The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, presented, on Thursday 15 June in Madrid, the four priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins on 1 July, under the slogan “Europe, closer”, “a message of unity and hope for a better future”.
“Throughout these last decades, Europe has shown how much it can do for Spain. Now, the time has come for Spain to show the world how much we can do for Europe”, stressed Mr Sánchez during the presentation.
Spain, which last held the presidency in 2010, intends to focus first and foremost on reindustrialisation and open strategic autonomy for the EU. It aims to combat the negative consequences of international openness such as the dependence the EU has on third countries for energy, technology, health or food. “Our Presidency is going to work on issues linked to the reindustrialisation that is important for an open strategic autonomy”, promised the Prime Minister, hoping to work on issues that will promote the development of strategic industries and technologies in Europe, boost innovation and better integrate the single market.
But in Mr Sánchez’s view, for strategic autonomy to work, it must go hand in hand with international openness. In particular, he mentioned South America, with the EU/CELAC summit scheduled for mid-July in Brussels. Spain also intends to focus on expanding and diversifying trade relations and strengthening supply chains.
The Spanish Presidency wishes to present “a common strategy to ensure the EU’s economic security and global leadership between now and 2030”, said Mr Sánchez, for whom “the EU can and must become the great architect of the new international order”.
The Spanish Presidency’s second priority is the green transition and environmental adaptation. According to the Prime Minister, working on these issues and on the fight against climate change is not just a political duty, but a “legal and moral obligation”.
Spain wants to “promote a reform of the electricity market aimed at accelerating the deployment of renewable energies, the reduction of electricity prices, and the improvement of the system’s stability”. It also intends to make progress on the legislative dossiers linked to ‘Fit for 55’, such as the gas and hydrogen package and the regulations on energy efficiency. “The green transition will enable us to save up to €133 billion in fossil fuel imports by 2030, while making our businesses more competitive and creating almost a million jobs in this decade alone”, said Mr Sánchez.
Promoting greater social and economic justice is another priority. The Spanish Presidency wants a “more competitive economy, but also a fairer and more caring one”.
The Prime Minister stressed the need to establish common minimum standards for corporate taxation in all Member States and to combat tax evasion by large multinationals. The Presidency will also be working on the revision of the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework and on the reform of tax rules “to achieve a reform of tax rules that puts an end to the austerity policies that did so much damage during the 2008 financial crisis” and combines the sustainability of public finances with adequate funding for the green and digital transitions.
Spain wants to emphasise as well the social pillar, with the extension of workers’ rights in several areas and improved protection for vulnerable groups.
Finally, the last priority of the Spanish Presidency is to strengthen European unity. It believes that the Member States must continue to make progress on integration and develop tools that will enable them to face up, together, to the major challenges of the moment.
Madrid will advocate for the deepening of the internal market, the completion of the banking union and the capital markets union, the consolidation and improvement of common instruments such as the Next Generation EU funds, and coordinated support for Ukraine and other neighbouring states.
Spain will also be working on more efficient and coordinated management of the migration and asylum processes, with Mr Sánchez hoping for an agreement on the migration dossier during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Spain will work as well for “the development of our common identity and values, and to foster a new phase of the development of the European project”.
To see the website of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council: https://aeur.eu/f/7id (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)