Social-democratic MEP Paulo Cunha has been appointed rapporteur for the European People's Party, the largest political group in the European Parliament, for the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, a key instrument for balancing the decarbonisation of heavy industry with the EU's competitiveness and strategic autonomy. Cunha, who coordinates the PSD delegation, stated that his role will focus on ensuring that funding priorities and technical guidelines support innovation and technology to keep the transition both green and industrially sustainable. The appointment follows a letter from Prime Minister Luís Montenegro calling for a strategy that combines climate ambition with economic sustainability.
PSD MEP appointed EPP rapporteur for the Research Fund for Coal and Steel
Wednesday, 18 March 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The European Parliament is the directly elected legislative body of the European Union, with 720 members (MEPs) elected every five years by citizens of all 27 member states. Portugal elects 21 MEPs through proportional representation.
The Parliament co-legislates with the Council of the EU on most EU law, approves the EU budget, and scrutinizes EU institutions including the European Commission. Its decisions affect Portuguese citizens through EU regulations on trade, agriculture, environmental standards, consumer protection, digital markets, and more.
Portuguese MEPs sit in European political groups aligned with their domestic parties — for example, PS MEPs in the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), PSD/CDS in the European People's Party (EPP), and Chega in the Patriots for Europe group. Key committees where Portuguese interests feature prominently include fisheries, cohesion policy, and economic affairs.
Sustainability (sustentabilidade) means meeting present needs without reducing the ability of future generations to meet theirs, covering environmental, economic and social dimensions. For residents it affects local planning, jobs and services—look for municipal or company targets, timelines and measurable actions when assessing how sustainable a place or employer is.
