What we do
2010 European Year against Poverty
Following a campaign supported by EAPN, 2010 has been designated as the EU Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The Year will aim to reaffirm the EU's commitment to making a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and provide financial support (EU contribution of € 17 million) to a wide range of activities such as meetings, surveys, research and awareness raising.
EAPN and the 2010 YEAR
The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) is an independent network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and groups involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion in the member States of the EU and in Norway. Established in 1990, EAPN currently has 26 national anti-poverty networks and 23 European Organisations as members. EAPN works with its members to:
• put the fight against poverty high on the agenda of the EU and ensure cooperation at EU level for the eradication of poverty and social exclusion,
• raise awareness around poverty and social exclusion,
• empower people living in poverty and social exclusion, lobbying for and with the organisations in which they participate to achieve positive change.
Background to EAPN’s engagement with the Year
EAPN has been a key actor engaged with the EU’s Social Open Method of Coordination (Social Protection and Social Inclusion), since its inception in 2000, pressing for delivery on the EU’s commitment in the Lisbon Council in 2000 to make a decisive impact on poverty by 2010. As well as actively engaging with its national networks in National Action Plans on social inclusion, it has sought to influence the EU debate, both through the Social OMC and the broader Lisbon agenda.EAPN called in 2004 to have 2010 as the European Year against Poverty and Social Exclusion.
2010 is a crucial year because it is :
• The deadline set by the Lisbon Strategy of 2000 for the EU to have made a decisive impact in eradicating poverty in Europe.
• The first year in the new 5-year institutional cycle of the EU.
• The 20th anniversary of EAPN. The Year provides an opportunity for new thinking and new approaches.
• The deadline set by the Lisbon Strategy of 2000 for the EU to have made a decisive impact in eradicating poverty in Europe.
• The first year in the new 5-year institutional cycle of the EU.
• The 20th anniversary of EAPN. The Year provides an opportunity for new thinking and new approaches.
It is also an opportunity to deepen and broaden cooperation and solidarity and to genuinely contribute to a broader movement based on solidarity with those experiencing poverty across the European Union and beyond its boundaries.
Building an NGO Coalition at European Level during 2010
EAPN has sought to maximise the impact and involvement of all actors in the Year. As part of this approach, EAPN is coordinating a broad NGO Coalition under the banner and slogan “Building a Europe for all – End Poverty”, involving over 40 European networks and organisations. For more information, see www.endpoverty.eu.
This Coalition is engaging with the European Institutions in order to ensure a lasting legacy from the 2010 year.
At the same time, EAPN National Networks are developing their own activities for the Year as well as seeking maximum cooperation with the National Implementing Bodies responsible for the year at Member State level.
At the same time, EAPN National Networks are developing their own activities for the Year as well as seeking maximum cooperation with the National Implementing Bodies responsible for the year at Member State level.
2010 NGO Coalition Activities
The NGO coalition has developed a common set of activities for the 2010 year. It is hoped that all concerned actors and individuals can take initiatives in line with these actions:A shared NGO website for 2010 www.endpoverty.eu was launched on 19 January 2010. It includes information on the European Year, on the Coalition and its members, their campaigns and demands for 2010, testimonies of people experiencing poverty, an agenda of all events and specific pages for each EU country...
National focus weeks - Throughout 2010, there will be national focus weeks when the spotlight is on one Member State. NGO messages for the year will be transferred symbolically from one focus week to the next See http://www.endpoverty.eu/ONE-WEEK-FOR-EACH-COUNTRY.html.
European Spring focus week (May 24-30) - a week of broadcasting! The coalition and the National Networks aim to mobilize all media to talk about poverty and social exclusion in the European Union.
European Autumn focus week (October 11-17) - will include activities around 17 October, the International Day against Poverty and will aim to build pressure for strong political outcomes of the Year. A particular focus will be the organisation of a series of events in towns and cities all over Europe at lunchtime on 12 October to give all concerned citizens a chance to step forward and show their support for the fight against poverty and social exclusion. In Brussels, a human ring around the EU institutions in Brussels.
EAPN EU Activities
See all EAPN national networks’ activities on the NGO Coalition’s website .
EAPN will organise 3 main European events during 2010 linked to the European Year:
19/02: Conference on the political legacy for 2010 in Dublin,
June: Seminar on Globalisation and Migration, in Cyprus,
Sept: Conference on Minimum Income/Social Standards, in Belgium (in liaison with the Belgian EU Presidency).
Further events are planned...
• a joint Conference with Cecodhas on Energy Poverty on 24 March,
• with PICUM and the European Womens’ lobby on Undocumented migrants.
EAPN will also participate actively in the Round Table on Poverty on 18 October and the Presidency Opening and Closing conferences of the European Year, and a large number of other key conferences.
EAPN and its national members coordinating people in poverty will be closely involved in the 9th European meeting of people experiencing poverty under the Spanish Presidency, to be held in the European Parliament in Brussels on June 25-26. (Know more about European Meetings of People experiencing poverty ).
EAPN will also participate actively in the Round Table on Poverty on 18 October and the Presidency Opening and Closing conferences of the European Year, and a large number of other key conferences.
EAPN and its national members coordinating people in poverty will be closely involved in the 9th European meeting of people experiencing poverty under the Spanish Presidency, to be held in the European Parliament in Brussels on June 25-26. (Know more about European Meetings of People experiencing poverty ).
EAPN will prepare publications to mark the European Year, apart from the proposals on EU2020 (See EAPN's current key documents ), Wealth explainer, Adequate Income explainer and a new EAPN leaflet for the Year. Other plans include a video on good practices in active inclusion combating poverty and social exclusion, a booklet on participation and governance in the EU poverty strategy.
Key messages and demands
The NGO Coalition has established a common set of messages and demands in relation to the year.
See the Coalition’s shared messages at http://endpoverty.eu/-About-the-COALITION-.html or download directly the PDF-format document of the messages .
EAPN has established its own specific demands for the Year. See EAPN’s messages at http://endpoverty.eu/_European-Anti-Poverty-Network_.html?lang=en .
