{jathumbnail off}As one of the main partners of the European institutions on the European strategy to combat social exclusion, we keep under close review Community policies and programmes likely to impact on groups facing poverty and social exclusion.
Among the main policy areas we follow, EAPN has prioritised the following key issues:
- Social inclusion
- Employment
- Europe 2020 Strategy
- Structural funds
- Services and social services
- Getting more participation by people experiencing poverty
- Governance and civil dialogue
Social inclusion
EAPN aims to put poverty back on the agenda and to lobby and campaign together with our members for better and more effective policies to eradicate poverty and social exclusion at national and EU level. This means raising awareness of what poverty and inequality means – particularly for those directly experiencing poverty and to demand the mainstreaming of social inclusion through integrated polices which can deliver a more inclusive, equal society, based on shared wealth… More…
Employment
Unemployment, precariousness, working poverty….Poverty and employment are obviously interrelated, even if organizations representing the interests of the most excluded are rarely listened to when it comes to shaping employment policies… Since 1990, EAPN has been fighting for employment policies based on fundamental rights and respect of the persons, likely to deliver social inclusion rather than create more exclusion. More…
Europe 2020 Strategy
Since the launch of the original Lisbon strategy in 2000, EAPN has pressed for the implementation of a balanced and sustainable social, economic and environmental vision for Europe. Following the revision of the Lisbon Strategy in 2005, EAPN has highlighted the dangers of a narrow focus on “growth and jobs’ which reduces the focus on social inclusion to a trickle down effect. More…
Structural Funds
Since the 90’, EAPN has been involved in advocating the European institutions to ensure that structural funds make a significant contribution to fighting poverty and social exclusion. It has also worked closely with its National Networks and member organisations to enhance a stronger NGO involvement in the Structural Fund process both at national and European levels, and to provide timely information for a better access of NGOs to all stages of Structural Funds. More…
Services and Social Services
EAPN is campaigning together with the Social Platform to demand progress on developing a horizontal EU framework which will ensure social standards are met and ensure universal access to affordable, quality services, as a basic element of the EU social model. More…
Getting more participation by people experiencing poverty
Participation by people experiencing poverty and social exclusion is a challenge that has grown over the years since EAPN was founded. Since 2003, EAPN has had a hand in organising the European meetings of people experiencing poverty. More…
Governance and civil dialogue
Finding its roots in the participation of excluded groups in the decisions that affect them, EAPN has been actively involved in the promotion of civil dialogue between EU institutions and civil society. Such dialogue can be seen as a way to bridge the gap between the EU and its citizens through a more direct participation of citizens’ organizations and of excluded groups in the decision-making process. More…
