From Nobel Prize to ACTION: EAPN calls on EU leaders to deliver on their commitments

Brussels, 15 October 2012 – The award of the Nobel Prize to the European Union for its contribution to peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights is, as President Barroso said, “a message of hope and confidence in the EU at a time when the EU faces a great challenge”. A great challenge indeed, as the EU’s response to the crisis attests to a three-fold failure: EU leaders have failed to deliver on its promises on poverty reduction, have in fact generated more poverty by ‘austerity-only’ driven policies, and neglected democratic fundamental principles. In its letter sent today to EU Prime Ministers and Heads of State ahead of the Council Meeting on 18 and 19 October, where they will discuss next steps on the future of the Economic and Monetary Union, EAPN urges EU Leaders to demonstrate their commitment to a Social Union and to the safeguarding of democracy.

On 16 October, EAPN sent another letter to the Presidents of the EU, urging them to create a special fund to support organisations fighting poverty, exclusion and inequality.

Land rights victory for Indian marchers

As many of you know for the last year leaders of the Ekta Parishad (Indian Gandhian Movement working with landless people), with support from many other Indian and International NGOs, have been making State marches to document the reality for landless people in India and to press for political reform based on land rights. 

EAPN and other NGOs launch Common Statement on Child Well-Being

EAPN, together with ATD Fourth World, Caritas Europa, COFACE, Eurochild, Eurodiaconia, European Social Network and PICUM have joined together to highlight their support to the EPSCO Council Conclusions on child poverty and well-being (October 4th) and to press for an explicit commitment from the future Commission Recommendation that it focuses on child well-being as well…

EAPN on TV show “C’est ça l’Europe?!”

C’est ça l’Europe?! (Is that Europe ?!), a TV show co-produced by RTBF (Belgian French-speaking main TV and radio channel) and TV5World, features EAPN as a non-governmental organization aiming, along with its members, to take part in shaping European and national politics; a totally different type of “lobbying”, far away from industrial lobbies. Sergio Aires, President of EAPN and Geneviève, a person experiencing poverty active in the Belgian Anti-Poverty Network (BAPN) addresses directly Martin Schulz, the President of the European Parliament.