Brussels, 29/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - Social affairs ministers from the 11 member states of the EU that signed the declaration, “A new Impetus for the Social Europe”, in Paris last February (EUROPE 9366) met on Tuesday evening 29 May for an informal dinner the day before the “Employment, Social, Health and Consumer Policy” summit (EPSCO) on Wednesday and Thursday (see other article below) to exchange ideas on relaunching a social Europe. This first meeting will be followed by others before each EPSCO Council.
Representatives from 11 member states: Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and France, discussed employment, security, social cohesion, governance, as well as challenges linked to demographic change. They again examined the principles in their declaration, namely, the need to enhance the European social model and economic and social convergence in the EU to help promote job creation, equal opportunities on the labour market, life-long training and modernisation of social protection. A diplomatic source commented that “this meeting constitutes a return to social concerns as part of the European Union's work”. (gb)