"The summit has clearly shown that the EU tackles areas that immediately affect the lives of its citizens. With the European partners, we discussed support for the employment of Europeans. It is an area where the Czech Republic with the lowest unemployment is the leader within the EU,“ the Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said after the meeting.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka presented to the European colleagues the activities carried out by the Czech government throughout its term. First of all, it is making the labour market accessible to those who are difficult to employ. In this context, the labour force mobility is important. Therefore, the Czech government has launched a programme supporting regional mobility, through which employees may claim compensation of increased costs of commuting or moving because of work. The Czech Republic also pays attention to including non-active persons in the labour market, be it through reconciliation of personal and working life or life-long learning.

Apart from the discussion on the access to the labour market and increasing the employment of Europeans, the European Pillar of Social Rights was signed at the summit. The European Pillar is a set of twenty principles that were officially politically endorsed today by all Member States. Those principles concern, apart from areas such as education, promotion of employment or equal opportunities, issues like wages including the minimum income, access to healthcare, pensions, ensuring long-term care, gender equality or addressing homelessness. 

In the margins of the summit, the Czech Prime Minister met with Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, and leaders of other Member States to hold another round of discussions on the EU future, this time on education and culture. EU leaders have therefore agreed today that they will continue to cooperate in strengthening the popular programme Erasmus.

Josef Středula, chairman of the Czech Confederation of Labour Unions, Aleš Chmelař State Secretary for the EU Affairs, Jiří Šitler, Ambassador of the Czech republic to Sweden and several others were also present at the summit.

While in Gothenburg Prime Minister Sobotka met with renowned Czechs representatives of the Czech community living in Gothenburg area.