“The Portuguese Presidency: Striking the Balance between unfinished Business and Leaving its own Mark”, Nicoletta Pirozzi, Funda Tekin and Ilke Toygür (Elcano, Spain)

On 1 January 2021 Germany handed over the Presidency of the Council of the EU to Portugal. The Portuguese Government will lead the third Presidency to be challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with a vaccine in sight and the reforms initiated during the German Presidency there now seems to be a steadier path towards a post- COVID-19 recovery. This is why it is time to focus both on short-term problems and also on a long-term vision.