Informal meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers

Bringing together ministers, social partners, institutions and representatives of the EU, as well as notable speakers, the meeting will provide a high-level forum for exchanging views on promoting a shared European approach to fair, inclusive and future-oriented employment and social policies, with social justice as a central guiding principle. In this context, discussions will also focus on the upcoming European Anti-Poverty Strategy and ensuring access to high-quality long-term care that effectively responds to the evolving needs of active ageing.

Read more: EU Employment and Social Affairs ministers advance a socially just future of work

Agenda highlights

On 12 February, a cultural event is planned for the participants in Larnaka, followed by a gala dinner.

On 13 February, the ministers will meet in Lefkosia for the informal meeting, in order to discuss the following issues, in three sessions:

The first plenary session, titled “Fair Employment for Social Justice”, will address national policies that have proven effective in fostering fair employment, as well as further concrete steps to ensure that EU employment policy instruments deliver tangible results, thereby advancing fair employment in support of social justice.

The second plenary session, which will take place in the afternoon, will examine how the forthcoming first ever European Anti-Poverty Strategy can most effectively support national, regional and local authorities in reducing poverty by simultaneously breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. The discussions will also highlight best practices in social investment and integrated policies aimed at promoting social inclusion and access to services.

The third plenary session will focus on policy measures and system reforms that have been shown to be effective in promoting active ageing through person-centred long-term care policies. The discussion will further explore innovative practices that address current challenges in long-term care, examining how these approaches can be scaled up and financed sustainably, and integrated into national policy frameworks, in order to support active ageing and long-term care.

The meeting will conclude with a press conference featuring the Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Mr Marinos Moushouttas, the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Ms Clea Papaellina, and the Executive Vice-President of the European Commision for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Ms Roxana Mînzatu.