Lisbon, Jan. 8, 2021 (Lusa) – The chairpersons of the EU's European Affairs Committees and the European Parliament are meeting on Monday to discuss the priorities of the Portuguese EU Council presidency and the Recovery and Resilience Plans, it was announced on Friday.

A note from the Parliament said on Monday that the first conference under the parliamentary dimension of the Portuguese presidency of the EU Council would take place. It would bring together, in digital format, the chairpersons of the European Affairs Committees of the 27 national parliaments and that of the European Parliament, David Sassoli.

The two main topics under discussion are "The priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU", which will be presented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, and "Recovery and Resilience Plans", which will be held by European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira, responsible for Cohesion and Reforms.

The meeting will also be attended by the President of the Portuguese Parliament, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, who will make an opening speech.

The work of the Conference of Presidents of COSAC (Conference of Specialised Bodies for Affairs of the Union of Parliaments of the EU) is led by the President of the European Affairs Committee of the Portuguese Parliament, Luís Capoulas Santos.

This conference takes place every six months in the parliament of the country that holds the presidency of the EU Council, under the tutelage of Portugal since 1 January, with the aim of discussing politically relevant issues at EU level.

It is also planned to start the preparation of the agenda for the COSAC plenary meeting, which will take place in Lisbon between 30 May and 1 June and bring together over a hundred EU parliamentarians to discuss issues on the European agenda.

BYC/AYLS // AYLS

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