EAPN booklet on Social Innovation
03/03/2016 – EAPN launched its new booklet The contribution of meaningful Social Innovation to reducing poverty and social exclusion in Europe in the European Parliament on the occasion of a discussion on the topic: How can Social Innovation contribute to reaching the poverty reduction target of Europe 2020? co-hosted by Hon Verónica Lope Fontagné MEP (EPP) and EAPN. Social innovation has been a ‘buzz’ term in European discourse over the past years, having been actively promoted by the European Commission, and tied to important funding lines for the national and EU level. The potential of a socially innovative approach to contribute to mitigating the consequences of the crisis, as well as to ensure better social inclusion and social cohesion in Europe, has been widely praised. However, the definition and use of the concept remain tenuous, and there is still ongoing debate regarding its merits, as well as hidden traps.
