This month, Portugal took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU with the motto ‘Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery’. Over the next six months, Portugal will lead work at all levels of the Council, building co-operation, agreement and solidarity between EU Member States.

The presidency will focus on three key priorities:

• promoting a European recovery, boosted by the green and digital transitions;
• implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights;
• strengthening the strategic autonomy of a Europe open to the world.

A central theme of the presidency will be strengthening the European social model. The aim will be to ensure that the climate and digital transitions are achieved in an inclusive way, whilst addressing the social dimension of the COVID-19 pandemic......