Portugal: Porto social summit starts Friday, 24 of 27 heads of EU states present

The Social Summit kicks off on Friday in Porto with the almost certain presence of 24 of the 27 heads of state and government of the European Union, gathered to define Europe’s social agenda for the next decade.

The Secretary of State for European Affairs, Ana Paula Zacarias, told Lusa that, until mid-afternoon on Wednesday, she had indications that the leaders of practically all EU member states would attend the summit in person, with the exception of German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rute, who cancelled their trips to Portugal due to the pandemic situation in their respective countries, but ensured their participation “at all times” by video conference.

Later it became known that the prime minister of Malta, Robert Abela, informed that he will also not travel to Porto because he is in quarantine, after his wife tested positive for Covid-19.

The Presidents of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, of the European Council, Charles Michel, and of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Commission Executive Vice-Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis, High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioners Elisa Ferreira, Mariya Gabriel and Nicolas Schmit will be present.

In total, the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the EU expects more than 100 participants at the summit, which includes a conference on Friday at Alfândega do Porto with political and institutional leaders, social partners and civil society, and an informal European Council on Saturday at the Crystal Palace, where Portugal expects a political commitment to the European social agenda.

The difference with the previous Social Summit, held in Gothenburg in 2017, is, the Portuguese presidency has stressed, it is the first time that such a commitment is signed not only at the institutional level, but also with the social partners and civil society.

This comprehensive scope leaves the Prime Minister, António Costa, confident in the approval of the first “interinstitutional agreement” in the EU’s history, a “strong political endorsement” of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

A draft of the Porto Declaration, dated last Tuesday, provides for a commitment by the 27 to protect and create jobs, focusing on economic recovery and fighting poverty and inequality, social needs imposed by the so-called double transition, green and digital, and accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The implementation of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights will be essential to ensure the creation of more and better jobs for all, in the framework of an inclusive recovery,” stresses the document, which will still have to be endorsed by Member States.

The Social Summit, defined by the Portuguese presidency as the high point of the six months, has at the heart of the agenda the action plan of the European Pillar of Social Rights, presented by the European Commission in March.

The plan sets three major targets for 2030: to have at least 78% of the population in employment, 60% of workers in training annually, 15 million fewer people at risk of poverty and social exclusion, five million of whom are children.

On Friday, the programme starts at 11:00 with a ceremony to hand over the keys of the city of Porto to the Presidents of the three European institutions (Parliament, Council and Commission).

The opening session of the Social Summit, with António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, is scheduled for 14:00, followed throughout the afternoon by workshops on employment, qualifications and social protection, and speeches by representatives of the social partners, civil society and the institutions.

After a presentation of the results of the work, a press conference with António Costa, David Sassoli, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen will take place.

Friday’s programme ends with a dinner for the members of the European Council (which brings together the leaders of the Member States) at the Crystal Palace.

On Saturday, at 09:30, the informal meeting of the European Council begins, followed at 12:00 by a press conference with the Prime Minister, the President of the Council and the President of the Commission.

In the early afternoon, the EU-India Summit will bring together the leaders of the 27 and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who announced a fortnight ago that he could not be present due to the serious pandemic situation in his country, and will attend the meeting remotely.