The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU told the ambassadors of the Member States to the EU (Coreper I) on Wednesday 21 April that the Social Summit in Porto on 7 and 8 May would definitely be held face-to-face, but in a restricted format due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Thus, a high-level conference with all relevant actors (social partners and civil society) will be organised on the first day on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (see EUROPE 12697/22). On the second day, an informal European summit will be held in Porto with the heads of state or government.
On the European Parliament’s side, the President of Parliament David Sassoli, the chairpersons of the political groups, the Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Lucia Nicholsonová (ECR, Slovakia), as well as the two co-rapporteurs of the text for a ‘strong social Europe’, Dennis Radtke (EPP, Germany) and Agnes Jongerius (S&D, Netherlands), are expected to be invited. The issue of physical presence is expected to be debated within Parliament. Some reportedly will argue for the possibility of remote attendance.
A draft declaration of the Social Summit is expected to be sent by the Portuguese Presidency to national delegations at the end of this week, we are told. An exchange of views on the declaration is scheduled to take place in the Committee of Permanent Representatives II either on 28 April or 5 May. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)