site.btaBTA Interview: Portuguese Ambassador Ribeiro da Silva Speaks about Accomplishments of Portuguese Presidency of the EU, Bilateral Relations, Tourist Exchange

Sofia, June 30 (Lora Metanova of BTA) - As Portugal is about to hand over the Presidency of the Council of the EU to Slovenia on June 30, Portuguese Ambassador to Bulgaria Ana Maria Ribeiro da Silva says in a BTA interview that her country has achieved most of its targets, was able to restore the pace of the Council's work and the Presidency had a positive outcome.

She catalogues accomplishments in many areas of the Presidency: the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe, the rollout of the Digital COVID Certificate, the progress with the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the approval of the first national plans, the Social Summit in Porto and the EU-Canada and EU-US summits, to mention but a few. In the EU enlargement department, Ambassador Ribeiro da Silva singled out the intergovernmental conferences with Serbia and Montenegro on June 22 in accordance with the new methodology and said that was already an accomplishment. "We are aware that this is a sensitive issue for some Member States, and we, and all of the Member States, have to take that into account. But in spite of some "hurdles" in the process, we need to keep working on these issues," she says.

Ambassador Ribeiro da Silva gave a high mark to bilateral relations and said that Portuguese people are interested in Bulgaria as a tourist destination. "Don't forget our genetic roots as explorers. Our curiosity to meet, discover and go back to friendly countries like yours, will never fade down," the diplomat says.

Following is the full text of the interview:

Q: Your Excellency, we are now at the end of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU, which went under the motto "Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery". What are the most significant accomplishments of the Portuguese Presidency?

