Portugal takes over the rotating Council Presidency

 

On 1st January 2021, Portugal took over the Council rotating Presidency and will be presiding until the end of June 2021.

Its programme was published under the motto ‘Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery’. Portugal has confirmed that, in line with the Trio Presidency Programme, the key priorities of its Presidency are:

• A Resilient Europe – Promoting recovery, cohesion and European values
• The Recovery of the tourism sector, with a focus on SMEs, is a priority;
• A Green Europe – Promoting the EU as a leader in climate action;
• The European Green Deal (promote the objectives of decarbonisation, energy efficiency, the circular economy, sustainable mobility). Improving the energy performance of buildings and improving water management are topics high on the agenda;
• A Digital Europe – Accelerating the digital transformation for citizens and businesses. Digital skills, the digital transformation of businesses and digital platforms, e-commerce, payments and taxation are also high priorities;
• A Social Europe – Enhancing and strengthening the European social model, adequate minimum wages, pay transparency measures, regulation on new forms of work. Collective bargaining will advance in the Council;
• A Global Europe – Promoting a Europe that is open to the world

The first draft of the Council Conclusions on Tourism has already been discussed at Council level. HOTREC fully supports them.