Policy paper

UK–Portugal Joint Declaration on Bilateral Cooperation

Published 13 June 2022

The Portuguese Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereinafter referred to as the ‘United Kingdom’ or the ‘UK’), together referred to as the ‘Participants’, hereby note and record the following understanding:

Introduction

As we approach the 650th anniversary of the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty signed at Tagilde, we celebrate the deep historical connections that bind our two countries, noting that we have long enjoyed excellent bilateral relations and that our alliance – the oldest continuous alliance in the world – has underpinned these relations for centuries.

As like-minded democracies in the twenty-first century, we are committed to working together as part of a wider global network of liberty to defend freedom and democracy, free trade, human rights and the rule of law. These shared values are reinforced by our common membership of organisations which include NATO, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, INTERPOL and the WTO, and our mutual commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the promotion of a rules-based international order.

Our shared values are of particular importance, as Europe’s peace and security is threatened in a manner unseen for decades. We stand together in condemning Russia’s aggression, and in our support for the Ukrainian government and people.

We are committed to collective defence through NATO. We will work together to strengthen NATO’s long-term defence posture and to ensure NATO has a wide network of partnerships oriented to enhance security, ready to tackle all threats to Euro-Atlantic security. We will deepen our diplomatic, security and defence cooperation, strengthening our shared capacity to overcome current and future threats to our security.

We will work together to strengthen our energy security and tackle climate change, harnessing our global leadership in science and innovation to accelerate emissions reductions and the transition to sustainable and affordable energy supplies. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to strengthening the implementation of the Paris Agreement and commit to urgent, ambitious and inclusive action to reduce emissions leading to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest, while halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, and protecting forests and oceans. We will explore opportunities for research collaboration, promote mobility, exchange and cooperation in sectors including education and science, and establish a policy dialogue on research culture.

We recognise our shared interests in collaborating to address these and other urgent global challenges, such as the need for freer and fairer trade; increased resilience and diversification of global supply chains; the reduction of inequalities; and the promotion of inclusive growth, with a view to building back better after the pandemic, both in our own countries and around the world.

We also highlight the strong connections between the people of our two countries: first and foremost, through our sizeable diaspora communities, but also encompassing joint research projects, higher education links, business connections and significant tourism flows. The exchange of people and ideas sits at the core of our partnership and is to be celebrated and supported.

In light of our historic ties of friendship and cooperation, based on shared values and exhibited in the strength of our political, economic, defence and cultural relations, we look ahead to a close, shared future relationship supported by this Joint Declaration. This Declaration will guide and enhance our bilateral partnership and strengthen our international cooperation. Furthermore, our cooperation is consistent with, and also benefits from, the EU-UK framework and both sides see the positive development of that relationship as supportive of our bilateral efforts.

This partnership and collaboration includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

1. Foreign Policy, Cooperation and Development

a) Strengthen bilateral dialogue on foreign policy, cooperation and development priorities, including:

1. Strengthening peace and security in Europe and the European Neighbourhood, including continued coordination in our support for Ukraine and action against Russian aggression;
2. Strengthening resilience against other malign or hostile actors;
3. Supporting our partners to reduce their dependence on states that do not share our values and promoting partnerships that stand up for democracy;
4. Working with other relevant partners towards broad based and inclusive cooperation in the Indo-Pacific to reinforce the rules-based international order, address global challenges, and promote a sustainable economic recovery; and
5. Supporting economic growth and development in Africa through promoting peace, security, stability and open societies.

b) Reinforce the cooperation in multilateral fora to uphold and reinforce the rules-based international order, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and shared values.

c) Encourage joint working between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Diplomatic Institute and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office´s International Academy, including through joint diplomats training.

d) Promote development policy exchange and donor coordination on shared thematic or country priorities.

e) Work together as role models and advocates for strong climate and environmental action by promoting ocean conservation and protection, halting biodiversity loss, deforestation and land degradation, and continuing our global leadership towards net zero emissions.

f) Identify further opportunities to work together to promote diversity and inclusion, with particular focus on girls’ education, LGBT+ rights, and preventing and condemning the use of sexual violence in conflict.

