At the 2000 Nice summit, EU governments adopted a social affairs agenda, laying out their future priorities.

The agenda covers issues such as job creation, employee protection, gender equality and combating poverty and discrimination.

It also deals with questions of social exclusion and Europe's increasingly ageing population.

The Swedish presidency which took over in January 2001 put the agenda at the top of its priorities.

Plans include work on an EU strategy for the modernisation of social security systems and increased measures against discrimination, particularly for disabled people.