The informal meeting of the heads of state and government of the EU, planned for 18th and 19th October in Lisbon, to approve the draft Reform Treaty, will follow a three-party social summit (EU institutions, business and trade union delegates) which is due to take place tomorrow morning. It has been announced by the current president of the EU Council, the Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates, who invited: José Manuel Barroso, president of the EU Commission; Vladimir pidla, commissioner for labour and social solidarity; José Vieira da Silva, secretary general of the European confederation of trade unions (Ces); John Monks, secretary of Business Europe; Philippe de Buck van Overstraeten, director of the European Association of small- and medium-size companies (Ueapme); Georg Toifl, secretary of the European Centre of Enterprises. The items on the agenda include the Lisbon Strategy for a more competitive Europe with an economy "based on knowledge, research and lifelong learning". The day will go on with a summit of the twenty-seven member states, which will meet at 6 pm to review the draft Treaty submitted by the Inter-Governmental Conference. Work will be resumed with a round table of the heads of state and government and the conclusions of the chairman.
