Our president, António Vitorino, takes a stand on the main issues of the European Council of 18-19 December 2014 in an interview on the following issues:

1. This European Council meeting is going to give the new decision-makers appointed in 2014 their first formal opportunity to meet. Do you think that the European Council can send out a signal marking a new start?

2. What do you expect from Donald Tusk, Herman Van Rompuy’s successor to the post of president of the European Council?

3. The European Council is going to have to adopt a stance on the investment plan proposed by Jean-Claude Juncker. What is your view of this plan?

4. Do you think that the European Council should adopt a stance on the rate at which national budget deficits should be reduced?

5. The European Council is going to be looking at the situation in Ukraine and at the direction being taken by relations between the EU and Russia. What new developments could it announce?