Brussels, 12/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is organising on 13-14 January in Brussels, in collaboration with the Luxembourg presidency of the EU, a seminar, "Promoting social development for all" - the EU's experience in helping provide a dynamic for jobs and social cohesion in a contribution to revising the UN's action plan on social development. This plan was launched 10 years ago in Copenhagen and focuses on poverty reduction, jobs and social integration. Work will be divided into three sessions on the following themes: 1) the EU's experience in the Lisbon strategy; 2) the EU's contribution to promoting social development in the world; 3) how to better explain social development in the context of globalisation.
Odile Quintin, director general of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (European Commission), which chair the sessions. Participants will include European Commissioner Vladimir Spidla, Luxembourg minister for the family, integration and equal opportunities Marie-Josée Jacobs, his Hungarian counterpart Kinga Göncz, director general of DG Development (European Commission) Stefano Manservisi¸ president of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the EP Ottaviano Del Turco, the president of the Social Protection Committee Tom Mulherin, as well as representatives from civil society and European social partners.