Demands for the Portuguese Presidency

As the Portuguese Presidency of the Council kicks off, there is a new opportunity to push for a greener and more social Europe, with digital policies that respect human rights and the environment. Every 6 months, a different EU government takes over the organisation of the Council of the European Union, giving them the power to dictate the agenda and organise important Council meetings. In this context, the Greens/EFA Group in the EU Parliament is calling on the Portuguese government to deal with a number of key issues over the next 6 months as a matter of priority:

Forests, biodiversity, the climate and human rights are under threat, especially in the Amazon. The EU-Mercosur trade agreement would exacerbate the situation even further. Without an overhaul of the deal in such a way that anchors sustainability standards throughout, the agreement must be stopped! Read more about our Stop Mercosur campaign here

Airlines have given a special tax exemption so that they don’t have to pay fuel tax on kerosene. This is a secret subsidy given to the most polluting transport sector, and the Portuguese presidency should end this immediately. With a kerosene tax, there will be more resources for investments in climate-friendly transport, like railways. 2021 is the year of the European railways, so it’s time for trains to be able to compete with planes on an equal footing. Read more here 

During the trialogue negotiations the Portuguese Presidency should support the European Parliament’s ambitious position, with a specific focus on ensuring a Greenhouse Gas Budget, the creation of a European Climate Council composed of independent scientists and the end of public subsidies for fossil fuels. Read more about our Climate Law campaign here 

The Portuguese presidency needs to push the Council to act on new legislation that would oblige large multinationals to report how much tax they actually pay in each country. The Council needs to agree on a common position on the Commission’s proposal for public country-by-country reporting so that the legislative negotiations with the Commission and European Parliament can begin, with the aim of finalising this important legislation before the end of the Presidency. Read more about our Tax Justice campaign here

The Portuguese presidency should acknowledge the role of digital technologies in the climate crisis – on the one hand, these technologies can incite even more wasteful consumption, as well as unwanted energy- and transport-related emissions and rebounds effects; on the other hand, technology can also help to address the climate crisis. The Presidency should use governance and economic instruments (e.g., through carbon taxes, cap-and-trade programs and mandatory reporting) to reduce the climate footprint of digital technologies and infrastructures by improving their energy efficiency, calculating and reducing externalities and the life-cycle impacts of technology on the environment, and encouraging the use of renewable energy resources.

The Digital Services Act package is an opportunity for the Portuguese Presidency to ban intrusive micro-targeting and behavioural advertising and tracking of users while pushing for more transparency of algorithms used to promote or hide content online. In addition, the Portuguese Presidency needs to protect the confidentiality of communications from indiscriminate searches, ensure that the public space is free from biometric mass surveillance and commit to finalize the ePrivacy regulation in a way that does not not fall behind the existing ePrivacy Directive. Read more here

The Portuguese Presidency should push the Commission to propose an ambitious EU platform for homelessness in June 2021 that includes the principle of “Housing First” and a clear target to end homelessness by 2030, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights. The Presidency should prioritise decent and affordable housing for all, for example by reintroducing the informal meetings of housing Ministers and opening them up to the European Parliament and stakeholders. Read more about our Housing campaign and sign the petition to end homelessness

The Portuguese Presidency should make energy poverty a priority for their mandate and promote the renovation wave as part of a socially fair energy transition away from carbon. Read more about our Housing campaign

In the revision of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Parliament has for the first time introduced a mandatory capping of farm subsidies, together with a centralized monitoring system, to prevent oligarchs from misusing CAP funds. The Portuguese Presidency should prevent this important provision from being deleted during the trilogue negotiations between the Commission, Parliament and Council, so that the CAP is not used as a cash machine by European oligarchs. The Portuguese Presidency should fight to ensure that CAP funds are used to promote sustainable agriculture. Read more about our Food Campaign and take action

 The Portuguese Presidency should follow-up on the German Presidency’s failed attempt to bring together EU governments to relocate and welcome asylum seekers, most of whom are living in dire conditions at the borders or the country they first arrive in. In the meantime, it is important to act right now and send relief to the EU’s borders. The Portuguese Presidency has to ensure that any help that is sent really arrives where it is needed, and guarantee access for civil society to provide assistance. It also has to ensure that the serious allegations of pushbacks taking place at the EU’s borders are immediately and thoroughly investigated. Read more about the situation at the EU’s external borders