H.E. Ms Karen Van Vlierberge:

I thank the Deputy for wishing us good luck with all the difficult files on the agenda. The Deputy referred to Hungary. I think it will be difficult but Ireland and Belgium are known for our capability of striking compromises. I thank the Deputy for his trust in what we will be able to reach. Of course, we will need Ireland’s support as well. I am looking forward to getting new Council conclusions with regard to the Middle East, although that will be extremely difficult. Ireland, Malta, Spain and Belgium wrote a letter to the President of the Council in December to ask for a ceasefire. More and more member states within the European Union are looking in that direction. Therefore, I am quite hopeful. We need to get there. As the Deputy said, we need to focus on the day after and the return of the two-state solution political settlement.

With regard to the summit we will organise, it will be together with the Commission, which has the lead in it.

It is the second ever social summit and, as the Deputy said, we need a geopolitical Union that is powerful on the world stage, that is competitive and, in particular, that takes care of its citizens and their social well-being and social rights. The summit will take place on 20 March and is a tripartite summit comprising representatives of governments and the Union. I think it will be at the highest level, although I will have to check that. I will ask for some more information and revert to the Deputy. It is unique becuase it will be only the second time ever that such an event has been held. As he said, Belgium attaches a lot of importance to the role of social dialogue in our society, which is why we want to build on the existing social pillar and make it stronger. That will be one of the aims. I do not know whether we will get a declaration, but I think another aim of the summit will be to make progress on the further co-ordination of all the social security systems within the European Union. I will revert to the Deputy with practical information on who will be invited and the agenda.