Recovery, regulation & global ties: Portugal’s leitmotiv for Council Presidency

Portugal will assume the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on January 1, 2021. With complex, globally significant issues at the fore, FIPRA’s recent webinar entitled “Portuguese EU presidency – Summer storms or a new normal?” explored some of the concerns sure to shape Lisbon’s tenure at the helm of the Council of the EU.  

To discuss the Portuguese Presidency’s priorities, as well as challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, FIPRA brought together an expert panel moderated by leading journalist Jacki Davis. Hugo Sobral, Head of Cabinet to the Commissioner for Cohesion Elisa Ferreira, Ana Vila Nova, Senior Partner at FIPRA Portugal / Initium Consultores Politicos Europeus, and Robert Madelin, Chairman of FIPRA International led the discussion.  

Positive, sober and flexible EU Presidency  

All panellists agreed that Portugal promises its EU partners a “positive, sober and flexible” Presidency. The challenges brought by 2020’s pandemic will not vanish on New Year’s Eve; recovering from the crisis will remain on top of the EU’s agenda into the new year, with Lisbon set to take an upbeat but realistic approach to its 6 months at the helm of the EU.

With the current German Presidency succeeding in finding an overall EU budget agreement, panelists were cautiously optimistic that Portugal will be able to use its Presidency to focus on how the Covid19 vaccine can be rolled out efficiently across the EU. There really is, therefore, an opportunity for Portugal to steer Europe on a path out of the Covid19 crisis.  

“Coronavirus will mark the Portuguese EU presidency,” said Sobral. “The leitmotiv and their main priority will be recovery, recovery, recovery. With the German presidency securing the overall agreement on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Portugal will pick up where Germany left off, and continue the good work.” 

Delivering on green & digital transition 

Apart from leading Europe on a path towards recovery, Portugal will also have to deliver on Europe’s ambition to lead globally in the green transition and digital governance.   

The European Commission Work Programme for 2021 sets the tone by announcing a move from strategy to delivery. With several all-encompassing strategies having been released by the Commission in recent months, concrete legislative proposals can be expected to be tabled in 2021, thus moving the dial on realizing the EU’s ambitions, especially with the pandemic having caused notable delays in advancing the ambitious EU agenda.   

To that effect, panellists expect the Portuguese Presidency to lead with speed and precision, hoping it will catalyze rapid political decisions instead of lengthy negotiations. When the EU needs to act, it can – and Portugal can lead this charge.    

“Portuguese culture wants to know that it will float, that it will sail and that it will get to the other side of the world and back,” said Madelin,“We’ve already had the Commission laying out its vision of going green and digital. Now we have to make sure it will float.”   

To ensure deadlines can be met, Madelin added that it was vital for goals to be clearly defined before they are legislated, something perhaps lacking in recent strategies, such as the Chemicals package and the move on Smart and Sustainable Mobility. To what extent the Portuguese can help the Commission get to the details of clear and coherent legislation remains to be seen, but their approach will no doubt be helpful. 

EU on the global stage  

Portugal’s global outlook, linked to its history, comes at an opportune time.  The outward looking, international aspect of the upcoming semester stems from Europe’s need to stand as a global player and partner if it is to achieve its ambitions.

The Portuguese come to the front of the EU at the same time we will see a transition over the Atlantic, where in turn, there will no doubt be some movement in US-China relations. The Presidency needs to push the reset button on US relations, while walking the tightrope that is East. 

In order to keep out of this debate, the upcoming Council Presidency is perhaps looking south, and will look to strengthen the EU’s African partnership efforts with an EU-Africa Summit. The timing is crucial as the continent aims to become a free-trade area by 2050.    

Portugal will also be looking towards the Indo-Pacific region and build upon the work achieved at the summer Summit where it was agreed on a desire to strengthen the EU-India Strategic Partnership. Working more closely with India, an emerging geopolitical pole, with an EU-India Summit scheduled in May, will be an important piece of the EU’s presence on the global stage.  

“It’s a positive sign that Portuguese officials have been eager to restart dialogue with the new U.S. administration,” said Vila Nova. “With a view on the planned EU-Africa and EU-India summits, Portugal is well qualified to steer the ship and build bridges with these important regions.”

With new Council presidencies, come new opportunities. The German Presidency’s ambitions were limited by fighting for a new budget and dealing with the crisis. This leaves the Portuguese numerous proposals to digest and take ownership of – that is, of course, if the world gets on top of Covid19.

Operating on the basis of cooperation and solidarity between Member States is now more important than ever to lead Europe on the path to a successful recovery. All panellists wish the upcoming Presidency all the very best of luck in achieving their admirable aims. 

(Written by Sophie Marandon)