Leaders' meeting in London, 26 October 2005
Eight Prime Ministers, fifteen party Leaders, and many leading personalities of the European institutions gathered with PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and UK Prime Minister, President of the European Union, Tony Blair at a meeting of PES Leaders at 10 Downing Street on 26 October - the night before the EU informal summit on social Europe and globalisation.
They debated for almost three hours how Europe needed to respond to the challenges of globalisation and increased economic competition. Showing a strong sense of united purpose, and a good deal of camaraderie, there was overwhelming support for making the changes needed to make Europe more competitive while at the same time maintaining a strong commitment to social protection across Europe.
Social justice and opportunity for all are fundamental values that distinguish the PES from other parties and represent core principles that do not change with economic trends. Far from being incompatible, as conservatives suggest, there was clear agreement that Europe more than ever needed to invest in people and have active government policies to enable everyone to benefit from the economic changes that were sweeping the world.
The PES Leaders adopted the Growth and Investment strategy 
, which had been prepared by the Socialist Finance Ministers and Shadow Ministers.
Several speakers praised the new member states of central and eastern Europe for the way they have embraced change and for the optimism they had for the future. They were an inspiration to the older EU members said PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.
While there was strong feeling that social democrats had a unique and better approach to how Europe needs to adapt to globalisation there was honest acknowledgement that there were many tough decisions ahead for Socialist Governments. The Leaders further agreed that more detailed agreement needed to be found on the policies Europe needs to pursue together.
It was also an occasion to warmly welcome new Prime Ministers Sergei Stanischev of Bulgaria and Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, and remember former PES President Robin Cook and former PES Women President Fiorella Ghilardotti.
The Leaders will meet again on 10 March 2006 in Prague.
Read further :
- joint statement by PES President Poul Nyup Rasmussen and UK Prime minister Tony Blair
