Dates and contacts
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EAPN held its General Assembly in Belgrade on 14-15 June 2013. The meeting brought together delegates from National Networks and European Organisation members of EAPN. A session in the National Parliament gave an opportunity to everyone to learn about the Serbian poverty context and the efforts of EAPN Serbia to engage with policy-makers and other stakeholders to address that reality. The General Assembly adopted the Work Programme 2014, welcomed the new Director and thanked the outgoing one, and gave members an opportunity to exchange their learning on five topics, including alliance-building; working on Europe 2020 through the EUISG and other channels; communication tools: using media and social media in National work; using projects to support the work of the National Networks and preparation and follow-up to the European and National Meetings of People Experiencing Poverty (En/Fr).
Thank you EAPN Serbia for hosting us and sharing your reality. Next big gathering: the EAPN Policy Conference at the end of September
EAPN Estonia created Child Advocacy Working Group.
EAPN: Poverty denies human rights. Listen and read the interview with EAPN President Sergio Aires
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EAPN General Asssembly calls for an EU Social Investment Pack. READ MORE
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Poverty Target remains invisible in Europe 2020 Strategy (21.05.2012)
EAPN First assessment of the National Reforn Programmes (NRPs) 2012
EAPN has written to Commissioner Andor and to the members of the Social Protection Committee (in advance of their meeting on 23 May) presenting its first assessment of the 2012 National Reforn Programmes (NRPs). EAPN has called on the Commissioner to insist on country specific recommendations that require urgent integrated action to fight poverty and inequality and to insist on meaningful stakeholder engagement in the preparation and implementation of the NRPs. This assessment was made by EAPN Members at a seminar they held in Brussels on 4 May.
“EAPNs review of the NRPs highlight a disappointing failure to take poverty reduction or meaningful stakeholder engagement seriously, in the majority of countries. This not only jeopardizes the credibility of Europe 2020, it undermines support for an EU that appears incapable to many of finding solutions that prioritise people over markets” said Ludo Horemans, President of EAPN.
In addition to key messages EAPN members have presented shadow country-specific and thematic-specific recommendations that would demonstrate that the poverty target is an integrated part of the Europe 2020 strategy. EAPN will be assessing the Commissions Recommendations against their proposals.
“There are some new signs that EU leaders recognise that an inclusive exit from the crisis requires addressing poverty and inequality and needs social investment. It is time to turn these words into actions and to make a balanced Europe 2020 strategy the exit route out of the crisis” said Fintan Farrell, Director of EAPN.
An EAPN full written assessment of the NRPs will be finalized in June, based on a questionnaire and scoreboard survey.
EAPN initial Key Messages on NRP 2012
1. Austerity policies are generating poverty and undermining an inclusive recovery.
2. Poverty not a visible priority in the NRPs.
3. Double punishment for Troika countries exempted from Europe 202O targets.
4. Missed opportunity for social investment in quality jobs, social protection + integrated Active Inclusion.
5. Little sign of increased Structural Funds use for poverty-reduction.
6. No visible improvement on stakeholder engagement.
See the full letter to the Commissioner Andor.
See EAPN shadow country specific and thematic recommendations.
For further infornation, contact Fintan Farrell (Director), fintan.farrell@eapn.eu or Sian Jones Policy coordinator sian.jones@eapn.euTél: +32 474 797934 (mobile) +32 2 229.58.50 - fax. +32 2 226 58 69 –E-mail: team@eapn.eu website: www.eapn.eu.
The 11th ‘European Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty’ will take place in Egmont Palace, 8, Place du Petit Sablon, Brussels on the 10 and 11 May.
The European meetings of people experiencing poverty were developed as a response to the agreed objective in the EU Lisbon Strategy (subsequently restated in the European Platforn against Poverty), to foster the active engagement of people with direct experience of poverty and social exclusion.
The theme for the 11th European Meeting is “Homelessness and Housing Rights in the Context of the Crisis”. This year's meeting will be focused on three key questions:
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In relation to homelessness and housing rights what are the key differences that can be seen in 2012 as compared to 2008?
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From the experience of the delegates and the preparation work for the meeting what are the ‘good and bad practices’ in relation to addressing homelessness and housing rights that have been identified?
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How best to design policies to address homelessness and housing that are adapted to the different needs and realities of different individuals and communities and can ensure equality in access to homeless services and housing rights?
The meeting will bring together over 150 people with direct experience of poverty and homelessness from 30 European countries to exchange views on these questions with EU and national decision- makers.
