Category Archives: Press room

The EU must push Member States to show progress on poverty!

EAPN launches its proposals for Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) for 2014

Brussels, 10 March 2013 – The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), presents today its proposals for CSRs for 2014, based on its national and European-organization members’ assessment. This comes in the week following the European Commission’s launch of the Communication[1] in preparation for the Mid-Term Review of the Europe 2020 Strategy (2010-2020). EAPN’s synthesis report provides an overview of members’ findings on the social impact of the 2013 CSRs, i.e. Recommendations of the European Commission to member States and their implementation, and proposes positive recommendations for the different Member States. The Report highlights the urgent need for the European Semester to deliver results on the Europe 2020 targets if it is to maintain any credibility, within the context of spiraling poverty levels across Europe, recognized by the Commission’s Communication.

Electing CHAMPIONS for a Social Europe: A Call for Commitment

EAPN launches its campaign around the European elections to get candidates commitment to the fight against poverty, social exclusion and inequalities and encourage voters to get heard

Brussels, 04/03/2014 – Today, the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) launches its European-wide campaign Elections for a Social Europe, ahead of the European Elections next 22-25 May, mobilizing hundreds of European, national and local organizations, calling on the candidates to the elections to commit to make the fight against poverty, social exclusion and inequalities a priority item on the European agenda, and on people… to vote! Several MEPs have committed to and signed EAPN’s pledge. The campaign launch coincided with a press briefing this morning gathering MEPs, European and Belgian media and civil-society organizations.

Civil society organisations welcome the new FEAD

Brussels, 26 February 2014 – Civil society organisations welcome the European Parliament’s approval of the new Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) yesterday, 25th February. This approval clearly shows that the European Union is committed to social cohesion and the fight against poverty. However, there still is much to do before the promised help reaches the most vulnerable.

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.

Turn the Tide on Rising Poverty

Social Ministers must press for a genuine social and democratic Semester in 2014 to back a credible EU

Brussels, 09 December 2013 – The European Anti-poverty Network (EAPN), comprising thousands of organizations working in all Member States of the EU to eradicate poverty, expressed their disappointment with the Commission’s Annual Growth Survey package (AGS) in the context of spiraling poverty rates. EAPN’s letter addressed to Social Ministers prior to the EPSCO Council on 9-10 December called on social ministers to press for concrete changes to ensure a more social and participative/democratic Semester in 2014, if credibility in EU is to be restored in this crucial pre-election period.

Ending Poverty is a Political Choice!

EAPN releases its key messages to the 3rd Annual Convention of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, calling on the EU and Member States to take concrete action to reach the agreed poverty target under Europe 2020, reviewed by a yearly Hearing with people experiencing poverty.

Brussels, 27 November 2013 – EAPN is one of the key stakeholders participating in the 3^rdAnnual Convention of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, one of the Flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy, taking place these 26-27 November 2013 in Brussels. On that occasion, EAPN recalls that the EU and Member States not only failed to reduce poverty despite their commitment to it, but on the contrary, contributed to the rise in poverty and inequalities through macroeconomic priorities and governance focused on austerity. For EAPN, this Annual Convention must get back to basics: Talk about the realities and the role of EU policies, discuss what policies are needed to ensure rapid progress to the target, and strive to put people experiencing poverty – their concerns and their solutions at the heart.

AGS 2014: Missed opportunity to restore EU credibility!

EAPN welcomes the new AGS 2014 priority on participation of national stakeholders, but deplores the failure to refocus on Europe 2020 and its targets and to propose a coherent strategy to tackle rising poverty

Brussels, 17 November 2013 –The European Anti-Poverty Network’s first reaction to the AGS, which the Commission adopted yesterday, is one of disappointment. EAPN criticizes the failure to re-focus the AGS on Europe 2020 and its targets (particularly the poverty and other social targets) and insists on the need for coherent integrated strategies, as called for in the EAPN letter to President Barroso on October 4th. The proposal to strengthen national stakeholder engagement in the Semester is however welcomed, but concerns raised about the overall aims.

EAPN calls on President Barroso to restore credibility in European Semester by delivering on Europe 2020 goals and promises

04 October 2013 – The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) sent an urgent letter to President of the European Commission Mr Barroso which concluded that the European Semester had failed to deliver on its promises on poverty reduction and stakeholders had not been able to engage and contribute to the Europe 2020 decision-making processes in any meaningful way. The letter also made reference to previous statements by President Barroso when he referred “the pressing need for effective policies” to address poverty, or called them an “economic necessity”.