LISBON, 12/11/2020: On 26-27 November, the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI) at the New University of Lisbon, together with TEPSA, will host lawmakers from the upcoming Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union to meet with key stakeholders and the wider public to discuss their priorities of Portuguese Presidency for the first half of 2021.

Before every Council Presidency, the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) joins with its Member Institute in the relevant country to co-organise the Pre-Presidency Conference (PPC). PPCs have become a staple of the European political year ever since the first one, hosted to preview the Irish presidency of January-June 1975. Ahead of the conference, TEPSA will also present and discuss the recommendations for the Portuguese Presidency, which have been drafted by TEPSA researchers.

TEPSA’s Secretary-General, Prof. Jaap de Zwaan, describes the value of Pre-Presidency Conferences as “a key tool in communicating with the European citizens on the need for Europe and the future of Europe”. For the Portuguese Pre-Presidency Conference, otherwise known as PPC Lisbon, highlighted discussions will take place on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, sustainability in view of the European Green Deal, foreign policy, defence, and human values in the context of migration into Europe, the role of Euroscepticism, and more. The role of differentiated integration in the future of Europe will also be discussed, in the context of the Horizon 2020 funded ‘InDivEU’ project in which TEPSA takes part. The current Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal, Ana Paula Zacarias, will discuss the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency together with TEPSA researchers.

IPRI and TEPSA will host Portuguese officials, experts in various fields, national stakeholders, and the wider public to take part in the latest Pre-Presidency Conference and shape the future of Europe together.

The event will take place online on 26-27 November.