What is the state of the European Union today and where is it heading? Few people are better placed to address these questions than José Manuel Durão Barroso, former prime minister of Portugal and president of the European Commission, and current president of the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), who offers his personal assessment of Europe at a moment of profound geopolitical and geo-economic uncertainty.
Drawing on his experience at the highest levels of Portuguese and European politics, Durão Barroso reflects on the EU’s internal challenges and its changing place in the world, before turning to some of the questions that matter most for Portugal: What role can the country play in a changing Europe? What are the main risks and opportunities ahead?
Throughout the session, he explores the future of the transatlantic relationship and what recent tensions mean for Europe, NATO and Portugal’s security and strategic position. It was also considered whether the EU needs greater flexibility to accommodate different levels of integration, including closer relationships with countries beyond its borders, and whether this would require changes to the treaties.
Finally, the debate addresses the prospect of further EU enlargement: Should the Union expand, how should this process be managed, and what would the implications be for Portugal?
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