Live webstreaming will be provided on http://webcast.ec.europa.eu
Estonian delegates 2012 are: Andrus Elbing, Ervin Topaasia ja Tiina Tursman. National coordinator this year is Laura Kahju.
PRESS RELEASE 13.03.2012
EAPN campaigns to support 20% ESF allocation for social inclusion
Brussels, 13 March 2012 – Following its response to the Commission’s legislative package for Cohesion Policy, EAPN calls on all Member States to support the Commission’s proposal of a 20% ring-fenced allocation of the European Social Fund (ESF) for social inclusion and the fight against poverty. The call was made in a letter to all Directors General of Cohesion Policy in the Member States, in advance of their meeting on the 13-14 March. The ESF’s potential for contributing to the EU poverty-reduction target is currently under threat, as some Member States are expressing reservations with regard to the introduction of the proposed 20% ring-fencing for social inclusion.
“Prime Ministers cannot agree a target to reduce poverty on one hand and then deny the financial means to make progress towards reaching that target” said Ludo Horemans, President of EAPN. “The ring-fencing of 20% will not deny Member States the possibility to allocate more of the funds to the vital task of address poverty and ensuring inclusion which is what citizens want from the EU”, added Mr Horemans.
“This ring-fencing should have a clear monitoring system to ensure transparency, to ensure that this is really an extra investment in combating poverty and to ensure the opportunity for countries to learn from each others practices”, added Fintan Farrell Director of EAPN.
EAPN will launch in early April a campaign to defend the 20% allocation in the European Social Fund. Organisations and individuals will be encouraged to sign a letter to Prime Ministers that will be sent by EAPN in advance of the June Council where key decisions will be taken on the future Cohesion package.
The Campaign will be visible on EAPN website’s homepage www.eapn.eu.
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Further infornation:
EAPN’s letter to the Directors of Cohesion Policy in the Member States
EAPN’s response to the Commission’s draft legislative package on Cohesion Policy (2014-2020) - Key messages here below:
Establish clear Commission guidelines on how Structural Funds should deliver on the poverty-reduction target through integrated and socially inclusive approaches, (particularly through Active Inclusion) for ESF, ERDF and other Cohesion Funds.
Strengthen the partnership principle at all stages of the Structural Funds’ process (both for partnership contracts and Operation Programmes) and make these Funds accessible for small NGOs (with tailor-made grants and technical-assistance schemes).
Ensure a proper monitoring process of effective use of Funds in Europe 2020, in both National Reforn Programmes and National Social Reports.
Give equal importance to each Europe 2020 headline targets in all Structural Funds.
Solidarity with poorer regions, not double penalty! – NO to macro-economic conditionality, but favour social conditionality and incentive mechanisms.
Develop a social-inclusion mainstreaming clause and a social evaluation system based on hard and soft social indicators.
For further infornation, contact Sian Jones (Policy Coordinator), sian.jones@eapn.eu or Vincent Caron (Policy Officer) vincent.caron@eapn.eu
EAPN and other stakeholders send a clear message during the 9th Round Table.
EAPN and other stakeholders who participated in the 9th Round Table sent a clear message that the National Action Plans on Inclusion, are crucial for coherent integrated strategies and national stakeholder participation, i.e. participation of people experiencing poverty, NGOs, regional and local authorities.
EAPN Representatives also asked how the poverty target in Europe 2020, to reduce poverty by 20 million people, can be met when the EU presses Member States to cut benefits and basic services and fails to take decisive steps to ensuring an adequate income.
Speaking at the Round Table, EAPN President Ludo Horemans, congratulated the Commission and the Council on the Progress that has been made to reinsert the social dimension in the Europe 2020 strategy (Poverty Target, Social Guideline 10 and Partnership approach, recital 16) however he reminded that to take full advantage of this possibility requires a strong a distinct social process built on active stakeholder engagement at National level to build the base for a solid social contribution to the Europe 2020 strategy. He also stressed the need to follow up on thematic priorities already established in the Social OMC including on homelessness, child poverty and Active Inclusion in particular the question of the adequacy of minimum income schemes.
A strong message from the 9th European meeting of People Experiencing Poverty was delivered at the Round Table by Michael Schutte from Austria who reminded the audience that Recommendations on paper may be important but that “you can’t eat paper”. He also stressed and demonstrated with his input that “while people may be poor they are not stupid”.
Read the full EAPN's 9th Round Table report here
Thematic conference for the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion "Think and talk about poverty!". Thursday, 9 September 2010 from 11 AM to 4 PM at the Tallinn University Conference Centre. Read more.
