Portugal entered the European Economic Community on 1 January 1986, together with Spain. In the following years the economy of the Portugal progressed considerably as a result of the EU structural and cohesion funds.

On 1 December 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon, signed by European Member States on 13 December 2007 in the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon, entered into force. Portugal has 21 MEPs in the EP and has 12 votes in the European Council.

EU - Portugal

António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, is the third EU leader to debate the future of Europe with MEPs and Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EC, on Wednesday morning.

The Europeans want the EU to change. This is why the European Parliament is taking the leadership over a reform of the EU.

Parliament set out its vision for the future of Europe in three resolutions voted in plenary session on 16 February 2017. MEPs suggested, among other things:

<ul>
	<li>turning the Council of Ministers into a genuine second legislative chamber, and its configurations into preparatory bodies similar to Parliament’s committees,</li>
	<li>appointing an EU finance minister and giving the EU Commission the power to formulate and give effect to a common EU economic policy, backed up by a euro-area budget, and</li>
	<li>creating a fiscal capacity consisting of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and specific additional budgetary capacity for the euro area, funded by its members as a part of the EU budget.</li>
</ul>

Debate on the Future of Europe with António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Ministe

From January to June 2021, Portugal held the Presidency of the EU Council, following the German Presidency and preceding the Slovenian Presidency.

Portugal presided over the Council of the European Union for the fourth time, since 1992.

Portuguese Presidency of the Council declared the importance of strengthening Europe's resilience and its citizens' confidence in the European social model, promoting a Union based on shared values of solidarity, convergence and cohesion – a Union capable of coordinated action to recover from the crisis.

Portuguese Presidency

President Metsola meets the President of the Assembleia da República of Portugal, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco? the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luís Montenegro and they hold a press conference. President Metsola also meets the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Paulo RANGEL,l Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Paulo RANGEL, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with José Manuel FERNANDES, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of Portugal

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Luís MONTENEGRO, Portuguese Prime Minister

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Meeting with Luís MONTENEGRO, Portuguese Prime Minister

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Meeting with Marcelo REBELO de SOUSA, President of Portugal

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Tram Talk with Portuguese youth and Carlos MOEDAS, Mayor of Lisbon

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Meeting with José Pedro AGUIAR-BRANCO, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal and Visit at the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Receiving an honorary degree from the University of Lisbon, at the University of Lisbon

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Portuguese Prime Minister designate, Luís MONTENEGRO

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Lisbon (Portugal) - Youth conference organized by Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Lisbon (Portugal) - Meeting with Afghan refugees and with the EU Ambassadors

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Lisbon (Portugal) - Arrival at the European Center Jean Monnet building

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Tiago ANTUNES, Portugal State Secretary for EU Affairs

REGI Committee

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Meeting of the Council of State

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Interaction with Young People

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Portugal - Meeting with Carlos MOEDAS, Mayor of Lisbon

Antonio TAJANI, EP President and António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, speak to the press about the future of Europe, during the EP plenary session (12 - 15 March 2018) in Strasbourg.

Press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President and António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, on the future of Europe

Debate with the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, on the Future of Europe during the plenary session in Strasbourg.

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe: Statement by António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister (10:11 - 10:38)

Visit of António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, to the EP in Strasbourg. Arrival, welcome by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, and roundtable

Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister: arrival and roundtable

Answers by António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister to the first round of MEPs Statements, during the debate on the Future of Europe.

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe. Answers by António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister (11:27 - 11:33)

Statement by Ulrike TREBESIUS, ECR Representative during the debate with the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, on the Future of Europe.

(03) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe - First round of political group leaders: Ulrike TREBESIUS (ECR, DE)

Statement by Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS representative of GUE/NGL group during the debate with the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, on the Future of Europe.

(06) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe - First round of political group leaders: Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS (GUE/NGL, ES) (11:15 - 11:17)

Statement by Jean Claude JUNCKER, President of the European Commission during the Debate with the António Costa, Portuguese Prime Minister, on the Future of Europe during the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe: Statement by Jean-Claude JUNCKER, EC President

During the EP plenary session (12 - 15 March 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate with António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, on the Future of Europe. This is the third in a series of debates between EU government leaders and MEPs reflecting on the future of the EU. Statements by António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Maria João RODRIGUES (S&D, PT) and Guy VERHOFSTADT.

