30/05/2014 – EAPN-ES commitment with citizens, especially the most vulnerable, is not only in the run up to European elections last May 25 work. During the campaign for a Europe free of poverty, social exclusion and inequality, more than 50 candidates of different political parties contesting the elections committed to achieving this goal.
Details
28/05/2014 – Yesterday new data from INE Survey of Quality of Life ( CVD) were published. 2013 final data , with the headline “In the last year, the population at risk of poverty has fallen to 20.4 % compared to 20.8 % last year.” This holder contains two distortions. The first is the so-called statistical…
Details28/05/2014 – Yesterday new data from INE Survey of Quality of Life ( CVD) were published. 2013 final data , with the headline “In the last year, the population at risk of poverty has fallen to 20.4 % compared to 20.8 % last year.” This holder contains two distortions. The first is the so-called statistical effect: poverty is called “relative ” because it is related to the level of the average household income. And in Spain , the average household income has done nothing but fall since 2008 , from 30,045 euros then to the 27,747 euros now. It decreased in 3.5 % only in the last year. That means the poverty line has moved down has well. That actually means that the less we earn, the poorer we are, … the lower the percentage of ” relative poverty”. But therefore, those on fixed income, such as pensioners and retirees, with households ‘theoretically” individual, have gone over that threshold, even if only of a few euros. With this calculation , in 2009 , 23.8 % of older people were in relative poverty and only only 12.7 % today ! Likewise, according to that calculation,child poverty has dropped since 2009,from 28.9% of those under 16 years, to 26.7 % now.
Details
The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) celebrates its campaign Electing Champions for a Social Europe as a success, with over 10% of the newly elected MEPs committed to fighting poverty, social exclusion, inequalities and discrimination.
Brussels, 03/06/2014 – Over 10% of the newly elected MEPs have responded to the call of the European Anti-poverty Network, committing themselves to fight poverty and social exclusion during their mandate in the new European Parliament. The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) campaigned to encourage the candidates to the European elections to become Champions for a Social Europe by taking the pledge to defend and push for 1) a Social Pact for a Social Europe 2) An effective EU Strategy to fight poverty, social exclusion, inequalities and discrimination 3) Strengthened democracy and civil-society participation 4) An annual Hearing with People experiencing poverty in the European Parliament. EAPN welcomes these results as a great success, in a context of low turn-out and rise in extreme-right and anti-democratic parties.
Details
Brussels, 16 June 2014: Barbara Helfferich, Director of EAPN, will speak at this EESC conference on Active Inclusion. The aim of active inclusion is to bring those who can work and are furthest from the labour market into employment and to provide those who cannot work with enough resources to live in dignity and participate…
Details
10/06/2014 – The Belgian Network on Minimum Income (BMIN) – gathering networks, trade unions and academics invovled in the fight against poverty and social exclusion is organising a conference on an adequate minimum income. BMIN partners will present the recommendations on adeaute minimum income and will debate them with political leaders. The conference will be…
Details
10/06/2014 – The Belgian Network on Minimum Income (BMIN) – gathering networks, trade unions and academics invovled in the fight against poverty and social exclusion is organising a conference on an adequate minimum income. BMIN partners will present the recommendations on adeaute minimum income and will debate them with political leaders. The conference will be…
Details10/04/2014 – EAPN Senior Policy Officer Amana Ferro’s spoke on behalf of EAPN at Unconditional Basic Income conference “Emancipating European Welfare” organised by Unconditional Basic Income Europe at EESC. Watch her intervention here.
22/05/2014 – As the European Union is developing its strategic guidelines on the future of Justice and Home Affairs policies, 38 leading organisations in the fields of human rights, health, education and social inclusion, including the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF, OHCHR and the European Network for Ombudspersons, are calling on the European Council to use the opportunity to advance on its achievements and commitments to every child, including migrant children in vulnerable situations, by making children’s rights a strategic and actionable priority for Home Affairs policy in the coming years.
21 May 2014, Toulouse – EAPN spoke in the economic policy panel in the EPSU 9th Assembly, held in Toulouse. The panel was chaired by Philippe Pochet, ETUI, who channelled the panel debate around the 5 key challenges presented by Ronald Janssen/ETUC : the lack of demand fuelled by austerity, the need for a rethink on ECB investment policy, increasing precarious work, and falling wage share compared to profits; the need for fair taxation to finance public services and benefits and reduce inequality.
Details