Praksis (member of EAPN Greece) release their publication and video Plus To Minus

Dec 2013 – The effects of the Greek financial crisis, the rate of layoffs, the increasing rate of taxation, pay cuts and pensions reductions, the recorded loss of property due to lack of ability to repay bank loans along with the general financial insecurity arising from pension reforms, have created an unusual alarming phenomenon: the rise of poverty and precarious conditions for a substantial amount of households in Greece that were self-sufficient up to now and are now facing the terrifying reality of homelessness.The publication gives key data on poverty in Greece and other EU countries. It goes along with a short 36-second video.

EESC opinion on minimum income and poverty indicators approved!

10/12 – the EESC opinion on minimum income and poverty indicators, an own initiative report (SOC/482) promoted by Mr Dassis (Workers Group II/Greece) with co-rapporteur Mr Boland (Various interests – GR III/Ireland was approved in the plenary session. EAPN has been actively involved in providing input to the opinion, in two hearings and by written input, with EAPN Ireland providing specific input to the co-rapporteur. The opinion was presented by the EESC in the EMIN event in Paris on 09/10. The opinion includes a call for ‘’a European framework directive that would extend minimum income schemes to all Member States, improve the adequacy of existing schemes, taking into account national contexts’.. the proposed directive should ‘ set common standards and indicators’ and to examine the funding possibilities for a European Minimum Income in particular setting up an appropriate European Fund“. It builds on the demand made by Committee of the Regions opinion on the European Platform Against Poverty, based on input from EAPN.

Peer Review in Belgium: The Belgian Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion EU 2020

15/01/2014 – Paul Ginnell, from EAPN Ireland and co-chair of the European Inclusion Strategies Group of EAPN, represented EAPN at the EU Peer Review of the Belgian Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion EU2020 which took place on 14-15 January. He also drafted EAPN’s Comments Paper on the Peer Review, with the support of Elke Vandermeerschen, from BAPN (EAPN Belgium) and Sian Jones, Policy Coordinator for EAPN Europe. At the Peer Review, EAPN was represented by Paul Ginnell and BAPN by Anatole Kontsybovslyï, Crina Costache, Dabiel Ausloos, Daniël Meuleman, Elke Vandermeerschen, Ludo Horemans and Stephan Backes.

Macedonian Anti-Poverty Platform (MAPP) holds Meeting of People experiencing poverty

24/12/2013 – As part of the joint initiative Decent Minimum Income with other stakeholders, the MAPP held its 3rd Meeting of People experiencing poverty and social exclusion under the tile of “Dignified life for all citizens” in Hotel Porta, in Skopje. The main goals of the meeting were to ensure democratic debate amongst all concerned parties and active involvement in decision making for people living in poverty and social exclusion.

Economic progress needs social progress!

Prime Ministers must back new social scoreboard and press for equal focus on social objectives in the EU’s economic policy coordination

Brussels, 16 December 2013 – The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), comprising thousands of organizations working in all Member States of the EU to eradicate poverty, is urging European Heads of state to take advantage of the new social scoreboard to identify negative macroeconomic policies which are generating increased poverty and inequality, ahead of their meeting on 19-20 December. In a letter to the General Affairs Council and the European Council, EAPN recalls there will be no economic without social progress and active participation of civil society.

President of EAPN meets President Van Rompuy at Annual Convention on Poverty and social exclusion

27/11/2013 – Sérgio Aires thanked President van Rompuy for making time available for the meeting, which involved 4 other members of EAPN. He introduced EAPN as a European-wide coalition of NGOs, founded in 1989 with the support of the Commission, and with the major objective to contribute to the fight against poverty. The EC and the EU recognized that good governance included the participation of civil society; it was recognized that without that fundamental participation it would be very difficult to implement the European Project. He added that with the creation of EAPN in 1989, there was recognition that EAPN was a major network.

EAPN President Sérgio Aires meeting with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso

27/11/2013 – On the occasion of the European Convention against Poverty, EAPN President Sérgio Aires met with President Barroso.  Sérgio underlined the need for an integrated European Anti-Poverty Strategy stating that if finances and economy are EU businesses, poverty was also one – particularly when current economic choices contributed to it.  He also proposed to launch a process, both at European and national level assuring an enlarged participation of stakeholders, particularly those facing themselves poverty and social exclusion, to develop such a EU integrated strategy to fight poverty. This, he said, would be the positive sign of political commitment we would like to see.  President Barroso, whose speech at the Convention acknowledged the fact that the poverty target was way out of reach, responded outlining the structural and political difficulties to require member states to deliver on social targets.