{jathumbnail}On 3rd March 2010, the European Commission published its proposals for the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy: Europe 2020.
These proposals build on President Barroso´s Guidelines for the next Commission published in September 2008 and the draft outline EU2020. For EAPN, the inclusion of an EU poverty target, Flagship programme and process, represents a potentially historic step forward for the EU fight against poverty, reflecting the strong inputs from Social NGOs and many other actors to the consultation, including EAPN (also see key messages for 2010) and its national networks and European organisations, the Social Platform and the Spring Alliance.
However, these positive proposals need to be strongly supported by Member States, with concrete policy measures and effective mainstreaming, to ensure a coherent integration of the social objectives in the overall strategy, if they are to have an impact.
EAPN’s Key Messages
1) Set out more clearly a vision that puts people first and show how the growth strategy will deliver social progress and mainstream social objectives.
2) Defend the proposed relative poverty target and establish an explicit Action Plan against Poverty. Make it achievable by reducing social inequalities and being ambitious on social standards.
3) Emphasize the need to invest in social security and social protection systems and defend public services.
4) Focus on how to create quality jobs and ensure access to people who are currently excluded through Active Inclusion approaches.
5) Strengthen the architecture and governance – guarantee a reinforced Social OMC and equal standing for all pillars, delivering on social cohesion. Agree guidelines for meaningful participation of civil society actors including people in poverty throughout strategy.
