PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“Today the European Council must take positive action for the future of our Union. This means deciding together to build common cause with states seeking a European future.”
The PES welcomed Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, and Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, to discuss what steps can be taken to ensure long overdue EU accession negotiations begin with the two nations.
Stanishev added:
“The PES has always supported the European integration process for the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania. They belong to our union of shared values. Progressive Prime Ministers Zoran Zaev and Edi Rama have invested significant political capital to reach this point. To turn away would undermine the EU’s credibility. We must not fail. Citizens expect decisive action, not just ‘signals’.”
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also attended to brief prime ministers, commissioners and leaders on Brexit.
Opening the meeting, Sergei Stanishev welcomed the incoming European commissioners and thanked those commissioners who are coming to the end of their mandates for the valuable work they have undertaken to implement the PES’s progressive vision.
Convening for a Preparation Meeting ahead of a crunch two-day European Council Summit, the progressive political family agreed that they will push hard in the new mandate to achieve a progressive European Green Deal and fully implement the Social Pillar.
At the meeting, Sergei Stanishev congratulated Antonio Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, on his excellent election result. His electoral success and clear progressive policies are a model for the progressive family to follow.
PES prime ministers, leaders and commissioners also discussed other issues that are on the agenda for the European Council Summit – the EU Budget, the EU’s strategic agenda for the next institutional cycle, and action to address climate change.
Photographs from the event are available on Flickr.
The meeting was attended by:
Sergei Stanishev, President, Party of European Socialists
António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal
Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Denmark
Stefan Lofven, Prime Minister of Sweden
Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta
Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister of Slovakia
Antti Rinne, Prime Minister of Finland
Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania
Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President-designate for the European Green Deal
Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission
Maros Sefcovic, Vice-President-designate for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight
Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner-designate for the Economy
Ylva Johansson, Commissioner-designate for Home Affairs
Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner-designate for Jobs
Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships
Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament
Iratxe García, President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament
Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the Committee of the Regions
Achim Post, Secretary General, Party of European Socialists
Jean Asselborn, Luxembourgish Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and Minister of Immigration and Asylum, LSAP, Luxembourg
Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, UK
John Crombez, Leader of sp.a, Belgium
Elio Di Rupo, Leader of PS, Belgium
Fofi Gennimata, Leader of PASOK, Greece
Brendan Howlin, Leader of the Labour Party, Ireland
Alexis Tsipras, Leader of Syriza, Greece (Observer)