Pedro Sánchez: "Spain and Portugal have strengthened their strategic cooperation based on renewed confidence in the European project and in defence of multilateralism"

Faro (Portugal)

Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, together with the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luis Montenegro, chaired the XXXV Spanish-Portuguese Summit, held in the Portuguese city of Faro. This year's theme was "Water as a common good", although agreements were reached and signed in many different areas.

Also taking part in the summit were the Second Vice-President and Minister for Work and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz; the Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares; the Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas; the Minister for Education, Vocational Training and Sports, Pilar Alegría; the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz; the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres; the Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente; the Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Minister for Culture, Ernest Urtasun.

"To say that Portugal and Spain are preferential economic partners does not do justice to a close relationship that goes much further, and which is currently experiencing a magnificent moment", said the President of the Government. "It is a relationship with a friendly and brotherly country, neighbour, partner and ally, with which we share deep historical, social and cultural ties, as well as many common interests and challenges in Europe and the world, which has been further strengthened at this summit".

Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

An example of this is the Joint Declaration, with more than 100 articles adopted in areas such as the economy and competitiveness; a just ecological and digital transition; solidarity and cross-border cooperation, and both countries' global projection. In addition, 11 agreements have been signed in several areas that show the intensity and depth of relations between the two countries.

In line with the main theme of the summit, Spain and Portugal reached important agreements on the protection of river ecosystems and the management of water resources, guaranteeing the sustainability of socio-economic activities.

In the framework of the Albufeira Convention, the two governments have been coordinating actions for 25 years to move towards the common goal of achieving a good status of water bodies. To this effect, the President of the Government welcomed the fact that agreements were reached for the sustainable extraction of water to guarantee the good state of the Tagus and Guadiana estuaries.

Energy interconnections and infrastructure

Another issue discussed was the strengthening of competitiveness between the two countries to advance a just green and digital transition with resilient infrastructures.

In this regard, Pedro Sánchez stressed that energy, telecommunications and transport interconnections "are fundamental", and that the high degree of integration between the two energy markets - driven by the Iberian Electricity Market - provide all the conditions for the Iberian Peninsula to be "a great global hub for renewable energies". Indeed, both Spain and Portugal have surpassed the key figure of 50% of electricity produced from renewable sources, placing them at the forefront in Europe.

This is why the president called for continued joint work to expand and modernise energy interconnections, and to improve the connection between the peninsula and the rest of the continent with projects such as the Iberian Green Hydrogen Corridor H2Med.

He also called for enhanced cooperation on infrastructure to improve competitiveness. In this respect, he explained that infrastructures are essential not only to advance in the transition towards a more sustainable model, but also to attract investment and encourage job creation in innovative sectors.

In this context, two agreements were signed for the construction of two bridges: one over the Sever river in Extremadura, which will connect Montalvao-Nisa with Cedillo; and another over the Guadiana river in Andalusia, which will connect Alcountim with Sanlúcar de Guadiana.

Another essential aspect for improving the competitiveness of both countries is to make progress on rail interconnections. In this regard, President Sánchez welcomed the fact that the two governments agree on the importance of developing the high-speed lines on the Lisbon-Porto-Vigo and Lisbon-Madrid axes.

European and global projection

President Sánchez and Prime Minister Montenegro also discussed the main current international issues. Both Spain and Portugal share the need for Europe to not only protect the value-based multilateral order and international law, but also to be a driving force for its reform and improvement.

Pedro Sánchez stressed that the war of aggression in Ukraine and the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the fragile and precarious situation in the Sahel, show that this rules-based system "is being aggressively and relentlessly challenged". The president thanked Portugal for its firmness in defending the United Nations and international law, underlining that both share firm support for the work of the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and institutions such as UNRWA and UNIFIL.

Pool Moncloa /Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

He also reiterated the need for a political process to restore peace and security in the Middle East through the implementation of the two-state solution with the holding of an International Peace Conference, and to call for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration in international trade, especially in markets such as the one that would be opened up by the EU-Mercosur agreement.

On this issue, Pedro Sánchez highlighted the two key events that lie ahead to enable progress to be made: the G20 summit in November - which both Spain and Portugal will attend - and the Mercosur summit in December.

Continuing to forge a Europe of solidarity

The President of the Government referred to the commitment made by the member states two years ago in Oporto to develop the social pillar of the EU. The agreements signed today on labour and inclusion, and culture, demonstrate the strength of a commitment that requires further progress in equality, social cohesion and welfare for Spaniards and Portuguese with a cross-border approach. Examples of this are the Common Cross-Border Cultural Agenda and the Spain-Portugal Cross-Border Cooperation Network (REDCOT).

This principle of solidarity and social justice must also apply to EU migration policy. Pedro Sánchez and Luis Montenegro showed their support for the implementation of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, and for responsible migration solutions which make it possible to fight against mafias while managing regular migratory flows to make our economies more competitive, with a humanist approach. "An open and prosperous Europe or a closed and poor Europe", the president stated.

Economy and competitiveness

Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

"We must continue to work together within the EU to face the geopolitical and economic tensions that mark our present and will condition our future," said the president during the closing ceremony of the Luso-Spanish Business Forum.

He added that this must be a common effort based on a shared vision, since acting on a European scale is decisive in tackling the challenges of reindustrialisation and improving competitiveness. "This means investing more and better", continued Pedro Sánchez, so that companies can count on greater European funding that prioritises sectors such as energy interconnections, research and technology and strategic industrial investments.

According to the president, the NextGenerationEU funds "mark the way forward" in this respect, highlighting examples of joint projects between Spain and Portugal, including the value chains of electric vehicle components such as lithium and the Atlantic Satellite Connection, which reaffirm the shared commitment to a more competitive, greener and more digital Europe.

Non official translation