The Budget must respond to the rapid rise in the number of people living in poverty and social exclusion (latest official figures: 119,6 million1 in 2011 against 115 million in 2010) with its devastating social consequences.
“The test by which EAPN will judge the outcome of these negotiations from an anti-poverty perspective is simple” said Sergio Aires, President of EAPN. “We want to see a budget for Cohesion policy of at least 336 billion, a strengthened European Social Fund (ESF) with at least 25% of the Structural Funds dedicated to the ESF and 20% of ESF earmarked for poverty reduction and social inclusion and a budget of at least 2.5 billion Euro for the Fund for European Aid for the Most Deprived. Anything less than that will keep us on the road to disasterand will contribute to the growing sense of a loss of solidarity in the European Union”, Mr Aires added.
Last Thursday 31st January,EAPN sent a letter to Prime Ministers and Heads of States in view of the European Council which will be held next Thursday 7th and Friday 8th February regarding the cohesion budget, the minimum shares necessary to fight poverty and social exclusion and on the Fund for European Aid for the most Deprived.
The next day, EAPN also co-signed a joint letter with Caritas Europa, Eurodiaconia, Eurochild, FEANTSA, FEBA, and the Red Cross EU Office, on the Fund for European Aid for the most Deprivedon the Fund for the Most Deprived to Member States and to President of the European CouncilMr. Van Rompuy.
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For more information please see the following:
- Letter sent by EAPN to the Prime Ministers and Heads of State in advance of the European Council “Back EU fund to achieve the EU poverty reduction target: Support an ambitious EU Budget underpinned by minimum shares for ESF and the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived”
- Joint letter sent by Caritas Europa, Eurodiaconia, EAPN, Eurochild, FEANTSA, FEBA, and the Red Cross EU Office, on the Fund for European Aid for the most Deprived
- NGO Campaign EU Money for Poverty Reduction NOW!
Follow EAPN:
- On Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/EAPN-European-Anti-Poverty-Network/51278044814?ref=hl
- On Twitter: @EAPNEurope
For further information, contact Fintan Farrell (Director) fintan.farrell@eapn.eu or Vincent Caron (Policy officer)Vincent.caron@eapn.eu. Tel. +32 2 226 58 50 – fax. +32 2 226 58 69 – general e-mail: team@eapn.eu – website: www.eapn.eu.
1. Latest Eurostat figures on poverty and social exclusion in 2011