On 7 May, Renew Europe President Dacian Cioloş MEP and Dragoş Pîslaru MEP, Renew Europe Coordinator on the European Parliament Committee for Employment and Social Affairs, represented the Renew Europe Group at the high-level Social Summit in Porto, Portugal. During the Summit, they pushed for employment and social policies to be placed higher on the European agenda and for the EU institutions and Member States to ensure that people and their wellbeing are at the heart of the EU's recovery efforts. These policies are essential for Europe to swiftly recover from the COVID-19 crisis and for the European Union to continue its transformation into becoming an even more competitive, digital and climate-friendly economy.

Sharing these liberal priorities ahead of the Summit, Cioloş said:

"The Porto Social Summit is a chance to build the foundations of a post-COVID recovery that provides opportunities for all EU citizens. The world of work is changing, accelerated by the pandemic, and we must adapt our policies to ensure no EU citizen is left behind. According to several international studies, 85% of the jobs of 2030 do not yet exist. We need to invest in skills and human capital, including ‘lifelong learning’ programmes. According to Renew Europe, the European Union has a key role to play in helping to identify the major labour market changes on a continental scale. This is the message I bring to the Porto Social Summit."

Pîslaru, Renew Europe Coordinator on the European Parliament Committee for Employment and Social Affairs, added: 

"For Renew Europe, it is imperative to ensure that we invest in a fair and competitive Europe. Our citizens must be provided with the opportunities they need to fully benefit from the freedoms that the EU guarantees and the positive aspects of the green and digital transitions. Among them are placing skills at the heart of Europe, investing in Next Generation policies for our children and young people, improving labour mobility within the EU and securing social inclusion and equal opportunities for everyone, no matter in which part of the EU they live."

The Social Summit was organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the European Council.