The Spanish presidency of the European Union wants to develop areas such as the diversification of economic and trade relations (especially with Latin America) and the energy transition.
The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, said this Sunday that he hopes that the next six months will be a “stage of great progress that Europe needs”, coinciding with the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).
Sánchez spoke in Madrid, in a statement together with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, within the framework of the start of the new European semester, chaired by Spain, which formally began on Saturday, with the visit of the head of the Government to Ukraine.
The Spanish presidency will take place in a “context that will continue to be marked by the direct and indirect consequences of the war in Ukraine” and the EU “will spare no effort to continue supporting” Kiev, said Sánchez.
Charles Michel also welcomed Sánchez’s trip to kyiv and the “strong message of support for Ukraine” on the first day of the Spanish presidency.
Charles Michel stressed that Ukraine is fighting to defend European values and the EU has a duty to support Kiev.
The President of the Spanish Government has said that Spain assumed the presidency of the Council of the EU this Saturday with the aim of turning it “into a scenario of great advances that Europe needs” in areas such as the diversification of economic and commercial relations (above all, with Latin America), the energy transition or the strengthening of social justice (with new budgetary and fiscal rules for multinationals and “great fortunes”).
Charles Michel considered that the priorities of the Spanish presidency are aligned with the concerns of Europeans and will form part of the new European strategic agenda for the period 2015-2030.
In this sense, Sánchez has indicated that a proposal for this new agenda, the result of ten months of work with experts and representatives of the 27 EU Member States, will be presented at the European Council scheduled for October in the Spanish city of Granada. .
Spain assumed the semi-annual presidency of the Council of the EU a few weeks before the early national legislative elections, on July 23, which neither Pedro Sánchez, leader of the Spanish socialists, nor Charles Michel mentioned today.
Electoral polls give victory to the right, to the Popular Party (PP), so the Spanish government can change during the next semester, something that both leaders of Spain and the EU have devalued, because the priorities of the Council of the EU are defined for this period.
Also at stake is the coordination of a European body that has its own president, Charles Michel, autonomous from the government of the country who at all times assumes the presidency of the Council of the EU.
In his brief speech today, Charles Michel ensured that the Spanish presidency is “very well prepared” and highlighted Spain’s efforts in recent years to seek and contribute to European solutions and commitments.
Source: Observadora
