Our President, António Vitorino, takes a stand on the main issues of the European Council of the 17-18 December 2015 by answering the following questions:

1. The European Council is due to conduct an overview of the current state and future prospects of its guidelines and decisions on the refugee crisis. What should it address first? 

2. The European Council will be addressing the struggle against terrorism, which places the Schengen area squarely back at the heart of the European debate. What are your recommendations in that connection?

3. The European Council will be discussing completion of every aspect of the single market. What do you consider to be the priority issues here?

4. The EU’s leaders will also be taking a fresh look at plans to reform the Economic and Monetary Union. What are the short-term issues involved, in your view? 

5. The European Council is likely to discuss the preliminary negotations on the referendum regarding the United Kingdom’s membership of the EU. What do you expect to come of it?The European Council is likely to discuss the preliminary negotations on the referendum regarding the United Kingdom’s membership of the EU. What do you expect to come of it?