The Porto Social Summit starts today, with the Heads of State or Government of the European Union, social partners and civil society meeting to define the social agenda for Europe for the next decade.
A focal point of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU, the aim is to use the summit to reach a commitment to implement the Action Plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights, presented by the European Commission in March.

The plan sets three main goals for 2030: having at least 78% of the population employed, 60% of workers receiving annual training and 15 million fewer people, including five million children, at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

The opening session of the Social Summit at the Alfândega Porto Congress Centre, with Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is scheduled for 2 pm (Lisbon time). This will be followed by working sessions on jobs, qualifications and social protection throughout the afternoon, as well as speeches from representatives of social partners, civil society and European institutions.

At the end of business, there will be a press conference where António Costa will be accompanied by the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Four years after the summit in Gothenburg, Sweden, the Porto Social Summit stands out for its aim to reach a commitment not only at institutional level, but also with social partners and civil society. A scope that leaves Prime Minister António Costa confident of the approval of the first “inter-institutional agreement” in the history of the EU and of “strong political endorsement” of the European Pillar of Social Rights.