Spain – Visit by Amélie de Montchalin (18 February 2020)

Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of State for European Affairs attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Spain on February 18, where she met with her new Spanish counterpart, Juan Gonzalez-Barba. She met with the members of the Joint Committee on European Affairs of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. These meetings provided an opportunity to continue our close coordination on European issues with Spain and to strengthen our bilateral cooperation, which is already exceptionally strong, a few weeks after the inauguration of Pedro Sanchez’s new government.

A trilateral meeting between French, Spanish and Portuguese leaders, with the participation of Ana Paula Zacarias, Portugal’s Minister of State for European Affairs, will also help strengthen trilateral cooperation on the future of the EU, following on from the meeting in Lisbon in the same format on July 11, 2019. There is a strong convergence of views between our three countries regarding many European issues, including the negotiation of a future European budget which will be the focus of an extraordinary European Council meeting on February 20, the strengthening of the Economic and Monetary Union, the fight against climate change and the determination to build a social Europe. Migration issues and preparations for the conference on the future of Europe will also be discussed during this meeting.

During her visit, the minister of state also met with representatives of the French community in Spain.