Everybody agrees that people should be able to heat their home but his is fast becoming a ‘luxury’ for many people experiencing poverty. With rising energy prices, the question of how to solve energy poverty is becoming a major challenge for the EU.
EAPN sent its letter to the Prime Ministers, in advance of the Spring Council Meeting on the 19/20 March, urging them to take effective short-term measures to limit the immediate impact on people in poverty whilst making social investments for the future. According to EAPN, Social cohesion should also be the main focus of the upcoming Jobs Summit in May.
EAPN welcomes the sense of urgency and the call for an adequate social response to the economic crisis but regrets the absence of a key message about how to make progress on poverty and social exclusion and to deliver on the overarching objectives of the OMC.
The report demonstrates how the Lisbon strategy has continued to sideline social inclusion – leading in some cases to more poverty not less and continues to undermine the EU’s investment in vital social protection systems.
This new campaign aims to build a broad alliance starting with 3 key sectors: social and green NGO’s and Trade Unions to campaign for change in the post 2010 agenda – to build a social and green sustainable future for the EU.
For EAPN participating in the WSF was an opportunity to link the struggle against poverty in Europe to the struggle against poverty in other parts of the globe.
These guidelines are used by the Commission’s staff when assessing the economic, social and environmental impact of Commission’s proposals.
EAPN will be working with CECODHAS, EPSU and other NGO’s to lobby on this important Declaration.
The 2010 European Year against Poverty will be all the more special for EAPN as it will mark the deadline the EU set itself to “make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty” and EAPN’s 20th anniversary.
The 2010 European Year against Poverty will be all the more special for EAPN as it will mark the deadline the EU set itself to “make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty” and EAPN’s 20th anniversary.