FNARS: Long-term unemployment declared “national issue” – a strong step forward, to turn into real action

09/07/2014 – The 3rd Social conference on employment took place in Paris with President F. Hollande Paris taking on board FNARS and Collectif Alerte joint proposals, which both organisations welcome. Declaring that long-term unemployment is a major national issue and priority to tackle, the President also called on everyone and particularly social partners to mobilise against what affects today over 2 million people in France. However, the most important is to witness the implementation of concrete and adapted proposals that respond best and as fast as possible to the needs of millions of people experiencing hardship.

ECI on Water and Sanitation: Consultation on quality of drining water till 23/09, organisations and citizens, please take part!

25/06/2014 – The European Commission has launched a consultation on the quality of drinking water supply in response to the ECI right2water, the only successful ECI so far. We invite civil society organisations and European citizens to participate in this consultation and to address the human rights aspect of water, the responsibility of governments to provide the service, the fact that it is a “natural monopoly” (there is no market!) and to address that outsourcing or delegation of services do NOT lead to better quality.

EAPN Malta holds In-Work Poverty Conference and launches EAPN publication Working and Poor in Maltese

12/06/2014 – EAPN Malta (Anti-Poverty Forum Malta) organised a conference on In-Work Poverty aiming to raise awareness on the topic.  Speakers for this conference included the Minister for Education and Work Hon Evarist Bartolo, the Shadow Minister on Poverty Hon Clyde Puli, MEP Dr Therese Comodini Cachia, trade unionists, a Professor in Sociology, and various NGOs.  During this well-attended conference, APF Malta launched the publication ‘Working and Poor’ released by EAPN in November 2013, in Maltese. Various interesting points were raised and discussed, including the need to increase the minimum wage, measures to eliminate precarious work and also the possibility of rising the compulsory school age to 18.