Fighting poverty ranks low in European Commission’s priorities

EAPN Europe writes to European Commission’s President Jean-Claude Juncker to stress its concern on Mid-Term Review delay

21/04/2015 – European Commission’s Mid-Term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy publicised and agreed by all parties has been delayed till the end of this year. EAPN Europe considers this shows the lack of serious commitment and low priority the EC gives to the process and fight against poverty. Europe 2020 aims at reducing poverty in at least 20 million by 2020 and was set as a key priority for the new Commission in order to set a smart, sustainable and inclusive recovery from the financial crisis. The number of people experiencing direct poverty has increased in six million after the strategy Europe 2020 was put in place.

Making Progress on Europe 2020: Investing in People for a Fairer EU | EAPN’s 2015 Assessment on Country-Specific Recommendations

17/04/2015 – EAPN presents its 2015 assessment of the 2014 Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) based on inputs from 24 national networks and European Organisations, and makes new proposals for 2015 CSRs. EAPN wants the European Semester to deliver results on the Europe 2020 goals of inclusive and sustainable growth and to deliver on its target to…

2015 EAPN CSR Report cover

Making Progress on Europe 2020: Investing in People for a Fairer EU | EAPN’s 2015 Assessment on Country-Specific Recommendations

17/04/2015 – EAPN presents its 2015 assessment of the 2014 Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) based on inputs from 24 national networks and European Organisations, and makes new proposals for 2015 CSRs. EAPN wants the European Semester to deliver results on the Europe 2020 goals of inclusive and sustainable growth and to deliver on its target to reduce poverty by at least 20 million by 2020. 

EAPN participates in 1st ECFIN dialogue with NGOs on an EMU for Citizens

26/03/2015- Representatives from five EAPN national networks (Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, Spain, Portugal) together with EAPN policy coordinator, Sian Jones, participated yesterday in Brussels in the first Civil Society dialogue seminar organised by DG ECFIN. This initiative forms part of ECFIN’s new Communication strategy to ‘connect’ to stakeholders and citizens on EU’s economic agenda.

EAPN Europe meets European Commission Vice President Dombrovskis

18/03/2015 – EAPN President, Sérgio Aires and Barbara Helfferich, Director of EAPN met with European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis for an exchange of views on the better integration of social objectives in the European Semester. EAPN underlined that the European Semester must ensure that economic and social objectives were equally important and that the country specific recommendations should be used to help reduce poverty. 

EAPN Letter to EPSCO Council March 9th-A clear stand on integrating a social dimension into European policy making is needed

09/03/2015- EAPN has addressed a letter to EPSCO Ministers with regards to their meeting taking place today March 9th on Employment and Social policy issues asking them to make a clear stand on the full integration of a social dimension into European policy making. EAPN not only calls for the integration of a social dimension but puts forward concrete proposals on how to do so. We believe social invesment together with social protection and ensurance of ownership are key to reduce poverty. Investment in growth and jobs alone will not.

Global Coalition for Social Protectors Floor

04/03/2015- EAPN Europe is part of a Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors partnering at the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council and taking part on a side event named ‘Social Protection Floors and Human Rights’ this month in Geneva. Social protection floors can help better realisation of social, economic and cultural rights. The side event at the UN Human Rights Council aims at raising awareness on social security as a human right.

EP Committe on Employment and Social Affairs report on European Policies for Lifelong Guidance to fight Early School Leaving and Unemployment

3/03/2015- EP EMPL Committe new report on European Policies for Lifelong Guidance to Fight Early School Leaving and Unemployment. This new report provides an overview of career guidance in Member States supported by research evidence showing lifelong guidance provides with better employment outcomes. The research shows a lack of guidance provision in most EU Member…

EP Committe on Employment and Social Affairs report on European Policies for Lifelong Guidance to fight Early School Leaving and Unemployment

3/03/2015- EP EMPL Committe new report on European Policies for Lifelong Guidance to Fight Early School Leaving and Unemployment. This new report provides an overview of career guidance in Member States supported by research evidence showing lifelong guidance provides with better employment outcomes. The research shows a lack of guidance provision in most EU Member…