“During a meeting at the Ministry of Environment and Energy, in Lisbon, the two government officials agreed on a principle of decision on specific situations in the water sector, such as the water capture in Pomarão, in Mértola, and the management of the ecological flows of the Tagus,” reads the government statement. The agreement translates into the “principle of equity in terms of volumes of water captured,” on both sides of the border. “In the case of the ecological flows of the Tagus, the basis on which we work is the defense of the ecosystems of the Tagus, seeking to find a constant balance that allows us to avoid the advance of the so-called “salt wedge” in this river,” explained Maria da Graça Carvalho.
In a statement, the Minister of the Environment reaffirmed that “both cases require technical solutions, which are still under discussion between the competent authorities of both countries – the Portuguese Environment Agency, from Portugal, and the General Directorate of Waters, from Spain.” The closing of the agreement between the two ministers is expected at the next meeting, scheduled for September 26, in Madrid.
Energy
Another topic discussed at the meeting was energy. The participants agreed to create a joint working group that will be tasked with applying the new rules of the European electricity market to the Iberian market.
“Portugal and Spain will also work together, in contact with France and the European institutions, so that electricity and hydrogen interconnections are also a European issue and not just an issue for the Iberian Peninsula,” they explain in a press release.
Maria da Graça Carvalho and Teresa Ribera also highlighted that the Iberian lynx is no longer considered an “endangered” species, thanks to the cooperation between Portugal and Spain. “Given the recent approval of the Restoration Law by the European Council, Maria da Graça Carvalho announced that a joint dialogue will take place in the construction of environmental restoration plans in both countries,” she said.
