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Portugal's Prime Minister António Costa presents his programme for the Council of the European Union at the EU Parliament on 19 January. Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin (above right) heads the 2021 Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Nordic Ministers for Cooperation for this period are Thomas Blomqvist, also Minister for Equality in Finland, and Annette Holmberg-Jansson, also Minister of Social Affairs and Health in the Government of Åland.
You can also read the programme in Portuguese, French, German and Slovenian.
You can also read the programme in Swedish, Finnish, Icelandic and Sami.
The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every 6 months. During this 6-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work in the Council.
Member states holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. This system was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009. The trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda determining the topics and major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18 month period. On the basis of this programme, each of the three countries prepares its own more detailed 6-month programme.
The current trio is made up of the presidencies of the Germany, Portugal and Slovenia.
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