Lisbon, June 18, 2025 (Lusa) - The Portuguese prime minister on Wednesday expressed his hope that the next European Council will result in “a more competitive Europe with greater international influence”, insisting on the importance of completing the European energy market and implementing the agreement with Mercosur.
In his opening speech in the parliamentary debate in preparation for the European Council on June 26–27, Luís Montenegro highlighted the need to strengthen European competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
“We need to invest even more in innovation, research, technological development and worker training, and we must also, once and for all, complete the European energy market, without which our companies will continue to find it difficult to compete on equal terms in international markets,” he warned.
On the other hand, he pointed out that, both in Europe and in Portugal, “it is a priority to reduce bureaucracy, excessive regulation and all aspects that ultimately hinder greater economic competitiveness in our European space as well”.
“On the external front, we have been pointing out, and will do so once again, the need for greater export capacity throughout the Union and, to this end, we must also diversify the markets to which we can export,” he said.
As he has said, the Portuguese prime minister considered it “inconceivable that the agreement reached between the European Union and Mercosur should not be implemented”.
“The strategy that has been followed, of strengthening partnerships with other trading partners such as Canada, Japan, China itself, or with strategic regions in Africa, Latin America or the Caribbean, is a good one,” he argued.
Montenegro also considered it important for Portugal to continue to strengthen its ties with “historic partners such as the United States and the United Kingdom”.
Next week’s European Council, which will also address security and defence issues, will take place immediately after the NATO Summit in The Hague, with the prime minister reiterating the position that the government will adopt at that meeting.
“We will formally commit to the goal of investing 2% of our GDP in defence, living up to the responsibilities and commitments we have assumed over the years and which are now even more pressing,” he said.
Montenegro insisted that investing in defence today “must be seen as a means of safeguarding the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens and also safeguarding economic sovereignty”.
“The Council will once again reiterate its unconditional support for Ukraine and its position in a context where the aim is to achieve peace, lasting peace, a just peace, which can only be achieved with Ukraine and with Europe,” he said.
The prime minister also listed among the topics to be addressed at the Brussels meeting compliance with the Asylum and Migration Pact and developments in Gaza and throughout the Middle East, “exacerbated by the conflict between Israel and Iran,” on which he made no further comments in his first speech.
“This is an important European Council meeting, which we believe can project a more competitive, more open Europe, a Europe that is also more united and capable of exerting greater influence on the international stage,” he said.
The European Council will meet in Brussels on June 26 and 27 to discuss issues such as the war in Ukraine, with a meeting planned with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as the situation in the Middle East, migration and common European defence.
Among other issues listed by the President of the European Council, former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, in his letter of invitation to the members of the European Council, are the Western Balkans, Moldova’s accession process and the deepening of the common market.
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