On 22 March, EAPN Portugal and EAPN Europe held an online conference “Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights”. It was opened by the Minister of State for the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, Mariana Vieira da Silva, and the President of EAPN Portugal, Padre Jardim Moreira, and José Antonio Vieira da Silva, Advisor to the Presidency gave keynote speeches. Ana Mendes Godinho, Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Protection, closed the afternoon event. See the report and speakers’ presentations below.
There were two round tables, the first in the morning on the Action Plan for the Implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the second in the afternoon on Adequate Minimum Income.
The event sought answers to the following questions: How can we best use the Action Plan to reduce poverty and social exclusion and to improve the access to and quality of public services for all? How can we ensure that everybody has access to adequate and enabling minimum income schemes? And how can we best give a role and voice to people experiencing poverty?
It was livestreamed on the EAPN Portugal Facebook page.
Access the agenda and background information here. And the conference report here.
Speakers and some presentations in morning round table on the Action Plan’s meaning for citizens’ lives | chair: Sandra Monteiro, Le Monde Diplomatique:
- Katarina Ivankovic-Knezevic, Director, DG Employment, European Commission – see presentation
- Edmundo Martinho, Coordinator of the Portuguese Strategy to combat Poverty
- Graciela Malgesini, EU and Advocacy Officer, EAPN Spain and Co-Chair of EAPN EU Inclusion Strategies Group – see presentation
- Vladimir Špidla, Former European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities and Advisor to EAPN Czech Republic
- Jeanne Dietrich, Housing Technical Councellor, UNIOPSS and EAPN France
- Valentina Vehovar, Acting Director-General, Slovenian Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
Speakers and some presentations in afternoon round table on Adequate Minimum Income | chair: Sandra Araujo, EAPN Portugal:
- Mathias Maucher, EAPN Policy Officer – see presentation
- Dr. Andreas Aust, Social policy Officer, Der Paritätische and EAPN Germany – see presentation
- Cidalia Barriga, Representative of National Citizens Council, EAPN Portugal
- Linnéa Partanen, Person with experience of poverty representative, EAPN Finland
On 4 March 2021, the European Commission issued its Action Plan, and EAPN issued a first reaction on 5 March. We are working on a more comprehensive analysis, building on the EAPN Response to the EC Consultation on the EPSR AP (June 2020).
Follow the conversation on Twitter @EAPNEurope
This event was supported by the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation “EaSI” (2014-2020). The information contained does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission. For further information please consult: http://ec.europa.eu/social/easi.