EU/SPAIN- European ministers for employment and social policy are congregating tomorrow in the Spanish town of Burgos to discuss social protection and employment. The Spanish presidency says the future viability of pension systems and full employment are topping the bill.

On the eve of the informal meeting the presidency says it is essential to look at how the systems are working, to evaluate the progress since Lisbon and to consider proposals for inclusion in the future given today’s economic climate is so different from the one under which the Lisbon agreements were made.

The gathering comes two days after a speech to the European Parliament in which Spain’s Prime Minister Jose Maria Anzar announced that meeting deadlines for the financial services action plan was one of the presidency’s priorities. He also said it hopes a new approach based on the Lamfalussy report can be applied as soon as possible.

Joining the commission and EU ministers will be European-level representatives of the social partners, the European Parliament and the chairmen of the EU employment and social protection committees.