Debate: Presentation of the programme of activities of the Portuguese Presidency
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Maroš Šefčovič
Language: EN

I think it was also very clear from this debate what we need for that. We need to show the highest respect for EU solidarity and for EU unity. As you know very well, yesterday the Commission called upon the Member States to get more than 80% of the health workers and more than 80% of elderly over 80 years of age vaccinated by February. We would like to get 70% of the European population vaccinated by the summer. That’s the timeline, that’s the ambition, and that’s the hope, which we hope the European leaders will endorse tomorrow in a videoconference on this very issue. We believe that this is the best path to restore growth, prosperity and to bring us back to the normal joys of life we all miss so much. Honourable Members, in almost all interventions there was clear reference to the importance of tackling the social consequences and social problems aggravated by the COVID-19 crisis. Therefore, we in the Commission appreciate so much the support of this House for the Portuguese Presidency’s ambition to complete the work on national recovery plans, to get approval for their own-resources decision, so that we can start the disbursement of money to kick-start our economies also by this summer. The European social summit organised and proposed by the Portuguese Presidency will be an excellent opportunity to put in practice all the Commission’s measures we will prepare under the European pillar of social rights to make sure that nobody is left behind. Dear Prime Minister, honourable Members, the Presidency of Portugal is also opening a new chapter in pursuit of our European geopolitical ambition and the restoration of effective functioning multilateralism. It will be our efforts to help our neighbourhoods and to help the global effort in the vaccination. It will be closer cooperation with democracies, including the summit between the European Union and India, which happen to be the two largest democracies on this planet. And you heard also, Mr President-in-Office, the support of the Members of this House for open, strategic autonomy on which we will be working together. On top of it, it will be also under your Presidency when we will open a new chapter with the new incoming US Biden administration. We start to build a new relationship with the UK as a third country, and we will also push to rebalance the trade and investment relationship with China. Dear Prime Minister, you highlighted how important it is to listen to people and to respond to our citizens, and we all hope, as it was expressed by Mr Verhofstadt, Mr Weber and Mr Séjourné, that under your Presidency we will be able to launch a conference on the future of Europe and devote it to the debate and, I would underline, listening to our citizens – what they want us to improve and how they want us to shape our Europe in the future. And I agree with you that it should be the issues which are closest to their heart we should debate together. To conclude, I would like to assure you, Mr President-in-Office, that we will be working with you as closely as possible to make sure that, after your Presidency, Europe will indeed be healthier, greener, more digital and more socially fair. Lots of success and best of luck with your Presidency, Prime Minister.