU Presidency vows to adopt new Erasmus+ in June
Portugal's minister of education, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, has welcomed the European Commission's launch of its proposed Erasmus+ exchange programme for the period 2021-2027, pledging to work towards its formal adoption and announcing its official launch on 18 June in Viana do Castelo, in northern Portugal.
Lisbon, Brussels want citizens to participate now in Conference on the Future of Europe
The Portuguese presidency of the Council and the European Commission today indicated that it wants citizens to start participating in the Conference on the Future of Europe now, even before the formal launch planned for 9 May.
Portuguese Presidency rebuts Vestager’s concerns about ePrivacy proposal
The Portuguese Presidency of the EU has rebutted claims from the Commission's Executive Vice-President for Digital, Margarethe Vestager, that the country's prosed text for the ePrivacy regulation poses a risk to EU data protection standards as outlined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Commission’s ‘ambitious’ green battery proposal criticised during Council debate
EU countries expressed concern Thursday (18 March) that the European Commission’s sustainable battery proposal sets unworkable targets and deadlines and would increase bureaucratic costs for battery producers, raising the prospect that the legislation will require significant changes before entering into law.
Portugal optimistic CAP reform talks could see breakthrough soon
Portugal is optimistic an agreement can soon be reached on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the country's Agriculture Minister Maria do Céu Antunes told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Agrifood Brief: Here come the girls
Welcome to EURACTIV’s AgriFood Brief, your weekly update on all things Agriculture & Food in the EU. You can subscribe here if you haven’t done so yet. This week: EURACTIV spoke with Portuguese agricultural minister Maria do Céu Antunes, who is the current chair...
Portugal convenes EU ‘recovery summit’ in June
Portugal will hold a high-level summit in Lisbon on 21 June focused on the recovery plans of the 27 EU member states, defending "smart fiscal policies" in response to the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic.
Remote work needs to be regulated ‘quickly’, EU presidency says
Portugal's deputy secretary of state for labour, Miguel Cabrita, urged EU countries on Tuesday (9 March) to move fast with plans to regulate remote working, saying quick action will maximise opportunities and minimise risks.
‘New economic model’ needed to deal with climate change, EU presidency says
Europe's current economic model "has no future" and does not respond to "major environmental challenges", Portugal's prime minister António Costa said on Friday, calling for the adoption of new models such as the circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy.
EU-Africa relations must step up on defence, says Portuguese presidency
Portugal's defence minister wants to strengthen political dialogue between the European Union and African decision-makers, which he believes is insufficient despite the fact that most European military missions are in Africa.
Porto EU social summit expected to focus on youth
The European Commission wants to promote a "strong social dimension" at the May summit in Porto, as part of the Portuguese EU Council presidency, advocating a focus on young people who are facing a "difficult period" due to the COVID-19 crisis.
China is an economic partner but US is an ally, Portuguese FM insists
Portugal's foreign minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Tuesday (10 February) that China is no substitute for the United States, emphasising that Beijing is an economic partner while Washington is an ally.
MEPs threaten to sue over European Prosecutors’ appointments
The European Parliament is requesting all documentation concerning the nominations for the European Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) of the candidates from Belgium, Bulgaria and Portugal, where national ministers overruled the selection committee picks.
Social conditionality set to be sticking point in CAP negotiations
EU agriculture ministers have voiced concern over the inclusion of social conditionality in the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU's farming subsidies programme, while stakeholders warn that this must not be forfeited in favour of clinching a quick deal.
Portugal aims to seal EU-Mercosur trade agreement, progress on other deals
Portugal will try to conclude a free-trade agreement between the EU and the South American trade bloc Mercosur during its six-month EU presidency, and attempt to expand Europe's ties with other potential trade partners, the country's foreign minister said on Thursday (7 January).
Cyprus pins hopes on Portugal to steer EU migration pact
“There is no better member state of the EU than Portugal to deal successfully” with negotiations on the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said on Wednesday (6 January). EURACTIV’s media partner Lusa reports.
‘Solidarity cannot be voluntary’: Portugal begins talks on EU migration pact
Portugal started a round of talks with ministers from various European Union (EU) nations on the new pact to tackle the bloc's long-standing migration issues, its government said on Tuesday (5 January).
EU could authorise a second vaccine ‘in coming hours’
The European Union could authorise a second coronavirus vaccine "in the coming hours", European Council chief Charles Michel said Tuesday (5 January), adding that leaders would hold a virtual summit on the health crisis later this month.
PM Costa: Blocking EU-China deal because of the US would be a ‘terrible sign’
Europe must be an autonomous global actor and it would be “a terrible sign” if the EU blocked a recently concluded investment agreement with China in order to coordinate with Washington, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa told EURACTIV’s partner Lusa in an exclusive interview.