1. Defence, Security, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Cooperation

a) Deepen defence cooperation by concluding the negotiations and signing a new bilateral defence agreement.

b) Enhance cooperation, as NATO Allies, on defence and security issues such as cyber, resilience and preparedness, emerging and disruptive technologies, and hybrid threats.

c) Explore opportunities for cooperation, including through joint exercises, regional groupings and initiatives, military personnel exchange, and on matters of shared concern such as Atlantic and maritime security and conflict areas.

d) Exchange views on State Threats and other hostile and malign actors, to develop a shared understanding of the security environment, including cyber.

e) Strengthen cooperation in specialist fields of serious and organised crime such as drug trafficking, terrorism and cyber-crime. Maximise opportunities for the exchange of experience and best practice, including through exploring cooperation/training protocols between the Portuguese Special Police Unit (UEP) and its British counterparts.

f) Explore opportunities for strengthening cooperation in law enforcement and criminal justice, to complement ongoing cooperation via the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, including both criminal and non-criminal information exchange.

g) Explore bilateral instruments/agreements on national security and sharing of information on immigration, weapons, ammunition, and explosives, and potential opportunities for cooperative projects in the field of defence.

1. Trade, Investment, Supply Chains and Jobs

a) Identify trade and investment opportunities and share policy expertise on priority sectors, including clean growth, renewable energy, green finance, digital economy and technology.

b) Exchange information on bilateral trade flows and investment, as well as existing barriers.

c) Establish a closer working level relationship between Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal (AICEP) and the Department for International Trade (DIT), to promote the best possible business conditions for British and Portuguese economic agents.

d) Support enhanced engagement between non-Government actors such as business confederations, chambers of commerce and relevant sector-specific business associations.

e) Work together to promote our economic security and that of our partners, including joint efforts to bolster energy security and promote resilient and diversified supply chains for critical goods and materials.

f) Work towards finalising a new Double Taxation Agreement.

1. Science, Innovation, Technology and Research

a) Facilitate engagement between Portuguese and British research institutions and the wider science and innovation community to tackle shared global challenges, collaborating across themes including: Emerging Technologies, Climate and Ocean, Renewable Energies, Life Sciences and Global Health (namely healthy ageing, cancer research, and health emergency preparedness and response) and Space (including traffic management).

b) Explore opportunities for collaboration through multilateral projects or joint applications to research and innovation programmes, including at the European level.

c) Explore opportunities to work bilaterally and multilaterally to bring together Atlantic countries to pool research, share data and advance the Sustainable Development agenda through the AIR Centre and similar organisations.

d) Establish a policy dialogue on research culture, to share best practice and promote collaborations on ethics in emerging technologies, science advice for policymaking and science diplomacy.

e) Position science as a driver of growth and jobs, through co-operation on the translation of research into the market and the pursuit of commercial objectives.

1. People-to-people Links

a) Encourage closer educational and vocational training cooperation between the UK and Portugal, for example by exploring how we can apply best practice to raise standards in the UK and Portugal in policy areas of mutual interest such as recognition of professional qualifications, in compliance with the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

b) Promote international mobility, exchange and cooperation in the education (including in secondary, further, and higher education between students, teachers, trainees and trainers), science, cultural and creative sectors.

c) Support and promote bilingual education, recognising the British Council’s continued role in the development of the state school bilingual programme in Portugal, and the mission of the Camões, I.P. in promoting language and cultural cooperation in the UK.

d) Ensure regular bilateral contact on culture and tourism.

Governance Arrangements

The Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic will have overarching responsibility for this Declaration. They will establish an annual dialogue to review progress, propose new initiatives and consider possibilities for further dialogue and cooperation.

The Portuguese Ambassador to the UK and Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Portugal alongside representatives of the respective Foreign Ministries will lead on the implementation of this agreement, convening officials as appropriate, and reporting progress to ministers.

At the request of either Participant, this Declaration may be reviewed or modified by mutual consent. Any such modification will be done in writing and would come into effect on a date to be decided by mutual consent.

The foregoing represents the understanding reached between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of the Portuguese Republic upon the matters referred to therein.

This Declaration is not legally binding and does not give rise to any rights or obligations under domestic or international law. It will come into effect on signature and will continue in operation until terminated by either Participant giving six months’ written notice of termination to the other.

Signed in London, on 13 June 2022, in the English and Portuguese languages, with both texts having equal validity.