EAPN News Archives - Page 23 of 57

WORKING AND POOR: EAPN launches position paper on in-work poverty at the Annual Convention of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 27, 2013

In-work poverty means that some people are still experiencing poverty, despite holding a job. From 2010 to 2013, EAPN has closely monitored and mapped the situation in Member States, as well as the effect of different policy options towards solving the situation, or making it worse. The position paper aims to set out EAPN’s developing analysis of the issue of in-work poverty, and to contribute to the debate, highlighting the different situations across Europe, including the role of low pay, the structure and increased segmentation of the labour market, the role of benefit and taxation policies, and individual characteristics. Building on the extensive work done by EAPN members, key concerns are outlined, and the impact of various policies in different countries discussed, including the negative impact of the economic crisis and austerity measures. The paper brings the stories of the people themselves into the spotlight, and makes a plea for participation and democracy, as the foundation for formulating concrete proposals and ways forward on how to effectively combat in-work poverty. The role of the EU in fighting this growing phenomenon is clearly underlined.

EAPN takes its Key Messages to the 3rd Annual Convention on Poverty and Social Exclusion!

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 26, 2013

The Third Annual Convention of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, one of the Flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy, took place on 26-27 November 2013 in Brussels. Over 50 EAPN national members participated, as well as European Organisations members of EAPN. As in previous years, EAPN spoke in a number of settings during the Convention. EAPN was also active in workshops and side events.

EAPN sends joint letter to MEPs on Social Dimension of the EMU

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 22, 2013

20/11/2013 – EAPN together with other social/health NGOs (EPHA, Age-Platform, Eurodiaconia, Social Platform and Caritas Europa ) took joint action on the EP Resolution on the Social Dimension of the EMU to be voted on in plenary tomorrow, 21st November. The letter calls for support to amendment 10 proposing that economic and social indicators are put on an equal footing, in order to support coherent EU policy approach and rejection of amendment 9 which would limit the engagement of stakeholders to only social partners, excluding civil society. Social NGOs hope for a strong resolution that can help to press for an effective implementation of this new Commission attempt to strengthen the Social Pillar in the EMU.

2013 European Meeting of People experiencing poverty REPORTS are out!

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 22, 2013

Brussels, 22 November 2013 – From 18till 20June, on the Esplanade in front of the European Parliament in Brussels, EAPN held the 12th Meeting of People experiencing poverty on “What we can learn from the experiences of poverty today”. Gathering delegations of people experiencing poverty and activists from all the EU countries, this meeting was also an significant event in the calendar of the 2013 European Year of the Citizen. The reports are now available.

Sergio Aires, president of EAPN, meets with Commissioner Andor

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 20, 2013

Brussels, 18/11/2013 – During the meeting, Commissioner Andor reconfirmed his commitment to such EU-level meetings of people experiencing poverty. He pointed out that systematic involvement of people experiencing poverty in decision-making at national and European levels leads to more effective social measures, and added that such meetings “send a clear and important message that we want Europe to be inclusive.” Regarding timing,

EPSCO Council conclusions (15/10/2013)

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 14, 2013

15/10 – The main agreements at the latest EPSCO Council Conclusions were:

No progress on the posting of workers directive. Still no agreement on this important Directive that would try to ensure a basic package of social rights to workers posted abroad within the internal market.
Youth Guarantee: there was a review of progress, and a request to all MS to work quickly to spend the 6 million allocated including through ESF underspend.
Declaration of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships launched in July.
First debate on the Commission’s Communication on the Social Dimension of the EMU – cautious welcome, underlining the importance of coherence of fiscal, economic and social policies, with a first step in the establishment of the social scoreboard and new social indicators in the MIP, Alter procedure. However the Council rejected any automatic trigger of Recommendations if thresholds were breached. A further discussion will take place in the December Council.
Evaluation of the 2013 European Semester (including NRPs and CSRs). Concerns still about the short timescale, and confirming the need to involve social partners, and to confirm the key role of the EPSCO in any discussions/ recommendations which have an impact on employment or social policy.

EAPN meets with civil-society organisations from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 14, 2013

15/10 – EAPN hosted a group of civil-society representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, part of the Citizens for Europe initiative. The meeting focused on understanding EAPN’s structure, internal governance, models of structuring national anti poverty networks, and engagement of members in following the Europe 2020 strategy and the European policy-making process.

EAPN Speaks in Social Europe? NEUJOBS ‘brainstorming’ workshop

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 14, 2013

07/10 – Sian Jones, EAPN Policy coordinator, intervened in Whither the Social Europe? 2nd NEUJOBS ‘brainstorming’ workshop at CEPS in Brussels, on the results of key research results from the NEUJOBs project funded through FP7. Key themes discussed included social Europe in the aftermath of the crisis, social services of general interest, emerging social dilemmas and longer term challenges.

EAPN participates in Human Inner Design Conference: Shaping a new role for European Citizens and Institutions in Time of Change

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff November 14, 2013

06/11 – EAPN participated in a foreward-looking conference in the European Parliament, organized by Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti together with the Learning for Well-Being Alliance and Eurochild. The conference aimed to identify new opportunities to promote learning for well being for children and adults: a better understanding of how people work (their interior world) and to promote a change in education/training systems to encourage new skills which can help people to better manage change, create pro-active and pro-social attitudes.

EAPN presents its recommendations at event hosted by MEP Dennis de Jong: Poverty Reduction – Bridging the Gap

EAPN NewsBy EAPN Europe Staff October 17, 2013

On 16 October, EAPN Policy coordinator Sian Jones spoke on the role of Europe 2020 and the current state of play of the European Semester in the fight against poverty, along with Sonja Leemkuil, from EAPN Netherlands, who gave her testimony, at the event Poverty Reduction – Bridging the Gap, organized by Dennis de Jong as part of activities for the International Day of Poverty for the Dutch Socialist Party.

Category Archives: EAPN News