Bilateral agreement designed to regularise post-Brexit Luso-British relations
Still technically ‘off-sick’, Portugal’s PM António Costa is said to have drawn up a ‘post- Brexit’ bilateral agreement with British PM Boris Johnson, the idea being that it will ‘regularise’ Luso-British relations now that the UK is no longer a member of the European Union.
The objective is to protect the interests of both countries in terms of collaboration over defence, foreign affairs, science, higher education and climate change – especially when it refers to the oceans, says Lusa.
The news came this morning from foreign affairs minister João Gomes Cravinho, who is accompanying President Marcelo in his whistle-stop visit to the UK in the context of Portugal Day celebrations.
According to Gomes Cravinho, the only thing ‘missing’ is for the deal to be signed by the two men – which could happen as early as Monday afternoon.
Reports in Portugal suggest Mr Costa – who has been ordered to take things easy for three days – is already ‘bouncing back’, and could be fit to travel to London tomorrow.
President Marcelo has been quoted as saying this will ‘definitely be happening’ as, he says, Mr Costa has a meeting scheduled with Boris Johnson in Downing Street on Monday at 1pm.
Lusa adds that the bilateral agreement is also likely to cover “commercial cooperation”, seeing a “deepening of Luso-British (trade) relations, as long as they respect the agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom”.
