Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU

The Spanish Presidency will be highly influenced by the national political situation. With legislative elections taking place on July 23rd, the first more direct impact was the request from President Sánchez to postpone his speech before the Plenary of the European Parliament.  

Priorities of the Spanish Presidency 

On June 15th, Prime Minister Sánchez announced the priorities that have been set for the upcoming six months. They are included under 4 pillars:  

• Reindustrialize the EU and ensure its open strategic autonomy 

• Advance in the green transition and the environmental adaptation 

• Promoting greater social and economic justice 

• Strengthening European unity 

Regarding the green transition, Spain is willing to promote a reform of the electricity market. Spain’s objective with this reform is to accelerates the deployment of renewable energies, reduces electricity prices, and improves the stability of the system. Another priority for Spain is to speed up the processing of pending Fit for 55 -the set of proposals to revise and update EU legislation to match the target of reducing net greenhouse emission in the EU by at least 55% by 2030- legislative files, such as the Gas and Hydrogen package, and energy efficiency regulations. Finally, regarding the green transition, Spain aims to promote measures for the reduction of waste and micro plastics, sustainable product design and the generation of green fuels. 

When it comes to the agri-food sector, this is a sector of high importance for Spain. The sector is one of the biggest economic sectors in Spain and the country is an agri-food powerhouse within the EU. On this regard, the aim of the Presidency is to reach an agreement between the Council and the European Parliament on the modification of the regulation on Protected Geographical Indications. This dossier is very relevant for Spain considering that with Italy and France is in the top 3 member states with the highest number of recognized GIs. The much-awaited proposal on NGTs is expected to be published on July 5th and Spain intends to boost the debate on new genomic techniques – this new piece of legislation represents an opportunity for new varieties to be introduced in the market with greater resistance to pests or droughts, for instance – in plant production together with the revision of the regulations on animal welfare and on plant and forestry reproductive material.  

Lastly, Spain announced that the revision of the regulation on food information provided to consumers, which includes the standardization of existing regulations on the indication of the origin of products, nutritional labeling and the information to be provided on the labels of alcoholic beverages is also one of its priorities. 

For what concerns health policies, Minister Darias announced that the new presidency will focus primarily on the European Health Data Space Regulation – which wants to reshape how health data is shared -, and secondly, on the Revision of the General Pharmaceutical legislation – which was recently proposed –. Apart from these legislative dossiers, other broader policies are expected to be prioritized by the Spanish presidency. These include: amendments to the EMA fees regulation – to ensure optimal funding for the work of regulatory agencies –; a response to childhood obesity and the fight against HIV and the stigma surrounding this topic – two issues for which Spain has already resorted to national plans –; also, research into Europe's fight against cancer, SoHO (tissues, cells, and blood) regulation, and cardiovascular diseases; and finally, “the approach to rare diseases and mental health problems”, which the Spanish Presidency recently confirmed will also be priorities.  

How S&P can help you navigate these 6 months? 

Getting up to date information on the political landscape in the EU bubble is key. With Spanish-speaking consultants and our network of contacts, we can keep you informed about everything going on in Brussels. For many of our clients we already deliver monitoring services on different files and policy areas. Our team can also help you close the gap between your organization and the key stakeholders in the Belgian capital. 

As communication and public affairs experts, we know about the importance of your story to reach your desired audience. We can help you create your PA strategy together with the narrative that puts the focus on your unique story and added value.