September 18th and 19th 2025
Quality Jobs in a Competitive Social Europe
A global forum to build quality jobs in a competitive social Europe
The Porto Social Forum 2025 addresses Europe's urgent need for renewed competitiveness through a strong social agenda. Building upon the 2021 Porto Social Summit and 2023 Forum, this edition focuses on "Quality Jobs in a Competitive Social Europe" at a critical time when facing a new geopolitical context and a strong demand for renewed competitiveness, going hand in hand with a fair and inclusive green and digital transition for all. To thrive now and prepare for the future, Europe needs a strong social agenda.
The Forum will contribute to developing the new European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan and Quality Jobs Roadmap, while fostering international cooperation to strengthen resilient, inclusive labour markets.
8h30 | Arrival of delegations
9h00 – 10h00 | Opening Ceremony
9h00 – 9h20 | Welcome and opening by Minister Rosário Palma Ramalho and EVP Roxana Mînzatu
9h20 – 10h00 | Quality Jobs in a Competitive Social Europe
Setting the Scene: José Pedro Aguiar Branco, President of the Portuguese Parliament
Speakers:
Discussion moderated by Ali Al Jaberi
10h00 – 11h15 | PANEL I – Enhancing the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights: Competitiveness and Social Fairness, reinforcing each other
Chair: Filipa Lima, PT Secretary of State for Social Security
Setting the Scene: Mário Nava, Director-General DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), European Commission
Speakers:
Moderated colloquium with Q&A from moderator and audience
11h15 – 11h45 | Coffee Break
11h45 – 13h00 | PANEL II – Free and fair labour mobility for a competitive European Union
Chair: Adriano Moreira, PT Secretary of State of Labour
Setting the Scene: Cosmin Boiangiu, Executive Director of the European Labour Authority (ELA)
Speakers:
Moderated colloquium with Q&A from moderator and audience
13h00 – 15h00 | Lunch
Parallel event: EVP Minzatu Meeting with PEP between 14h30 and 16h00
15h00 – 16h15 | PANEL III – Building Fair Workplaces: Quality Jobs and a Better Work–Life Balance
Chair: Inês Domingos, PT Secretary of State for European Affairs
Setting the Scene: Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean (Demography)
Speakers:
Moderated colloquium with Q&A from moderator and audience
16h30 | Closing Remarks
By Inês Domingos, PT Secretary of State for European Affairs
Parallel event: The EU Strategy for Combating Poverty – meeting with People Experiencing Poverty (PEP)
A parallel closed-door meeting of people experiencing poverty will be organised by the European Commission and the European Anti-Poverty Network. The meeting will serve as an opportunity for the Executive Vice-President, Roxana Mînzatu, to consult people experiencing poverty, given the upcoming first-ever European Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Closing remarks: Clara Marques Mendes, PT State Secretary for Social Affairs and Inclusion
*This agenda is updated on an ongoing basis.
8h00 – 8h45 | Arrival of delegations
8h45 – 10h00 | High-level ceremony
Welcoming words by the President of the Porto Municipal Assembly, Sebastião Feyo de Azevedo
European Social Partners will be invited to intervene (ETUC, BusinessEurope, SGI Europe, SMEunited), followed by the Social Platform.
10h00 – 10h30 | Family photo, followed by a Press conference
10h30 – 12h00 | PANEL I – Advancing on Quality Jobs for a More Competitive Europe: towards a 4th 2030 target in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan (Auditorium) – Ministerial roundtable with the participation of the European Social Partners
Moderated colloquium with:
Discussion moderated by Ali Al Jaberi
12h30 – 13h45 | Ministerial Lunch: Work-Life Balance and Quality jobs (Roseiral House)
Chair: Rosário Palma Ramalho, PT Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Portugal
Setting the Scene: Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management (video message)
14h00 – 15h00 | PAINEL II – Between generations - What quality jobs mean for today and tomorrow - and the role of social dialogue in advancing quality jobs for a more competitive Europe (Auditorium)
Chair: João Rui Ferreira, Secretary of State for Economy
Setting the Scene:
15h00 – 15h30 | Coffee Break
15h30 – 16h30 | PANEL III – Global Outlook: Employment and Social Policies in a Broader Context
Chair: Paulo Rangel, PT Minister of Foreign Affairs
Setting the Scene: Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General, International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Speakers:
Moderated colloquium with Q&A from moderator and audience
16h30 – 17h00 | Conclusions and Closing Session
Porto Social Forum Conclusions by
*This agenda is updated on an ongoing basis.
On 18–19 September, the city of Porto hosted over 400 participants at the second edition of the Porto Social Forum, dedicated to “Quality Jobs in a Competitive Social Europe.
EU leaders, Ministers, social partners, and civil society representatives highlighted the enduring strength of the European social model as a strategic advantage for Europe, underlining that competitiveness and social rights must go hand in hand, mutually reinforcing each other to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
The Discussions at the Forum focused on four key policy priorities:
The outcomes of the discussions were consolidated into a set of open conclusions, which were subsequently submitted to Member States and other participants for further input.
The final text represented a balanced synthesis that incorporated the main concerns raised, respected the diversity of perspectives expressed throughout the event, and provided a broadly consensual message to guide the future of the European social agenda.
The Main Conclusions of the Porto Social Forum 2025 were presented to the EPSCO Council on 1 December 2025, and received the support of 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
The Council took good note of the Conclusions, as well as the European Commission, which stated that the Forum provided an important opportunity to take stock and reaffirm the commitment to a strong Social Europe, guided by the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights, with a view to improving living and working conditions across the European Union.
The Porto Social Forum 2025 conveyed a clear message: Europe’s competitiveness strategy must be built on people, skills, social dialogue, and quality employment. Quality jobs must be a shared ambition, underpinned by fair wages, decent working conditions, equal opportunities, and strong social protection.
The Main Conclusions from the Porto Social Forum 2025 are now expected to contribute to several forthcoming EU initiatives, including the new Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights, the Quality Jobs Roadmap, the Labour Mobility Package, the various initiatives under the Union of Skills Strategy launched in March 2025, and the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy and strengthened European Child Guarantee.
The Action Plan aims to implement and realize the European Pillar of Social Rights, which consists of 20 guiding principles for building a strong, fair, inclusive, and opportunity-rich social Europe.
The European Pillar was proclaimed by the three institutions of the Union - the Council, the Commission, and the Parliament - at the previous Social Summit in 2017 in Gothenburg.
Located at the mouth of the Douro River, Porto is the second largest city in Portugal and the one that gave its name to the country. Since 1996, its historic center has been classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. A city with historical monuments, century old bridges, parks, and the magnificent Douro River, not to mention the typical cuisine of the region, namely the famous specialties of the area: from Francesinha to Tripas à Moda do Porto and Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá.
In 2001, it was considered the European Capital of Culture and in 2012 it was elected as the Best European Destination by the European Consumers Association. Also famous for its Port wine cellars, the quality of its restaurants, and its gastronomy, the city of Porto also has several renowned cultural spaces such as the Serralves Museum, Casa da Música, and the unmissable Livraria Lello.
A city full of life that is also known for its arts, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Learn more at Visit Porto.
Super Bock Arena is an emblematic and culturally significant venue in the city, recognized for hosting various nationally and internationally relevant events. Its accommodation capacity, modern infrastructure, and versatility make it the ideal space to host a large-scale gathering.
Importance of the European Social Model
The European Social Model concerns a set of policies and practices adopted by the countries of the European Union (EU) to promote social well-being and the protection of citizens' rights.
