President Röpke at Porto Social Forum 2023: "Social rights are the backbone of the EU’s construction"

President Oliver Röpke Speech at "Porto Social Forum 2023"

President Oliver Röpke participated in this year's Porto Social Forum, alongside Portugese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, European Parliament's Vice-President Pedro Silva Pereira and Portuguese Minister of Labour, Ana Mendes Godinho. 

In his opening speech, President Röpke reiterated the importance of Europe's social policy centred around people's well-being and their rights. He underscored that the EU's social model is the new European standard, which can serve as an important geopolitical lever, driving change also beyond the EU's borders, for instance in the EU candidate countries.

The President also discussed the EESC's position and the role of civil society in promoting the rights of children and tackling child poverty, during the lunch debate with the Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs from EU Member States and candidate countries.

At the end of the conference, an Open Letter was signed by 37 European leaders, renewing the commitments of the Porto Social Summit for 2030, foreseeing the acceleration of the target for the European Child Guarantee, as well as in the dimensions of skills and qualifications in the world of the dual transition (digital and environmental).

The day before the Forum, on 26 May, President Röpke participated in the side-event on "Achieving the twin transitions: investing in key competences for all". During the discussion, the President called for more public funding  to ensure a lifelong learning for all EU citizens,  especially in the context of the ongoing green and digital transitions.

Speech by President Röpke
Porto Social Forum 2023 - Summary
Joined op-ed: Two years after Porto Summit

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President Oliver Röpke Speech at "Porto Social Forum 2023"