The EAPN secretariat and members looks forward to collaborating in 2009 with all those concerned for a social Europe and to ensure a good preparation for 2010 and to ensure progress is made towards achieving the eradication of poverty and social exclusion.
EAPN will now produce a short report in January highlighting the specific EAPN members’ experience and opinions, and will focus its messages on its initial proposals for change to input into the post 2010 discussion which will be a central debate in 2009.
Such investment as well as being necessary for people living in poverty is also good for the economy as the investment will immediately be put back into the economy in the form of spending on essential goods and services.
Economic recovery plan, partnership, development of bottom-up approaches and positive approach to “activation” were central themes in the debate.
Despite some modest improvements in at risk of poverty levels, this is often matched by deterioration in the poverty levels for specific groups.
EAPN is concerned about the limit of the priorities identified and the absence of a priority on solidarity and sustainability.
The Commission meeting focused on the findings of a recent study carried out on the social considerations of public procurement.
On 23 October, EAPN presented the assessment of national EAPN networks on the 2008-10 National Action Plans on Social inclusion 2008-10 at a seminar organized by Eurocities, the network of major European cities.
More than 200 participants from across Europe gathered in Brussels for 2 days of meetings in May 2008. They were driven by the same determination: to give a face and a voice to poverty and social exclusion.
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