Debate with António COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, on the Future of Europe: extracts

Statement by Maria Joao RODRIGUES (S&D, PT), S&D Group Leader during the debate with the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, on the Future of Europe.

(02) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe - First round of political group leaders: Maria Joao RODRIGUES (S&D, PT)

Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, and Felipe GONZALEZ, former Spanish Prime Minister participate in the inauguration of the room "Mario Soares", in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Inauguration of the room "Mario Soares" in the presence of Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister and Felipe GONZALEZ, former Spanish Prime Minister

During the EP plenary session (23-26 October) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the response mechanisms to the forest fires in Northern Spain and Portugal. Statements by Matti MAASIKAS, Estonian Deputy Minister for EU Affairs, Christos STYLIANIDES, Member of the EC in charge of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT) and José BLANCO LÓPEZ (S&D, ES).

Response mechanisms to the forest fires in Northern Spain and Portugal: extracts from the debate (25/10)

At the opening of the session, Antonio TAJANI, EP President, makes a statement concerning the forest fires in Portugal and Northern Spain and the death of the Maltese journalist Caruana Galizia. During the session, the MEPs make a minute of silence for the victims of the forest fires in Portugal and Northern Spain.

EP Plenary session: opening remarks by Antonio TAJANI, EP President (17:03 - 17:08)

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, opens the EP plenary session (23-26 October) in Strasbourg. MEPs make a minute of silence for the victims of the forest fires in Portugal and Northern Spain.

Opening remarks by Antonio TAJANI, EP President: minute of silence for the victims of the forest fires in Portugal and Northern Spain and for the Irish victims of the hurricane Ophelia

Because of the forest fire going on in central Portugal, Portuguese and EU flags are put at half-mast at the European Parliament.

Portuguese and EU flags at half-mast at the European Parliament following the forest fire in central Portugal

Visit of Marcelo REBELO de SOUSA, Portuguese President, to the EP in Brussels. Arrival, welcome by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, signing of the Golden Book, roundtable and extracts from the press point.

Antonio TAJANI, EP President meets with Marcelo REBELO de SOUSA, Portuguese President: arrival, welcome, roundtable and extracts from the press point

Statement during the opening of the plenary session of January in Strasbourg by Martin SCHULZ, EP President on the death of Mario SOARES, former Portuguese Prime Minister and MEP, followed by a minute of silence.

Statement by Martin SCHULZ, EP President on the death of Mario SOARES, former Portuguese Prime Minister: extracts

Joint meeting of the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) and Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON),&nbsp;with ministers from Spain and Portugal in the context of the Structured Dialogue, in the EP in Brussels. Statements by Luis DE GUINDOS JURADO, Spanish Minister for Economy and Competition, Pablo ZALBA BIDEGAIN (EPP, ES), Paloma L&Oacute;PEZ BERMEJO (GUE/NGL, ES), Ernest URTASUN (Greens/ALE, ES), M&aacute;rio CENTENO, Portuguese Minister of Finance, Pervenche BER&Egrave;S (S&amp;D, FR), and Miguel VIEGAS (GUE/NGL, PT).

Exchange of views with Luis de GUINDOS, Spanish Minister of Economy and Competitiveness and Mário CENTENO, Portuguese Minister of Finance: extracts

Meeting of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and the Committee on Regional Development (REGI), on the Structured Dialogue - suspension of ESI Funds,&nbsp;during the EP Plenary session (03-06/10) in Strasbourg. Statements by Corina CRETU, Member of the EC in charge of Regional Policy, Fernando RUAS (EPP, PT), Ram&oacute;n Luis VALC&Aacute;RCEL SISO (EPP, ES), Jon&aacute;s FERN&Aacute;NDEZ (S&amp;D, ES), Lambert van NISTELROOIJ (EPP, NL), Ruža TOMA&Scaron;IĆ (ECR, HR), Pervenche BER&Egrave;S (S&amp;D, FR), Burkhard BALZ (EPP, DE), Younous OMARJEE (GUE/NGL, FR), and Jyrki KATAINEN, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness.

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