On Tuesday 26 January, the Portuguese Foreign Minister, Augusto Santos Silva, called for the EU to have a “sense of geopolitical balance”.
In order to strengthen the strategic autonomy of a Europe open to the world, Portugal wants to “defend European values, European interests, which also means being a global actor in this multidimensional world”, he explained during the presentation of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council’s priorities to the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.
According to Mr Santos Silva, strengthening strategic autonomy does not mean closing doors to the world, but, on the contrary, opening them. “This is not to put an end to the consolidated alliances of the post-war period, but to strengthen them. It is not assuming obsolete positions, but rather having a sense of geopolitical balance, leading not only by example, but also by action, hence the importance of insisting on concrete actions that will make this opening up to the world a reality”, he detailed. Portugal also wants to shorten the EU’s production and supply chains so that it is less dependent on foreign countries.
In collaboration with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy, the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council wants to achieve eight objectives, according to the Minister.
The aim is to relaunch the transatlantic dialogue, develop the EU’s common strategy with Africa and pay greater attention to the Indo-Pacific region, whereas a European strategy on this region is currently being drawn up.
The Minister also intends to focus European attention on Latin America, both through a trade axis, with negotiations underway with Mexico, Chile and Mercosur, as well as through support for the vaccination strategy and cooperation in the digital and climate fields.
According to Mr Santos Silva, the Portuguese Presidency also wishes to strengthen the southern neighbourhood to make it a true partner, with a framework for investments, and to reinforce the Eastern Partnership. The Presidency also hopes to continue accession negotiations with the countries of the Western Balkans, notably with the approval of the negotiating box and the organisation of the first intergovernmental conferences with Albania and North Macedonia by the end of June.
Finally, Portugal wants to strengthen dialogue with the United Kingdom, now a non-Member State, and contribute to the strengthening of multilateralism, notably by actively participating in the ongoing institutional reforms and maintaining the EU’s leadership role, among others, on sustainable development and the Paris Agreement. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)