EU-DIGEST

Portugal Urges E.U. to Accept Former Guantanamo Detainees - by Michael Abramotiwitz

Portugal's foreign minister has called for European countries to accept detainees released from the Guantanamo Bay detention center, a move that U.S. officials and human rights advocates regard as a possible harbinger of a new willingness by Europe to assist in closing the controversial facility. "The time has come for the European Union to step forward," Luís Amado told other E.U. countries in a letter made public yesterday. "As a matter of principle and coherence, we should send a clear signal of our willingness to help the U.S. Government in that regard, namely through the resettlement of detainees. As far as the Portuguese Government is concerned, we will be available to participate."

Note EU-Digest: it might be a better idea to hand the terrorist over to the Iraq and the Afghanistan government where they committed their crimes, to have them sentenced. Taking them into Europe is ridiculous.

Labels: EU, Guantanamo, Portugal

Portugal Commits To Huge Electric Vehicle Deal - by Alan Harten

Nissan and Renault France have signed a historic agreement with Portugal for the sale of electric vehicles, in order to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emission levels by around 20%. This would assist the country in reaching the European Unions emissions regulations by 2020. The deal calls for the two car manufacturers to begin delivery of large numbers of electric vehicles at the beginning of 2011.

As part of the agreement, Portugal will build over 300 charging stations which will be completed in 2010 before the first vehicles arrive, avoiding the chicken and egg situation that is prevalent in most other countries where electric vehicle sales are held back by a lack of places to charge the cars.

Labels: Car Industry, Emission reduction, EU, Innovation, Portugal

Germany Beats Portugal 3–2 in Euro 2008 Soccer

Germany triumphed over Portugal 3–2 in the first Euro 2008 Championship quarter-final match.
Portugal won it's first two matches, and fielded a team of substitutes for its final round match. thus, its starters were well rested and ready.

Labels: EURO 2008, European Soccer, Germany, Portugal

Labels: EU, EURO 2008, Germany, Portugal, Soccer

EURO 2008 Soccer Opener: Gomes hunting for more goals against Turkey - by Rex Gowar

Another two-goal winning performance from striker Nuno Gomes against Turkey would suit Portugal fine in their Euro 2008 opener at 6:45 p.m. CET ( Central European Time) on Saturday. Nuno Gomes, who is expected to lead the line in the Group A game in Geneva, struck twice to give Portugal a 2-0 win over the Turks when they last met, in the Euro 2000 quarter-finals. The result had other ramifications because coach Fatih Terim, now in charge of Turkey but then about to join Fiorentina, signed the Portuguese striker for the Italian team.

Labels: EURO 2008, Portugal, Turkey

Portugal to invest 15 bln euros in infrastructure

Portugal will invest up to 15 billion euros in infrastructure through 2015, Public Works Minister Mario Lino said on Monday, after his government approved the location for a new Lisbon airport. "The year 2008 marks the return of large scale investments in construction and transportation," he said in a speech to local businessmen on Monday. The investments are expected to be carried out by the state and private companies.

Labels: EU, Portugal

Spains High Speed Train System takes off

For the complete report from SUR click on this link

Spain - The future coastal railway opens the door for high-speed trains - by Cristina Gonzales

Now that the AVE trains run to and from Malaga, municipalities on the Costa del Sol are already looking ahead to 2013 when this high speed train service will be extended along the coast. The railway line for the future coastal train service will play a major part in bringing to fruition this long-awaited dream of local people and professionals in the tourism industry. The first steps are already being taken. The Ministry of Public Works will be responsible for creating the line for the coastal train between Malaga and Fuengirola, while the Junta de Andalucía will build the link between Fuengirola and Estepona. These two projects, which will cost more than one thousand million euros, will mean that one day in the future the AVE could have its own stop, for example, in the centre of Marbella, something the regional government's delegate for Public Works and Transport, Concepción Gutiérrez, has referred to on several occasions in the past. Sources at the Junta de Andalucía have told this newspaper that the first works to be carried out will be on the stretch between Fuengirola and San Pedro Alcántara, and will involve two separate projects. At the moment, they are in the phase of supervision before final approval, which is the step prior to the works being put to tender sometime in 2008. The Junta's budget for next year already includes the sum of 14.1 million euros to start off the coastal railway project, and during a visit to Marbella the president of the regional government, Manuel Chaves, announced that trains will be traveling as far as San Pedro within six years. The stretch of line between San Pedro and Estepona is currently the subject of an informative study.