A: Overall, our Presidency has had a positive outcome. We have achieved most of our targets and were able to restore the pace of the Council's work. Meetings took place according to plan - although mostly in a virtual format. In May and June, we were able to return to physical meetings, with our landmark Social Summit in Porto. Some of the most relevant results achieved include:
o The Conference on the Future of Europe was launched on 9 May and is now in full implementation.
o EU Digital Covid Certificate - we were able to complete the whole process in 62 days, and Certificate will enter into force on 1 July. The Council also adopted an amending recommendation on temporary restrictions of non-essential travel into the EU (20/05), and an amending recommendation on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (14/06).
o European Health Union - on 15 June, we reached a general approach on the proposal to reinforce the role of the European Medicines Agency in crisis preparedness and in the management of medicinal products and medical devices. We also adopted Council Conclusions on the need to prevent shortages of critical medicines and medical devices, and to ensure timely access to innovative medicines.
o Revision of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, the EU crisis management system was strengthened to ensure a better response to future challenges.
o Several MFF programmes were adopted, including cohesion funds, Horizon Europe, the InvestEU Programme, Digital Europe Programme, EU4Health, Erasmus + and Creative Europe Programme.
o We also launched the Creative Europe Programme (17-18/06), as well as the new Erasmus+ Programme and the European Solidarity Corps (18/06).
o Recovery and Resilience Facility - The entry into force of the Resilience and Recovery Facility (including EUR 672.5 billion in grants and loans) was an important milestone.
o Own Resources Decision - by 31 May all Member States concluded their national ratification procedures. This empowers the Commission to borrow up to И750 000 million on behalf of the EU, and to start making funds available under the RRF.
o Recovery and Resilience Plans - approval by the Commission of the first 12 national Plans began 16/06 and continued in the following days. First decisions by Council will take place in July. Our Presidency has led by example: we were the first MS to present the national recovery and resilience plan and the first Plan to be approved by the Commission (16/06).
o Porto "Social Summit", 7-8 May - This was the central event of our Presidency, and the idea behind it was to go from the proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (Gothenburg) to its concrete implementation through the Action Plan presented by the Commission in March.
o The Porto Commitment (7/05) and the Porto Declaration (08/05) are the most significant deliverables of the Social Summit and contribute to giving Europe's social dimension a centre-stage. Through them, the European institutions, Member States and social partners all commit to 3 targets by 2030 - on employment, on training and on poverty reduction.
o The Presidency's priority was to make sure that no one is left behind. The following results were also achieved:
o Recommendation on a European Child Guarantee - adopted on 14 June, it aims to prevent and combat social exclusion of children by guaranteeing access of children in need to a set of key services, thereby also helping to uphold the rights of the child by combating child poverty and fostering equal opportunities. Member States should submit to the Commission, within nine months, an action plan to implement this recommendation.
o On gender equality, we adopted conclusions on the impact of COVID 19 on gender equality, and started the negotiation on the proposal for a Directive on binding pay transparency measures, and held a High Level Conference on the 10th Anniversary of the Istanbul Convention (on combating violence against women).
o We managed to reach an important political agreement on the amendments to the Regulation establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
o Europe's first Climate Law - another relevant result achieved just in time for the "Earth Summit". Europe's Climate Law will have a significant impact both within the Union and globally and is instrumental to Europe's global leadership on climate action. We also adopted conclusions on the EU climate adaptation strategy.
o A general approach on the Revision of the regulation on Trans-European Networks for energy was achieved during the Energy Council on 11 June. This important revision aims to modernise, decarbonise, and interconnect the EU's cross-border energy infrastructure to help the EU reach its 2050 climate-neutrality objective.
o The Green Agenda also revolves around sustainability. The Presidency adopted Conclusions on the sustainable blue economy, and on "Tourism in Europe for the next decade: Sustainable, resilient, digital, global and social."
o Regarding the Digital Agenda, we took stock of the negotiations of three of the most important initiatives: the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act that will create a safer digital space in which fundamental rights of users are protected and establish a level playing field to foster innovation, growth, and competitiveness, both in the European Single Market and globally; And the Data Governance Act that will create a framework allowing Europe to become a leading data economy.
o The fight against Online Sexual Abuse of Children was also a priority, as we succeeded in approving mechanisms of removing harmful content that can be triggered by content providers in the ePrivacy Regulation.
o Council conclusions on the EU's cybersecurity strategy, outlining the framework for EU action to protect its citizens and businesses from cyber threats, were adopted in March, underlining how critical cybersecurity is for building a resilient, green and digital Europe.
o On 19 March, we co organized with the European Commission a Digital Day, where several Ministerial Declarations were adopted: (i) on European Data Gateways as a key element of the EU?s Digital Decade; (ii) on EU Startup Nations Standard of Excellence; and (iii) on a Green and Digital Transformation of the EU; (iv) on the establishment of a support structure for entrepreneurship - (which should be operational by the second semester and will be based in Portugal).
o At the Digital Assembly on 1-2 June, the Lisbon Declaration on Digital Rights ("Digital Democracy with a Purpose") was presented. On the same occasion, the EllaLink fibre optic submarine cable (linking Europe to Latin America/ Sines to Fortaleza) was inaugurated.
