European Social Summit: a first step towards the implementation of a more united Europe
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa at a press conference in Porto during the European Social Summit.
May 7, 2021. REUTERS - POOL
Text by: RFI Follow
6 mins
Gathered around the Portuguese Prime Minister in Porto, European leaders adopted a declaration of commitment.
It sets objectives that Europeans must achieve in order to take more account of social issues in the coming years in terms of equal pay, employment or training.
Social Europe is not yet a reality, but the Twenty-Seven hope that this will make it possible to emerge as well as possible from the Covid-19 crisis.
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With our special
correspondent in Porto,
Anthony Lattier
On stage, the social partners and European leaders congratulate each other; they have just signed a joint declaration an action plan to make social Europe a reality.
“
In the future
, explains the Portuguese socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa,
we will not only assess our results by looking at our deficits, our debt, or our economic growth;
but also looking at the poverty figures, our ability to train Europeans or our ability to provide work to achieve a target of 78% employment in 2030
.
"
Emmanuel Macron: "
There is resistance, reluctance
"
For the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, “
this text finally makes it possible to put the social question at the heart of the European Union's priorities so that no one is left by the wayside
. "
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen recalled the achievements of Europe in the crisis and in particular the recovery plan of 750 billion euros financed by an unprecedented common debt, a symbol of European solidarity. For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of the legislative projects underway in Brussels to try to better protect workers from new digital platforms or impose an upward convergence of minimum wages in the EU. Without obscuring the difficulties. "
There is resistance, reluctance, moments of tension, but they are necessary for there to be progress today
."
Today was Europe at its best.
We all agreed on the need for change.
We need to protect our most vulnerable - the same ones we called 'essential' during the crisis.
From health professionals to clerks, cleaners and delivery people.
Porto is for them.
https://t.co/hPrEi1jhQk
- Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 7, 2021
Avoid the error of 2008 ...
The summit comes as Europe sees the end of the tunnel, after a year of the Covid-19 pandemic which increased unemployment and poverty.
The rapid vaccination of the population and the gradual alleviation of health constraints give hope for an economic rebound.
European leaders do not wish to reproduce the error of ending the 2008 crisis and these austerity policies which impoverished the people and favored populist discourse.
However, this goodwill will have to be translated into action quickly.
Gathered in Porto for a social summit, the 27 European leaders are due to address the issue during a dinner this Saturday, May 8.
The debate has been heated since US President Joe Biden said he was ready on Thursday to support the lifting of vaccines patents in order to facilitate their production around the world.
The Europeans - who have been opposed to this idea for a year - did not appreciate this political coup by Joe Biden very much.
The priority is the export of the doses produced, explains the President of the European Commission Ursurla Von Der Leyen.
22 POL _Son Von der leyen rather blah on the lifting of vaccine patents covid = 6h
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