Portugal has the third largest exclusive economic zone in the European Union

Omissions

• The ranking includes the EEZs of Portugal's Atlantic archipelagos (Azores and Madeira), which is precisely the point of the MEP's argument regarding the strategic value of these regions.
• Denmark ranks second only because its EEZ includes Greenland; excluding outermost/overseas territories would change the ordering, though the 'third largest in the EU' formulation is the one used by the European Commission itself.

Sources

• PrimaryEU Blue Economy Observatory — European Commission (Portugal country profile)It has the third largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the EU, spanning 1.7 million km2, after France (1st in the world) and Denmark (2nd in the EU).
• SecondaryPassaro No Ombro — Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of PortugalPortugal's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is the 3rd largest in the European Union and covers 1.727.408 km2.