People’s Tribunal on EU’s crisis policies shows violations of social rights and a roll-back of democracy across Europe

14-15/05/2014 – As elections in the EU were approaching, a People’s Tribunal Hearing on the EU’s response to the crisis took place in Brussels, organised by Corporate Europe Observatory. On 15 and 16 May, representatives from organisations across Europe gave testimony to an era of financial, economic and social crisis which began in 2008. Their verdict? The EU’s policies have taken Europe on a course towards social and political regression. Fintan Farrell, from EAPN Secretariat, contributed to the Tribunal on behalf of EAPN with a presentation on the impact of austerity on poverty and social exclusion in the EU

FNARS (member of EAPN France): press conference and mobilisation call on Government to put (back) vulnerable people at the heart of its agenda

Despite numerous alerts sent by organisations to the Government on the social difficulties throughout the country, the Collectif des Associations Unies (United organisations network) deplores the lack of consideration of the Government as to people living in poverty and in poor housing. As a result, the organisations part of the Collectif will mobilise next Monday, Whit Monday, a day “of solidarity”, calling on the Government to put (back( vulnerable people at the heart of its agenda. 

EAPN Spain: Retouching statistical data relative poverty – 27.3% of Spain’s population lives at risk of poverty and social exclusion

28/05/2014 – Yesterday new data from INE Survey of Quality of Life ( CVD) were published. 2013 final data , with the headline “In the last year, the population at risk of poverty has fallen to 20.4 % compared to 20.8 % last year.” This holder contains two distortions. The first is the so-called statistical effect: poverty is called “relative ” because it is related to the level of the average household income. And in Spain , the average household income has done nothing but fall since 2008 , from 30,045 euros then to the 27,747 euros now. It decreased in 3.5 % only in the last year. That means the poverty line has moved down has well. That actually means that the less we earn, the poorer we are, … the lower the percentage of ” relative poverty”. But therefore, those on fixed income, such as pensioners and retirees, with households ‘theoretically” individual, have gone over that threshold, even if only of a few euros. With this calculation , in 2009 , 23.8 % of older people were in relative poverty and only only 12.7 % today ! Likewise, according to that calculation,child poverty has dropped since 2009,from 28.9% of those under 16 years, to 26.7 % now.

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Over 10% of new European Parliament commits to fighting Poverty

The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) celebrates its campaign Electing Champions for a Social Europe as a success, with over 10% of the newly elected MEPs committed to fighting poverty, social exclusion, inequalities and discrimination.

Brussels, 03/06/2014 – Over 10% of the newly elected MEPs have responded to the call of the European Anti-poverty Network, committing themselves to fight poverty and social exclusion during their mandate in the new European Parliament. The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) campaigned to encourage the candidates to the European elections to become Champions for a Social Europe by taking the pledge to defend and push for 1) a Social Pact for a Social Europe 2) An effective EU Strategy to fight poverty, social exclusion, inequalities and discrimination 3) Strengthened democracy and civil-society participation 4) An annual Hearing with People experiencing poverty in the European Parliament. EAPN welcomes these results as a great success, in a context of low turn-out and rise in extreme-right and anti-democratic parties.