Portugal – Conversation between Mr. Riester and Portugal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (3 February 2021)

Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, spoke yesterday with Augusto Santos Silva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, via video conference.

The minister delegate and Mr. Santos Silva discussed the priorities for Portugal’s presidency of the Council of the EU and notably discussed the review of the EU’s trade policy and the EU/ Mercosur agreement. In this regard, the minister reaffirmed France’s demands set out on September 18. France will continue to work with the Commission in order to formulate concrete responses to the concerns raised with respect to the fight against climate change and deforestation.

The ministers also examined economic relations in the run-up to the EU-India summit, as well as the ongoing discussions on EU trade agreements with third countries.