EAPN calls on all Member States to make a historic step forward in EU cooperation by defending the Commission's proposals for an explicit target to reduce poverty in the EU when they meet at the Spring Council on the 25-26 March. "After failing to deliver any reduction in poverty levels in the EU over the last 10 years the setting of a target to lift 20 million European’s out of poverty, as one of the 5 key targets for the EU over the next 10 years, is essential to bring political commitment and attention to this problem which impacts directly on 80 million Europeans” said Fintan Farrell Director of EAPN.

Today, EAPN has sent a letter to President Barroso, following the informal Council held on 11 February and the recent comments made by the Commission that appear to give rise for hope that the fight against poverty and social exclusion could find a prominent place within the Europe 2020 strategy. However, as EAPN points out, the reduction of poverty and social exclusion needs a target, and an ambitious one...

 In a letter addressed on 16 February to Director-General of DG Employment Robert Verrue, EAPN expressed its concerns about recent changes to the Commission's pages of the Europa website which appear to undermine the visibility of the Commission's commitment to the fight against poverty and to the Social OMC...

EAPN has been invited by the European Commission to meet with the Independent Experts on Social Inclusion on 26 February, following a very positive feedback on its report on the Crisis, written by EAPN’s Social Inclusion Working Group.

On 23 February, the Social Inclusion Regional Group of the North East England Office will have its launch event of the 2010 established in response to the European Union’s initiative to name 2010 the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Pauline Geoghegan, coordinator of the 2010 Coalition of Social NGOs for the European Year, will present the Coalition and its demands for concrete outcomes of 2010...