The EU Social Summit of 2021 is taking place in Porto, Portugal, where European Union leaders are meeting for two days (7 and 8 May) with the goal of making progress on the agenda for a social Europe.

The summit will focus on job creation, poverty and inequality, the green and digital transitions. More particularly, the EU is looking to reach an EU employment rate of at least 78%, at least 60% of adults attending training courses every year, and reducing the number of those at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 15 million people, including 5 million children. Thursday's US proposal to waive COVID-19 vaccines patents to help speed the end of the pandemic will also be discussed.

EU-India

Tomorrow, the leaders will hold an online summit with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi covering trade, climate change and help with India’s COVID-19 surge. Even though Prime Minister Modi cancelled his trip due to the pandemic, it is still the first time an Indian leader will participate in a meeting with all the EU’s leaders.

Pandemic improvements

This week, the EU passed the landmark of 150 million vaccinations and believes it can reach “sufficient community immunity” in two months’ time. Pandemic improvements have been uneven across Europe, and many citizens remain subject to troublesome restrictions. Taking this into consideration, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte decided not to travel to Portugal. Moreover, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela won't be attending because he is in quarantine after his wife tested positive on Wednesday. For those attending the summit in person, the pandemic fundamentals remain the same, as they must show negative PCR tests for COVID-19, while social distancing and mask-wearing is required.

 Image © European Commission, 2021