EUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 158: Brev fra formanden for det portugisiske parlament om den parlamentariske dimension af det portugisiske formandskab 1. halvår 2021

Europaudvalget 2020-21
EUU Alm.del Bilag 158
Offentligt

ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA

The President

To His/Her Excellency

The President,

Dear Colleague,

On the 1

of January 2021, Portugal will celebrate both its 35

anniversary year of membership in the European Union

(EU) and the first day holding its fourth Presidency of the Council of the EU.

As the world takes stock of the wide impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe must provide a structured and

supportive path forward, while addressing preexisting priorities and challenges.

Extraordinary times require extraordinary actions and tools. We, in the EU, must lead the way, with urgency and

purpose, by doing more and doing better for the sake of both our citizens and of those who have chosen the EU to live,

study and work.

Democratic and plural debates between legislators are now needed more than ever. This is the reason why

parliamentarians all over the EU have decided to resort to new technologies in order to continue meeting and debating

the current situation and possible ways forward.

Therefore, together with my colleagues from Germany and Slovenia, the current Trio of Presidencies has set forth a

bold agenda, focused on a swift, resilient and cohesive recovery from the crisis, while also promoting debate on a more

green, digital, global and socially inclusive Europe.

Over the next months, the

Assembleia da República

will host COSAC and, together with the European Parliament, will

co-chair the Interparliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security

and Defence Policy, the Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union, and

the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol.

The Portuguese Parliament will also invite Your Excellency to join to four additional Conferences: a Conference related

to COVID-19: impact on Health and Social Dimension, a Conference on the EU's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030:

bringing nature back to our lives, a Conference on Rural Development and a Conference on the role of parliaments in

deepening the EU-Africa relationship.

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EUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 158: Brev fra formanden for det portugisiske parlament om den parlamentariske dimension af det portugisiske formandskab 1. halvår 2021

Our focus will be fivefold: a resilient Europe, a social Europe, a green Europe, a digital Europe, and a global Europe.

Furthermore, issues related to overcome COVID-19 crisis and strengthen EU and Member-States cooperation, asylum

and migration, democracy and the future of Europe, as well as the Africa-EU partnership will also have a relevant focus

on our agenda.

Please find herewith the provisional calendar of planned meetings and conferences to be held during the 1

semester

of 2021.

We hope to welcome in Lisbon as many delegations as possible from EU national parliaments and the European

Parliament. This, however, depends on the evolution of the pandemic across Europe. If needed, meetings will be held

remotely, through videoconference, or in a hybrid setting, with some delegations participating from Lisbon.

No matter the format, we are fully committed with furthering interparliamentary cooperation, since dialogue is key in

finding common solutions to common problems. We hope that, by providing a platform for Parliaments and their

representatives to exchange views and ideas on these pressing issues, the long-term resilience of our shared values and

future will be further improved.

I look forward to welcoming in Lisbon the Delegations of the Parliament to which Your Excellency presides. I wish

them fruitful discussions during the upcoming semester.

With the assurances of my highest consideration,

Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues

President of the