Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has emphasized the benefits of social policy agreements to boosting employment within the European Union (EU).

The Spanish president hailed the importance of maintaining the welfare model in the region following a meeting with trade union officials and business leaders to debate major economic issues.

During the press conference, Business Europe president Jurgen Thumann suggested the success of the Europa 2020 strategy for the EU was reliant upon it encouraging education, training, innovation and free markets, as well as implementing an integrated industrial policy.

Additionally, in the wake of the debate ahead of the spring European Council, European Commission president Jose Manuel Durao Barroso revealed participants had agreed it was "imperative" to focus on "intelligent and inclusive" growth through social dialogue.

In related news, Reuters has reported that proposals aimed at assisting in the economic recovery of Spain have been unveiled by the government's Economy Ministry, including those intended to boost employment.