o Regarding Research, Innovation and Space, we launched the Horizon Europe, the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of И95.5 billion, and approved Conclusions on "Deepening the European Research Area: Providing researchers with attractive, sustainable careers and working conditions, and making brain circulation a reality".
o We also approved Council Conclusions on "New Space for People" that stresses the importance of the "New Space" for an innovative, resilient, and competitive EU space sector and its impact in the European economy.
o After 5 years of negotiations, we moved forward on tax transparency rules for multinationals that will require multinational companies to publish country-by-country information on where they earn their profits and where they pay taxes (country-by-country reporting).
o Rule of Law has been in the forefront during the second quarter of our Presidency: in April, we organised a second round of the country specific dialogue as foreseen by our Trio Programme; in May, we organized a High-Level Conference in Coimbra; and hearings for Poland and Hungary under Article 7 procedures will take place at the General Affairs Council on 22 June.
o Concerning Migration, we have prioritised the external dimension of migration policy: the first Jumbo meeting of Foreign and Home Affairs Ministers (15/03) in 6 years was a milestone, resulting in a strong political commitment to move forward on establishing broad, comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnerships with countries of origin and transit.
o We have developed very extensive technical work in the main instruments, especially on the concept of flexible solidarity, screening and asylum procedures.
o We proposed the launch of a comprehensive dialogue with African countries on Justice and Home Affairs matters.
o We reached an agreement with the EP on new rules for the entry and residence of highly skilled workers from outside the EU under a revised Blue Card Directive (this will be the first legislative act on legal migration approved in the last 5 years).
o We were also able to reach an agreement in the Council for a mandate that will enable the Presidency to negotiate with the EP all aspects of the EU asylum agency regulation. This should allow faster progresses on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, beyond the "package approach" and on one of its most urgent regulations.
o EU Leaders meeting with the PM of India, 8 May - this was also a landmark moment, especially because we were able to relaunch a strong EU-India economic agenda (agreement to relaunch negotiations of an FTA - stalled since 2013, and to begin negotiations for an investment agreement and for a GI's protection agreement). The parties also agreed to reinforce cooperation in several strategic areas (Digital, Health, Energy, Connectivity). We must now concentrate on implementation.
o Negotiations of the post-Cotonou agreement were concluded, and the text was initialled by the Chief negotiators on 15 April, together with the new Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe (around 79,5 billion euro) this will provide the framework for a more politically geared and ambitious EU-Africa Partnership.
o Regarding EU-Africa relations, on 23 April, together with the EIB, we organized a "High Level EU-Africa Green Investment Forum" - which was preceded by 26 virtual Green Talks. Relations with Africa also featured on the agenda of the Gymnich meeting and of the informal meeting of Defense Ministers (27 and 28 May).
o In coordination with the High Representative we mobilized support regarding the establishment of an EU Training Mission for Mozambique. We also adopted conclusions launching the first pilot for coordinated maritime presences (CMP) where the Gulf of Guinea was established as the first "Maritime Area of Interest".
o Other results this semester include the opening of negotiations on an investment agreement with Angola (the first round of negotiations will take place on the 22nd of June); and the amendment of the Agreement on facilitating short-stay visas to citizens of Cabo Verde (February).
o After 9 years of complex debate, we have agreed on the Council on a mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament on the Regulation on an International Procurement Instrument (IPI). It will be an offensive EU instrument to promote EU level playing field in third countries procurement markets.
o The entry into force on 1 May of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the United Kingdom was also a landmark moment. We should now be able to turn the page on Brexit and develop a close partnership with the UK based on this new framework.
o We approved the agreement between the EU-UK on fishing opportunities for 2021 and, for deep-sea stocks, for 2021 and 2022, and also reached a preliminary agreement on the draft regulation on the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, establishing a И5 billion fund overcome the consequences of the UK's withdrawal. The deal means that funding from the Brexit adjustment reserve can begin to be disbursed before the end of the year. The reserve is designed to support all member states, while focusing on the most affected regions and sectors.
o The transatlantic relations were also a top priority. On 14 June, during the 18th EU-Canada Summit leaders discussed how to work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic and pursue a sustainable, people-centred and inclusive recovery and launched a new Canada-EU dialogue on health, an Ocean Partnership Forum and an EU-Canada Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials.
o The following day, the EU-US Summit took place in Brussels. The last such Summit was held in 2014, so this was an opportunity to lay out a common agenda for a renewed transatlantic partnership regarding global challenges, namely to fight against COVID-19 pandemic and to drive forward a sustainable global recovery; to increase cooperation on climate change, environmental degradation and on the loss of biodiversity; to jointly support democracy, peace, and security around the world; on trade, an agreement was reached regarding a long-standing trade dispute - Large Civil Aircraft (Airbus/Boing) to suspend countermeasures for 5 years; and it was also established an EU-US Trade and Technology Council, fulfilling one the most relevant EU goals.
o Regarding Enlargement, the political intergovernmental conferences with Serbia and Montenegro, took place at the margins of General Affairs Council on 22 June, in accordance with the new methodology.

