An informal meeting of ministers for employment starts today in Luhačovice
A three-day meeting of EU ministers that will last from 22 January until Saturday, 24 January, was opened today by Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Petr Nečas.
At the beginning of the meeting minister Nečas informed his colleagues regarding the main points on the agenda of the meeting with the representatives of social partners and the Social Platform that took place on Wednesday, 21 January, in Brussels.
The informal meeting of the EPSCO Council is attended by European Commissioner Vladimír Špidla and Ministers of twenty Member States, for instance Olaf Scholz from Germany, Viera Tomanová from Slovakia, Celestino Corbacho Chaves from Spain, Sven Otto Littorin and Kristina Husmark-Pehrson from Sweden or Pat McFadden and Lord McKenzie from Luton. The seven remaining states are represented predominantly by deputy ministers. The meeting is also attended by other high representatives of the European Commission, Chairman of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs of the European Union Jan Andersson, chairmen of the Social Protection Council and Employment Committee and the Economic and Social Committee, representatives of the European Trade Union Confederation, Business Europe and the Permanent Representation in Brussels.
List of ministers attending the meeting:
- Belgium: Joelle Milquet
- Bulgaria: Emiliya Maslarova
- Czech Republic: Petr Nečas
- Denmark: Claus Frederiksen
- Ireland: Billy Kelleher
- Cyprus: Sotiroula Charalambus
- Lithuania: Rimantas Dagys
- Latvia: Iveta Purne
- Luxembourg: Francois Biltgen
- Hungary: Agnes Vargha
- Malta: John Dalli
- Germany: Olaf Scholz
- The Netherlands: Piet Hein Donner
- Portugal: José Vieire da Silva
- Austria: Rudolf Hundstorfer
- Roumania: Marian Sarbu
- Slovakia: Viera Tomanová (Miloslav Hetteš on Friday)
- Spain: Celestino Corbacho Chaves
- Sweden: Sven Otto Littorin, Cristina Husmark-Pehrson
- The United Kingdom: Pat McFadden, Lord McKenzie of Luton
Heads of delegations of the remaining Member States:
- Estonia: Carita Rammus, Attaché for Labour Affairs
- Finland: Markku Wallin, Deputy Minister
- France: Agnes Leclerc, Director
- Italy: Pasquale Viespoli, Deputy Minister
- Poland: Radoslaw Mleczko, Deputy Minister
- Greece: Sophia Kalantzakoz, Deputy Minister
- Slovenia: Anja Kopač Mrak, State Secretary
Other participants:
- European Commission: Vladimír Špidla, Commissioner
- General Secretariat of the Council: Carsten Pillath, General Director
- Social Protection Committee: Aurelio Fernandez, President
- Employment Committee: Emilio Gabaglio, President
- Economic and Social Committee: Leila Kurki, President
- European Parliament: Jan Andersson, President
- European Trade Union: Maria Helena Dos Santos André, General Secretary Confederation
- Business Europe: Jorgen Ronnest, President
- DG Employment: Nikolaus van der Pas, Director General
- Permanent Representation: Miroslav Fuchs, Councellor
Last update: 16.8.2011 15:51
