Europe minister Frans Timmermans met his Portuguese colleague Manuel Lobo Antunes to discuss Portugal’s EU Presidency programme

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Portugal’s top priority is to conclude the new EU Reform Treaty. Antunes wants to finalise the legal aspects of the treaty as soon as possible. Timmermans agreed, declaring a new treaty essential in order to tackle the challenges currently facing the EU: ‘Treaties do not solve problems, but they are necessary for the Union to function in a way that it can resolve these problems.’ Another priority of the Presidency, said Antunes, is to improve relations with Brazil, Africa and the Mediterranean countries.