Category Archives: EAPN News

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

 

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.

Sergio Aires, president of EAPN, meets with Commissioner Andor

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)

• 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 Speaks in Social Europe? NEUJOBS ‘brainstorming’ workshop

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

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

 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.

EAPN attends meeting with Commissioner Andor to discuss the social dimension of the EMU

07/10 – As part of a delegation of the European Platform, EAPN met with Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Lazlo Andor.  While the EAPN welcomed the latest commission on the social dimension of the EMU, we stated clearly where the communication fell short of our expectations. See EAPN statement here below.

EAPN Speaks in FEANTSA public hearing on participation of homeless people

03/10 – FEANTSA and Niccolò Rinaldi MEP (ALDE group) co-hosted a public hearing to raise awareness about how homeless people can participate in the development of homeless services and decision-making with regard to homelessness Participation of homeless people: Get a different result… get people participating!