News
Social Platform writes to President Barroso on European Platform Against Poverty
[03/03/2011]

Last December, the Commission proposed its 7th Flagship initiative “European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion” (EPAP) as one of the main tools to deliver on the EU target to take at least 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion by 2020.

On March 1 Social Platform sent an open letter to Commission President Barroso welcoming the Commission’s communication on the EPAP, which includes many steps and commitments that are in line with the recommendations of our members.

We made the following four proposals to ensure that the EPAP delivers solid results:
  1. Work in partnership with Social Platform and its members at EU and national level on the EPAP - in line with the Europe 2020 integrated guidelines. For example, include Social Platform in a regular structured dialogue on the main areas of delivery of the EPAP, such as on the "high-level steering committee" providing advice and guidance on developing EU actions in the field of social innovation. Involve our members, and their national members, in the initiatives listed in the annex of the communication when relevant, and in the thematic areas of the EPAP. Let these organisations contribute to the National Reform Programmes (NRPs), in line with Recital 16 of the integrated guidelines, and play a role as partners to decide the future of the social OMC and the integrated national strategies for social inclusion and protection, based on stakeholder engagement, to underpin the NRPs.
  1. Ensure that the next multi-annual financial framework, and resulting EU financial instruments, back up the actions of the EPAP with strong financial support as “an indispensible part of the EU approach” and that they support the active participation of civil society organisations and people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, as recommended by your EU budget review last October.
  1. Ensure a broad perspective to tackling poverty and social exclusion. Employment alone does not guarantee a route out of poverty, as evidenced by the fact that 8% of employees in the EU are classified as "working poor". Ensuring social inclusion also involves more than ensuring labour market access. A broad and effective approach to promote social inclusion requires implementing the integrated active inclusion strategy but also takes into account policy initiatives to support access to rights, resources and services such as in housing and health. This needs to happen alongside reducing inequalities in income and wealth, fighting gender inequalities, and combating discrimination in access to rights, services and jobs.

    The defence of the social OMC is vital if a stronger guarantee is to be provided for this broader approach, particularly through national strategies on social protection and social inclusion based on active stakeholder engagement. Develop a clear road map involving civil society organisations at EU and national level to outline the role of these integrated national strategies in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy, as proposed.
  1. Ensure that Europe 2020 monitoring and governance takes into account “inclusive growth” and the fight against poverty and social exclusion. If the “inclusive” pillar of the Europe 2020 strategy is not fully integrated and monitored in the Annual Growth Survey, but rather inclusion is seen as an outcome of growth, it will undermine the EPAP’s initiatives.