Spain has ambitious plans for its high-speed network. In the future the target is for 7,200km (4,500 miles) of high-speed railway for 350km/h operation, and progress has being made on several fronts to extend the network. The Spanish government has also agreed to pursue a high-speed link between Madrid, Lisbon and Paris with the Portugese and French Governments.

Labels: AVE, EU, France, Portugal, Railways, Spain, TGV

Portugal seeks new image as 'West Coast of Europe' - by Eric Pfanner

For Portugal, the signing Thursday of a treaty to overhaul the governance of the European Union in Lisbon was a "tipping point," said Manuel Pinho, the Portuguese minister for the economy and innovation."We are the focus of Europe, and even the whole world," he said. For Portugal, Pinho and Wengorovius acknowledged, one problem is that many people, even in Europe, have only vaguely formed ideas about the country. The tagline, highlighting Portugal's westward orientation, was intended to remind them that the country's coastline is along the Atlantic, not the Mediterranean, unlike other countries in Southern Europe with which it is sometimes lumped in the Northern European consciousness.

The government is spending about €3 million, or $4.32 million on the ad campaign, Wengorovius said. "We know that you cannot change the perception of a country just like that," he said. "But this is about trying to put perception closer to reality."

Labels: EU, Portugal

Putin in Portugal for EU-Russia summit - by Oleg Shchedrov

Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes for a friendly summit with the European Union on Friday but is sticking to long-held tough positions on Iran and Kosovo. "On many (international) issues our positions are close," Putin said after meeting Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva, whose country will host the EU-Russia summit. "I expect a friendly atmosphere created by our hosts today will translate into a similar atmosphere of the Russia-EU summit tomorrow and will help a productive work," Putin told reporters.

Another point of discussion at the summit will be a proposal by the European Commission on the energy sector, including a break up of big utilities' grip on power supply, generation and transmission. The plan includes a clause to prevent foreign firms from buying pipelines and power grids if their home countries do not have equally open markets and an agreement with Brussels, something seen as targeting Russian state energy giant Gazprom.

Labels: Energy, EU, Portugal, Russia

Europe Sets a New Course: EU Leaders Agree on Landmark Treaty

European Union leaders meeting in the Portugese capital Lisbon have agreed on a landmark treaty to reform the 27-nation bloc. Diplomats announced the agreement in the early hours of Friday morning. The deal was reached shortly after midnight after leaders overcame objections from Italy and Poland.

"With this new treaty, Europe has overcome an impasse that lasted for several years ... and gets ready to face the challenges of the future," Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, the host of the two-day summit, said at a news conference.Under the new treaty, a new longer-term president of the European Council will be created, as will an EU foreign policy chief.

Labels: EU, EU CONSTITUTION, EU Treaty, Portugal

Brown welcomes deal on EU treaty

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has welcomed the agreeement of a new EU treaty, reached after last-minute changes at a summit in Portugal. "The red lines have been secured. The British national interest has been protected," Mr Brown said. He said Britain can still set its own policies on justice, home and foreign affairs, as well as security.

Labels: Britain, Brown, EU Treaty, Portugal

Will Portugal Be a Headache for Europe? - by Amin George Forji

Portugal formally launched its six-month rotating presidency of the European Union last week by detailing proposals that are considered to be both difficult and complex. Reaching an agreement on the European Union's reform treaty is at the top of Portugal's list of priorities. Ironically, other member states such as the U.K. and Poland have already expressed their worries, calling for said treaty to either be watered down or forgotten altogether.

Other issues on the Portuguese agenda includes energy innovation, migration and development as well as the strengthening of relations with areas of the world such as Africa and Brazil, with the first EU-African submit in seven years scheduled in December this year -- but not without controversy.

Labels: EU, European Unity, Portugal

PM Socrates Faces Daunting Task As Portugal Heads EU Presidency

PM Socrates Faces Daunting Task As Portugal Heads EU Presidency

Germany has handed over the EU presidency to Portugal. For the next six months Premier Jose Socrates, seen as a tough reformer at home, will face the challenge of his career: keeping the EU treaty process on track.

Large countries often find themselves in the awkward position of negotiating EU issues in which their country has strong national interests. Portugal will be able to act more as a neutral broker in the big issues facing Europe.

Labels: EU, EU CONSTITUTION, Portugal

Labels: EU Economy, Portugal