Media advisory - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of 17 October 2025 11:58 Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press[...]

Indicative programme

All times are approximate and subject to change

Place:
ECCL Luxembourg

Chairs:
- Magnus Heunicke, Minister for Environment and Gender Equality
- Sophie Haestorp Andersen, Minister for Social Affairs and Housing

Employment and social policy, Friday 17 October

From 09.00
Arrivals (live streaming)

+/- 09.15
Doorsteps by Ministers Magnus Heunicke and Sophie Haestorp Andersen (live streaming)

10.00
Beginning of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and social policy)
Adoption of the agenda
Approval of "A" items:

• Non-legislative list
• Legislative list (public session)

+/- 10.10
Conclusions on violence against women and domestic violence: prevention, early detection and intervention (public session)

+/- 10.20
Combating hate, discrimination and violence against LGBTIQ persons (public session)

+/- 12.00
Any other business:
- Gender Equality Index, including thematic focus on gender stereotypes (public session)
- High-level conferences: Equality policy (+/- 12.25 public session)

+/- 12.30
Working lunch debate on 'Combating sexual violence and promoting consent in sexual relationships'

+/- 14.00
Any other business:
- Presidency event - Informal meeting of Employment and Social affairs Ministers (Aalborg, 7-8 July 2025) (public session)
- Presidency event - High-level conferences: Social policy (+/- 14.05 public session)

+/- 14.10
Conclusions on the social inclusion of persons with disabilities through the promotion of independent living (public session)

+/- 14.20
Advancing disability rights in the EU: challenges, progress and future directions (public session)

+/- 16.00
Any other business:
- Annual report on simplification, implementation and enforcement (public session)
- Initiative for a European Day of Sign Languages (+/- 16.15 public session)

At the end of the meeting (+/- 16.30), press conference in live streaming.

Arrangements for the press conference

The press conference will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the ECCL Luxembourg press room.

To attend the event remotely, please use this link to register and have the possibility to ask questions.

Those who already registered for previous press events of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council do not need to do it again.

• Deadline for registration: Friday, 17 October 2025, 15.30

Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.

Videos and photos from the event