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| Portugal takes over EU presidency | Portugal takes over EU presidency |
| (about 19 hours later) | |
| European commissioners are meeting members of the Portuguese government for the first working session of the country's European Union presidency. | |
| The session in Oporto will go over the country's programme for its six months in charge. | |
| The focus will be on economic reform, Europe's role in the world and the details of a new EU treaty. | |
| Portugal says there is a clear mandate on the treaty from last month's European Council. | |
| Negotiations on the wording of the new accord start on 23 July. | |
| Employment plans | |
| In the economic field, the Portuguese want to give new impetus to the Lisbon Agenda, a package of reforms with measures ranging from improved workforce training to more flexible employment practices. | |
| There will be a debate about flexi-security, the Danish model that combines ease of hiring and firing with a reliable welfare net. | |
| In foreign policy, summits with Russia, China and India are to be complemented with the first-ever EU-Brazil summit and only the second EU-Africa summit in December. | |
| PORTUGUESE PRIORITIES Reform of the EU treaties - signing by DecemberStart of regular EU-Brazil summitFirst EU-Africa summit for seven yearsGetting Turkey's membership talks "back on track"Ensuring European consensus on KosovoCo-ordination of employment policies | PORTUGUESE PRIORITIES Reform of the EU treaties - signing by DecemberStart of regular EU-Brazil summitFirst EU-Africa summit for seven yearsGetting Turkey's membership talks "back on track"Ensuring European consensus on KosovoCo-ordination of employment policies |
| Portugal takes over from Germany, which has had the EU presidency since the beginning of the year. | |
| The Portuguese prime minister, Jose Socrates, said talks aimed at eventually bringing Turkey into the Union should continue despite French opposition. | |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to block Turkish membership. | |
| "We must be first and foremost loyal at what we pledged to do," Mr Socrates was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. | "We must be first and foremost loyal at what we pledged to do," Mr Socrates was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. |
| "The most important thing is that we should be loyal in these negotiations. We should be balanced and moderate." | "The most important thing is that we should be loyal in these negotiations. We should be balanced and moderate." |
| Turkey spat | |
| Last month, the EU delayed opening talks with Turkey in the area of economic and monetary policy after France signalled that it would veto such a move. | Last month, the EU delayed opening talks with Turkey in the area of economic and monetary policy after France signalled that it would veto such a move. |
| "I have to defend Europe's prestige and credibility," Mr Socrates said, adding the EU had already opened membership negotiations with Turkey and should carry on with them. | "I have to defend Europe's prestige and credibility," Mr Socrates said, adding the EU had already opened membership negotiations with Turkey and should carry on with them. |
| Mr Sarkozy had agreed not to raise the Turkey issue during Germany's EU presidency. | Mr Sarkozy had agreed not to raise the Turkey issue during Germany's EU presidency. |
| Portugal's Europe minister Manuel Lobo Antunes said France had the right to raise any issues it wanted to, but that he was opposed to embarking on "discussions that are complex and difficult". | Portugal's Europe minister Manuel Lobo Antunes said France had the right to raise any issues it wanted to, but that he was opposed to embarking on "discussions that are complex and difficult". |
| Portuguese president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, also hopes his country's presidency will approve a new reform treaty. | Portuguese president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, also hopes his country's presidency will approve a new reform treaty. |
| "The future of Europe depends in large part on the success of the Portuguese presidency," Mr Barroso wrote in Portuguese weekly Expresso this weekend. | "The future of Europe depends in large part on the success of the Portuguese presidency," Mr Barroso wrote in Portuguese weekly Expresso this weekend. |