Social Platform wrote a letter to the EP rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs on the EU Program for Social Change and Innovation to defend the original proposal from the Commission to allocate 60% to the Progress axis, which is devoted to promoting employment, the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

In fact, the draft Employment Committee’s report on the Program proposed to decrease the allocation to the Progress axis from 60% (Commission’s proposal) to 56% and to increase the overall budget of the program of 5%.

We are concerned that if the total amount of the programme proposed by the rapporteur is not accepted, the proposed earmarking of 56% for the Progress axis would result in a decrease ing the budget for it. We consider that the original proposal from the Commission more adequately reflects the real need for support.

As stated by the European Commission in its progress report 2011 of the Europe 2020 strategy, with the current pace of implementation, the social targets will not be met. Therefore all available tools, including the EU Program for Social Change and Innovation, should be used in a way to deliver concrete actions on social infrastructure, social services, the fight against poverty and social exclusion, and to contribute to reach the poverty target.