20/06/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 20 June, several Social Democrat ministers in charge of European affairs and the Vice President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, launched an appeal for the swift adoption of an action plan on social Europe. They said that they regretted the absence of a social point on the agenda of the forthcoming European Council. Michael Roth, the German minister responsible for European questions declared that he was particularly concerned and highlighted the need to recalibrate the position of the social and economic dimensions in order to ensure the effective functioning of the internal market. During the “Employment and Social Policy” Council (EPSCO), Luxembourg and Austria made a joint declaration on the social pillar that also went in this direction (see EUROPE 11810). (PH)