Converging economies, diverging societies? Upward convergence in the EU - Foundation Forum 2017

The Foundation Forum 2017 took place on 14-15 November 2017 at Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland. It brought together 200 high-level participants to debate the various perspectives of convergence in Europe.

The Forum ran for 1.5 days and included several plenary sessions and for parallel workshops. In the context of Eurofound's  multiannual work programme 2017-2020 and its strategic objectives, the Forum 2017 aimed to provide an opportunity for a well-informed debate in a neutral setting, strengthen links between knowledge providers and top-level social policymakers at EU and national level via debate on key socioeconomic issues, and develop and foster networking amongst the participants.

• Publication: Taking the Forum forward - From Dublin to Gothenburg

Presentations and programme

• Video: Message from EC President Jean-Claude Juncker to the #DublinForum17
• Presentation: Welcome and introduction, Juan Menéndez-Valdés, Director, Eurofound
• Presentation:  Convergence - The reality, extent and dimensions, Donald Storrie, Chief Researcher, Eurofound
• ​Speech: Keynote Address by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D.
• Presentation: Policy packages for upward convergence and equality, Frank Vandenbroucke, Professor, University of Amsterdam
• Speech: John Bruton, former Taoiseach and former EU Ambassador to the United States, at the Gala Dinner of the Eurofound Forum

• Programme: Foundation Forum 2017 - Converging economies, diverging societies? Upward convergence in the EU (updated 13 November 2017)
  • Background paper: Converging economies, diverging societies? Upward convergence in the EU - Foundation Forum 2017: Background paper
  • Session 1: Converging economies, diverging societies? Upward convergence in the EU - Foundation Forum 2017 - Session 1: Employment and working conditions
  • Session 2: Converging economies, diverging societies? Upward convergence in the EU - Foundation Forum 2017 - Session 2: Living conditions
  • Session 3: Converging economies, diverging societies? Upward convergence in the EU - Foundation Forum 2017 - Session 3: Convergence and the regional dimension

Photo albums

Key speakers 

• Simon Coveney, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Ylva Johansson, Swedish Minister for Employment
• Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
• Branko Milanović, one of the world’s leading economists of inequality, scholar and author
• Frank Vandenbroucke, former Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister for Employment and Pensions

Frequency

Since its inception in 2002, the following Foundation Forums have been held:

• Foundation Forum 2013 - Theme: Social and employment policies for a fair and competitive Europe
• Foundation Forum 2009 - Theme: Global recession: Europe's way out
• Foundation Forum 2006 - Theme: Competitive Europe - Social Europe: partners or rivals? (Programme, pdf)
• Foundation Forum 2004 - Theme: Living to work - working to live - Tomorrow's work-life balance in Europe (Programme, pdf)
• Foundation Forum 2002 - Theme: Europe makes a difference - challenges for the European Social Model

Collaboration

Eurofound has been most fortunate to secure the support of the Irish Government for each of the Forums that is has organised. The events have taken place at the prestigious Dublin Castle, often incorporating a Gala Dinner either in St Patrick’s Hall or the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. In addition, senior Government representatives have continued to play an important role in the programme during the event itself.

Social media

Not attending the Foundation Forum 2017? You can still follow the debates on Twitter via #DublinForum17 or by following @eurofound.