Brussels, 10/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, is to meet the European social partners (ETUC for the trade unions, UNICE/UEAPME for the employers, CEEP for public enterprise) on 11 April during a working lunch. The exchange of views will essentially cover the Lisbon process, follow-up of the Barcelona Summit, social policy in general and the European social model in particular. Discussions will take place to the backdrop of the strike to take place on 16 April in Italy to protest against the attempts being made by the Italian government to change certain elements in the labour law. Such trade union action "could be important for the future direction of European social legislation", according to ETUC. Participants at the meeting with Mr Prodi, will include UNICE President Georges Jacobs and his General Secretary, Philippe de Buck, as well as ETUC General Secretary Emilio Gabaglio.