Economic Crisis and Austerity in Southern Europe: Threat or Opportunity for building a sustainable welfare state?

EAPN News

On Tuesday the 13 January 2015, EAPN participated in the first of OSE’s after-work seminars, organized with AK EUROPA and the ÖGB Europabüro, which presented damning new evidence of the negative impact of austerity on welfare states, particularly on social protection and health service, increasing poverty and inequality. The response from Dino Pinelli, Senior Economist from DG ECFIN, recognized the negative impact but underlined Member State responsibility for choice of measures and the need to continue with the treatment. EAPN’s questions focused on 4 issues:

ETUI Monthly Forum on ECI Right2Water

EAPN News

 07/01/2015 –  The European Trade Union Institute is organising a debate on the European Citizens’ Initiave ‘Right2Water’ on 22 January 2015 in Brussels.  We will have an eminent social scholar who has analysed what we have done and putting it in a broader perspective, as well as the rapporteur from the European Parliament Lynn Boylan who is preparing the position of the EP on the ECI.

Semester Alliance issues report of its capacity-building workshop for learning, exchange and engagement

EAPN News

12/12/2014 – On 6th June 2014, the European Alliance for a Democratic, Social and Sustainable European semester held a Capacity Building workshop for 35 Alliance members in Brussels. The workshop was primarily aimed at national members of the Alliance, including the 3 pilot alliances in Bulgaria, Denmark and Ireland, but also at representatives from Brussels-based Alliance members. Read the full report!

New momentum for action on Adequate Minimum Income Schemes

EAPN Press releases

Brussels, 11 December 2014 – Delegates at the EU-level Conference held in Brussels today on ‘Minimum Income Schemes in Europe’ heard a very different story to the populist story of lazy people who cheat the welfare system. The figures given at the Conference on the non-take-up of minimum income assistance ranging from 20% to as much as 75%, are way and above those of over-take-up that receives much more policy and media attention.

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EAPN writes to EPSCO Council on the AGS and Employment Report

EAPN News

08/12/2014 – EAPN has sent a letter with 6 key messages to Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs ahead of their EPSCO meeting on the 11th December, where they will discuss progress on the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Mid-Term Review, including their first response to the new Annual Growth Survey 2015. With its letter, EAPN shares its assessment of the 2015 AGS “Fresh start or broken promises?”.

Giving a Voice to Civil Society Proposals for Europe 2020: Semester Alliance hearing in the EP gets wide support

EAPN News

On the 3rd December, the EU Semester Alliance held a well-attended hearing in the European Parliament, hosted by Hon. Jean Lambert MEP (Greens / EFA) and Hon. Marian Harkin MEP (ALDE). It is the second such hearing organized by the Alliance in 2014, presenting to decision-makers and stakeholders the Alliance’s assessment of and proposals for a democratic, social and sustainable way forward for the Europe 2020 Strategy and the European Semester in 2015.