PES Congress 2022: programme and media opportunities

"With Courage. For Europe." - under this heading, progressive heads of government, European Commissioners, party leaders, delegates, activists and international guests will meet at the Congress of the Party of European Socialists (PES) on 14-15 October in Berlin, Germany, to discuss the current challenges facing Europe.

Among the participants in Berlin will be German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, and many others.

Held in cooperation with Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Congress will adopt a resolution presenting the common progressive agenda to lead Europe through change.

Support for Ukraine, energy, the cost of living, fundamental rights, and the alliance between ecological and social progress – these topics, and more, will be in focus at the high-level event.

Media will have the opportunity to attend the Congress plenary and take part in dedicated media opportunities.

Accreditation: media are invited to register by Monday 10 October to attend the Congress (registration will be confirmed by email).

**Please note that for security reasons, prior registration through this form is required in order to access the Congress**

Further information on the programme is available below.

Special media opportunities at the PES Congress

Friday 14 October: PRESS CONFERENCE:
At 18:50 on Friday 14 October, following the closing of the Congress plenary, media are invited to a press conference with Stefan Löfven and SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil (Verti Music Hall, 2, Mercedes-Platz 10243 Berlin).

Friday 14 October: DOORSTEPS:
At 20:30 on Friday 14 October, a PES Leaders’ Meeting will take place at the invitation of the PES President and SPD Party Leader. Media are invited to attend for doorsteps (Bolle Festsäle, Alt-Moabit 98, 10559 Berlin).
**Please note, for security reasons, access to the doorstep can only be guaranteed to media who register for the Congress in advance.**

Saturday 15 October: ARRIVAL OF PRIME MINISTERS
At 09:30 on Saturday 15 October, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, prime ministers and European Commissioners will enter the Verti Music Hall together.
(Entrance Verti Music Hall, 2, Mercedes-Platz 10243 Berlin).

Indicative PES Congress programme

For the latest information on the Congress programme, see the dedicated event website: https://events.pes.eu/

Thursday 13 October

FRINGE EVENT: 15:00-18:30: PES Women Annual Conference (Willy-Brandt House, Wilhelmstraße 140, 10963 Berlin). More information here.

FRINGE EVENT: 17:00-18:30: ESO fringe meeting: “Peace, international solidarity and development in the changing world” (Willy-Brandt House, Wilhelmstraße 140, 10963 Berlin)

Friday 14 October

FRINGE EVENT: 09:30-11:30: S&D Group fringe meeting “Progressive policies to end the energy crisis” (Willy-Brandt House, Wilhelmstraße 140, 10963 Berlin)

FRINGE EVENT: 10:00-12:00: FES fringe meeting “Zeitenwende: Navigating the Disarray of European Security” (Willy-Brandt House, Wilhelmstraße 140, 10963 Berlin)

FRINGE EVENT: 11:00-12:00: European Forum for Democracy fringe meeting “What's Left in Eastern Europe” (Willy-Brandt House, Wilhelmstraße 140, 10963 Berlin)

FRINGE EVENT: 09:30-12:00: FEPS fringe meeting “The future of the European project: ENLARGEMENT versus DEEPENING” (Willy-Brandt House, Wilhelmstraße 140, 10963 Berlin)

PES CONGRESS: 14:30-18:45* (Verti Music Hall, 2, Mercedes-Platz 10243 Berlin):

14:30: Opening of the Congress, followed by:
- Intervention by PES President Sergei Stanishev
- Intervention by PES President candidate Stefan Löfven
- Congress Election Procedures and Opening of Votes
15:45: Panel I: "Our Europe: Next to its citizens"
16:20: Panel II: "Our Europe: Respect for the people"
16:55: Panel III: "Our Europe: Respect in the world"
17:25: Discussion and adoption of the Congress resolution
18:35: Election of the PES President
18:45: Closing of Friday’s plenary session

Speakers during day 1 of the PES Congress include: PES President Sergei Stanishev, PES President candidate Stefan Löfven, PES Secretary General Achim Post, SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil, Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, President of the European Committee of the Regions Vasco Cordeiro, European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira, European Parliament Vice-President Katarina Barley, PES Women President Zita Gurmai, FEPS President Maria Joao Rodrigues, President of the Young European Socialists Alicia Homs MEP, President of Vooruit Conner Rousseau, co-leader of Lewica Robert Biedron MEP, Kati Piri MEP, Deputy Mayor of Budapest Kata Tüttő, ETUC Deputy General Secretary Esther Lynch, and others.

*Exact timing subject to change.

PRESS CONFERENCE: At 18:50 on Friday 14 October, following the closing of the plenary, media are invited to a press conference with Stefan Löfven and SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil (Verti Music Hall, 2, Mercedes-Platz 10243 Berlin).

PRESS DOORSTEPS: At 20:30 on Friday 14 October, a PES Leaders’ Meeting will take place at the invitation of the PES President and SPD Party Leader. Media are invited to attend for doorsteps (Bolle Festsäle, Alt-Moabit 98, 10559 Berlin).
**Please note, for security reasons, access to the doorstep can only be guaranteed to media who register for the Congress.**

Saturday 15 October

ARRIVAL OF PRIME MINISTERS: At 09:30 on Saturday 15 October, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, prime ministers and European Commissioners will enter the Verti Music Hall together. (Entrance Verti Music Hall, 2, Mercedes-Platz 10243 Berlin).

PES CONGRESS: 10:00-13:30* (Verti Music Hall, 2, Mercedes-Platz 10243 Berlin):

10:00: Opening of plenary and speech by the new PES President
10:15: Panel I: "Leading Europe through change”
11:10: Panel II: "Our Europe: Respect for the planet"
12:05: Panel III: "A new European Momentum”
13:15: German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz
13:30: Closing words by new PES President, closing of the Congress

Speakers during Day 2 of the PES Congress include: PES President candidate Stefan Löfven, SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil, German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson, Prime Minister of Portugal António Costa, Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela, European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, EU High Representative Josep Borrell, European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner Ylva Johansson, Leader of SD Slovenia and Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon, SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner, PS Belgium leader Paul Magnette, PSD Romania leader Marcel Ciolacu, and others.

*Exact timing subject to change.

Accreditation: media are invited to register by Monday 10 October to attend the Congress (registration will be confirmed by email).

**Please note that for security reasons, prior registration through this form is required in order to access the Congress**

For more information, please contact

Robin Murphy, PES Press & Communications Officer
robin.murphy@pes.eu +32 491 86 97 48