LISBON'S PLANS TO SHEPHERD PASSAGE OF EU REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002305 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE PLEASE PASS USTR PAUL BURKHEAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017 TAGS: PGOV PO PREL EUN SUBJECT: LISBON'S PLANS TO SHEPHERD PASSAGE OF EU REFORM TREATY Classified By: POL-ECON, LCLIFTON, based on 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) During August 28 trade discussions with A/USTR Shaun Donnelly, the Prime Minister's Economic Advisor Vitor Escaria and MFA Deputy Director-General for European Affairs Rui Macieira provided insight into Lisbon's plans to obtain European Council approval of the EU Reform Treaty. Escaria explained that Lisbon's goal was to solidify de facto approval of the Reform Treaty text by EU Heads of State and Government at their informal meeting Lisbon on October 18-19. Macieira emphasized, however, that formal legal approval would need to await the European Council's December 13-14 meeting in Brussels. ¶2. (C) Macieira stated that Portugal planned to stick to the very specific mandate that the Council of Ministers gave Lisbon in June to shepherd through the existing text during its EU Presidency. Both he and Macieira did not foresee any major attempts to re-open portions of the text, although Escaria acknowledged that the likelihood of a snap election in Poland could impact the formal signing of the deal. ¶3. (C) Escaria opined that the EU could not afford to spend more time on the Reform Treaty, adding that he hoped EU member states would stop their "domestic focus" and start looking "outward." Macieira described the lack of resolution on the Treaty as a cloud that is always present in EU meetings. He acknowledged that the Treaty would affect member-states in different ways, creating "winners and losers." Even so, he voiced support for the timely passage of the text, suggesting that the issue had been with the EU "for far too long." Hoffman