EU Social Summit starts today with formal sitting at Porto City Hall
Article
Miguel Nogueira
At The European Union Social Summit is held between today and Saturday. A few minutes earlier to the stroke of eleven am, the highest representatives of the European Union will be welcomed at Porto City Hall, where they will receive the Keys of the city of Porto by Mayor Rui Moreira.
The President of the European Council, David Maria Sassoli, the President of the European Parliament, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will be welcomed at Porto City Hall for the formal sitting jointly prepared with the Portuguese Presidency of the European Council.
The ceremony, which is attended by the Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, is open only to a European Union delegation that will gather at the Council Chambers. This event is closed to external invitees due to safety reasons and space limits.
In the course of these two days, over 100 participants are expected to take part in this EU Social Summit, which starts today, in the afternoon.
This is, an unusual event as the three highest representatives of the European Union – the President of the Commission, of the Parliament and of the Council- gather in the same event. In fact, this is a sign of appreciation towards the city of Porto and its support to the organisation of the first in-person meeting of European leaders amid the ongoing pandemic.
The EU Social Summit starts with a conference at the Porto Customs Building, with the presence of political and institutional leaders, social partners and civil society representatives. The following day, a parallel event will be held at the Super Bock Arena – Pavilhão Rosa Mota; i tis the Informal European Council that will address a political commitment towards the European social agenda.
The same day, in the afternoon, the India-EU Summit starts, with the participation of European leaders and of the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, via videoconference. His in-person attendance was cancelled due to the worsening of the pandemic in India.