Press Release: President Barroso and Prime Minister Topolánek meet the European social partners to discuss the economic crisis

The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Mirek Topolánek – representing the Council Presidency – met the European social partners on 19 March, 2009, to discuss the social impact of the crisis, and how to prepare the May summit on employment. The Tripartite Social Summit showed a clear consensus on the urgent need for coordinated action at European level to complement and support actions at Member State level, together with a rejection of protectionist measures. Vladimír Špidla, Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, and the Swedish and Spanish Prime Ministers, Fredrik Reinfeldt and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, were also present.

European Commission: SPEECH/09/132: Introductory remarks of President Barroso at the Tripartite Social Summit Press Conference http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/132&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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