PES at Porto Social Forum: A Social Europe is the foundation of a strong Europe

PES Social Affairs and Employment ministers held an informal meeting alongside the Porto Social Forum in Portugal to coordinate the next steps on the Quality Jobs Package, the upcoming New European Pillar for Social Rights Action Plan and Anti-Poverty Strategy, as well as the European Child Guarantee. The Porto Social Forum builds on the progress of previous social summits, such as in Gothenburg 2017, spearheaded by current PES President Stefan Löfven during his time as Prime Minister of Sweden, and in Porto 2021, during the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU under then Prime Minister António Costa (now President of the European Council).

Korinna Schumann, Austrian Federal Minister for Labour, Social Affairs, Health, and Consumer Protection, and chair of the meeting said:

"The Porto Social Summit has always been a flagship event of our political family. It has planted the seed for the European Pillar of Social Rights that led to major successes such as on minimum wages, platform work, pay transparency and measures on violence against women. With the new Action Plan around the corner, we must build on these achievements and set bold targets on areas such as employment, education, social affairs and inclusion. A major focus must be on the rights of children and ending child poverty which are central to the values of our political family. Delivering on this is essential, and with a more rapid implementation of the European Child Guarantee that receives increased funding.

We are living in challenging times, so it is therefore more important than ever for us to be vocal on our social ambitions. A Social Europe is the foundation of a strong Europe."

PES President Stefan Löfven said:

"With our friend António Costa, we have initiated the European Pillar of Social Rights to give social affairs and good working conditions the attention they deserve in our Union. I would like to thank him for his work on the matter and express the support of the PES to Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, in continuing to advance Europe's social agenda and legislative initiatives.

With social rights under attack by the right and far-right, our ambitions must remain high. Europe must remain a Europe for the people. Its commitment on this must never fade - this is what our citizens expect from us, and rightly so."

Ministers exchanged views on the Quality Jobs Package, reiterating priorities set out in the PES joint minister's declaration - A Quality Jobs Package for a Europe that works.

Moreover, with the next Action Plan and a European Anti-Poverty Strategy around the corner, PES ministers reiterated their support to Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu to deliver concrete measures.

On the European Child Guarantee (ECG), pioneered by the PES, ministers underlined that depravation remains an everyday struggle for children across Europe. They therefore stressed the importance that it be implemented adequately and called upon the Commission to step up its funding to the ECG.

Today's EPSCO meeting was attended by:

• Korinna Schumann, Federal Minister for Labour, Social Affairs, Health, and Consumer Protection, Austria, Chair
• Roxana Mînzatu, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness;
• Ivan Krastev, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Bulgaria;
• Michael Schäfer, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany;
• Sebastian Gajewski, Deputy Minister of Family, Labour and Social Affairs, Poland;
• Petre-Florin Manole, Minister of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity, Romania;
• Rolf Schmachtenberg, Special Envoy to EVP Roxana Mînzatu on the Quality Jobs Roadmap, European Commission;
• Estelle Ceulemans, Member of the European Parliament, S&D Coordinator of the EMPL Committee;
• ⁠Lina Gálvez, Chair of the FEMM Committee, European Parliament;
• ⁠Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee;
• Esther Lynch, General Secretary, ETUC;
• ⁠Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General of the PES.