Dear António,

Dear Esther,

Dear Fredrik,

Thank you all for a very successful Tripartite Social Summit. This event follows just two weeks after signing our new Pact for a European Social Dialogue, keeping the spirit of European social dialogue alive and strong. We will continue to support it robustly throughout our mandate.

Europes social market economy is about people, not just markets. In times of global change, this is crucial. To enhance Europes competitive edge and ensure no one is left behind, we must work closely together. Our industries and SMEs face major challenges, like high energy prices and skill shortages. We are addressing these challenges head-on.

In the first 100 days of the new Commission, we set the course to make Europe more competitive with the Competitiveness Compass. We are working on three pillars: closing the innovation gap, having a joint roadmap for decarbonisation and competitiveness, and reducing dependencies while increasing our resilience and security. We started with the Clean Industrial Deal, mobilising EUR 100 billion for clean technologies so innovative European companies can continue to lead and provide quality jobs. We support energy-intensive industries with an energy action plan. We are now working with various sectors, from automotive to chemical and steel industries. Today, the Commission agreed on an action plan for the steel sector. Importantly, in these Strategic Dialogues and Action Plans, the social partners are involved, as they know best what businesses and workers need.

Regarding access to capital, Europeans savings are significant, but they lack a Savings and Investments Union. Today, we agreed in the morning on the proposal for the Savings and Investments Union, and now we must ensure it passes through Parliament and Council. This will enable companies to raise the funding they need more efficiently. It will give citizens more choices for better returns on their savings. And it will provide financing for our common European priorities.

Finally, and certainly not least, none of this is possible without people, without skilled workers. Therefore, I am pleased that earlier this month we launched the Union of Skills. We want to design our European quality jobs roadmap together with you, the social partners.

We have much work ahead, but today, this Summit was very reassuring. Together, I believe we can move mountains, and I look forward to the coming months.