27/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - The 2nd Forum on the Social Services of General Interest (SSIG) in Europe is to be held this Tuesday 28 on Wednesday 29 October in Paris. This forum, organised by the French employment minister, will provide the opportunity to shed light on the contribution of the SSIG to social cohesion in Europe and to ensure that the Community legal framework promotes the development and modernisation of these services, the French Presidency of the EU has announced. Xavier Bertrand, French Minister for Employment in Solidarity, Vladimir Spidla, European Commissioner for Social Affairs, Valérie Létard, French Secretary of State for Solidarity, Nikolaus van der Pas, Director General at the Commission (DG Employment/Social) and the MEP Joel Hasse Ferreira (PES, Portugal) will be taking part in the session. For more information, see: http://www.ue2008.fr (G.B./trans.fl)