The response was prepared together with the EAPN EU Inclusion Strategies group through e-mail contributions, drawing on EAPN recent surveys assessing the implementation of Active Inclusion.
KEY MESSAGES
- Establish a clear EU and national road-map for implementation ensuring an integrated strategy tackling obstacles of different disadvantaged groups with specific guidelines.
- Pilot integrated approaches and encourage mutual learning and mainstreaming through pilot or social policy experimentation projects linked to transnational exchange and Peer Review, ensuring NGO engagement.
- Produce a Commission Working Paper to explore the scope and impact of a framework directive on adequate minimum income, as part of an integrated active inclusion approach, establishing common criteria for adequacy and a monitoring framework.
- Mainstream integrated Active Inclusion approaches into the European Employment Strategy, as part of Europe 2020, and make sure it underpins delivery on all social targets.
- Ensure that Active Inclusion is a thematic priority in the ESF Regulations, to deliver on the poverty target, and back the 20% ring-fencing on poverty.
- Ensure policy coherence across the life cycle recognizing the limitations of the Active Inclusion approach to people outside working age. Provide guidelines to ensure that AI implementation does not undermine EPAP commitments to reduce child poverty and promote well-being.
