Commissioner Schmit to attend the Porto Social Forum

On Friday and Saturday, 26-27 May, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, will participate in the Porto Social Forum 2023, organised by the Portuguese government with the support of the Commission. The Forum will gather national ministers, Members of the European Parliament, representatives from the Commission, social partners, and civil society. It will take stock of the progress in implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, two years after the Porto Social Summit.

The European Pillar of Social Rights sets out 20 guiding rights and principles for a strong social Europe that is fair, inclusive and full of opportunities. The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan lists over 75 initiatives to implement the Pillar. Almost all have already been adopted or are currently with the European Parliament and Member States. These initiatives range from pay transparency to overcome the gender pay gap, adequate minimum wages and protecting workers' occupational safety and health to adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion, combatting child poverty, and supporting the employment of persons with disabilities. The Action Plan also set three EU-level social targets to meet by 2030 in employment, training and poverty reduction. The European Council has welcomed the EU headline targets and in June 2022, Member States presented their own national targets to contribute to meeting these goals.

Participants at the Porto Forum will also discuss skills as key drivers of the green and digital transitions, making the link to the European Year of Skills, as well as the importance of the European social model on the global stage, particularly in an enlargement context.

The Forum will start with a series of side events on Friday, in which Commissioner Schmit will participate. On Saturday, the Commissioner will open the main session of the Forum. He will also join a lunch debate with representatives from EU institutions, candidate countries and the International Labour Organization to discuss child poverty and the European Child Guarantee.

The agenda of the Porto Social Forum 2023 is available online, and the event can be followed live. After the forum, Commissioner Schmit will take part in a press conference on Saturday, 27 May, at 18:30 CEST.

(For more information: Veerle Nuyts – Tel.: +32 229 96302; Flora Matthaes — Tel.: +32 229 83951)