Q: The Germany - Portugal - Slovenia trio holds the EU presidency at a very difficult time. What was the biggest challenge you have faced in the last six months?

A: Definitely the fight against the pandemic and the need to coordinate the common effort in delivering the enough amount of vaccines to EU Member States, but also to our friends and neighbours in several regions and countries in the world. It was a joint effort, that we are proud of, and we are sure is going to be pursued trough the Presidencies that will follow ours.

Q:What will be Portugal's message to Slovenia, which takes over the presidency on 1 July?

A: As you know, EU countries share the same fundamental values that are in the core of the EU. In this regard, there is a continuity in work that we all share and understand. And our actions are designed in order to benefit our citizens. SoЕno specific messagesЕas I told before, it's a joint work, a common path that we (all Member States) are engaged into, to benefit our citizens and to strengthen our ties with all our allies and friends

Q: The topic of European integration in the Western Balkans was a priority for the Bulgarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, and remained on the agenda of the next presidencies. The Portuguese Presidency has also made great efforts to make progress in this area. What efforts proved the most fruitful, in your opinion?

A: Regarding Enlargement, the political intergovernmental conferences with Servia and Montenegro, will take place at the margins of General Affairs Council on 22 June, in accordance with the new methodology. It is already a progress. Nevertheless we are aware of the sensitiveness of this issue to some Member States, and it's our duty, and all of the MS, to take them into account. And , in spite of some "hurdles" in the process, we need to keep working on these issues. There are proposals on the table, forwarded by the Portuguese Presidency, that are valid and constitute the basis for more debate and development in this matter. Here I wish, on a personal basis, to send a message for everyone (being a very annoying optimist) - It's never too late to reach an agreement on what dived us, let's keep talking, negotiating, debating, in order to overcome our differences. That is the only way we can look forward and think of a brighter future in the good sake of our citizens.

Q: The Portuguese poet Luis Vaz de Camoes writes: "Times change, as do our wills, what we are - is ever changing; All the world is made of change, And forever attaining new qualities." What will change for us in Europe after the last unprecedented year and what the world will be like after this change?

A: I cannot agree more with Cam?es. He was a visionary. Europe his changing already. Progressing, anticipating the times to come. We do not have a Crystal ballЕbut we all are committed to pursue our goals and values - from human rights to fundamental rights.. And againЕas an annoying optimistЕwe will do it, and will achieve it.

Q: The COVID-19 crisis disrupted travel and despite the easing of restriction, life is not yet back to the "normal" as we know it. Do you think Portuguese people have an interest in Bulgaria as a tourist destination this summer, despite the coronavirus?

A: Definitely yes. This pandemic (as, by the way; the previous onesЕthat people tend to forget), hit hard on every single Continent, country and citizen in the world. It's consequences are burdensome in every aspect of our daily live - the impact being huge on economy, and specially on the social dimension (once again the importance of Social Summit in Porto), health. We have to adapt to a new reality, which we are already doing so. As for Portuguese, do not forget our genetic roots as explores Еour curiosity to meet discover and go back to friendly countries like yours, will never fade down

Q: What is your assessment of the development of economic relations between our countries? Are there any areas where you see room to further expand them?

A: Our ties, bilateral, political, economic and cultural, are excellent. This is the evaluation from both Portuguese and Bulgarian authorities. Is there room for improvement? Of course there is, from both sides - there are lot's of windows of opportunity to explore. I am sure that our two countries will acknowledge them and work, together, in order to strengthen them. We are already doing so.

Q: Traditionally, Bulgaria and Portugal have good cultural ties. Although the pandemic has affected all areas of our lives, including culture, the project "Tocando Portugal" was recently presented in Sofia. Are there any other similar initiatives that you are planning, maybe together with the The Institute Cam?es?

A: The promotion of the Portuguese culture it is one of the top priorities of our institutions. The Embassies promoting them for years. And we develop, as we did, over the years, promoting our language (by the way the Portuguese being the 4th one most spoken language in the world), culture and knowledge, in the spirit of Cam?es. The last event "Tocando Portugal" by Rumos Ensemble, was indeed presented in Sofia - to celebrate our National Day - but also in Varna. But before that we had the week of the Portuguese cinema, in Sofia, and a lot of activities that will follow during the year, as well as in 2022. All of this is a part of all year programs developed by the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Instituto Cam?es being an integrated part of MFA, in charge of the international promotion of the Portuguese culture. LM/LN/