European Council
The President
Brussels, 14 November 2017
Dear colleagues,
In preparing the Leaders’ Agenda that we discussed at our October European Council, we agreed
with Prime Minister Löfven to use the working lunch at the Gothenburg Social Summit for Fair Jobs
and Growth also to discuss education and culture.
I intend to start by inviting Prime Minister Löfven and Commission President Juncker to present an
overview of their conclusions of the Social Summit. I will also like to share with you my ideas on
how to take the social agenda forward in the European Council in December.
Then we will turn to education and culture, which a number of you have highlighted as important
themes on which we should work together. As you know, the EU has limited resources and
competences in these areas, and in line with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, the
role of Member States and regions has to be ensured. However, the EU also has a good track
record and concrete achievements, on which we can build and which we can broaden, like the
Erasmus programme.
Education and culture are the source of millions of jobs and growth in our Member States and tools
to reduce inequalities. But let us not forget that they constitute one of the key pillars of our
community. Because Europe is first and foremost a community of culture. A rich and powerful
heritage makes us proud but above all it makes us who we are, Europeans. Without our cultural
heritage Europe simply would not and could not exist. Therefore, it is our obligation to nurture
culture and facilitate exchanges in the area of education so that our people, with their different
cultural and historical backgrounds get to know each other better and inspire each other even
more.
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