EU member states reaffirmed their commitment to the European social contract, aiming at an inclusive, sustainable and just economic recovery with high employment rates, as Porto 2023 Social Forum, concluded on Saturday. Cyprus was represented by Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Yiannis Panayiotou.
According to a Labour Ministry press release, in the framework of the Forum, Panayiotou exchanged views with Portuguese Labor Minister Ana Mendes Godinho and other counterparts, EU officials as well as with ILO General Gilbert Houngbo, with whom they agreed on a bilateral meeting during the ILO Annual Working Session in June.
The importance of the European social model, skills development and anti-poverty strategies were among the topics emphasised at the Forum. “Education and training are critical investments and social rights must be prioritized for a prosperous and socially oriented European Union,” the press release says.
Porto Social Forum concluded with a commitment for collective action in addressing social challenges. In the Joint Declaration signed, Member States renewed their commitment to the European social contract, aiming for an inclusive, sustainable, just recovery with high employment rates.
Source: Cyprus News Agency