The Poverty Alliance (member of EAPN UK): New edition of Poverty in Scotland series of books

20/03/2014 – The Child Poverty Action Group in association with the Poverty Alliance (EAPN in Scotland), the Open University and Glasgow Caledonian University have published a new edition of Poverty in Scotland series of books. The latest edition focuses on the key social justice and anti-poverty issues facing Scotland as it decides its constitutional future on the 18th of September 2014. As well as looking at the Scottish situation, the collection contains articles look at the experience of tackling poverty in Germany, Belgium, the Basque Country, Catalonia and others.

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EAPN loses a friend and a great poverty fighter

EAPN was saddened to hear recently of the untimely death of our friend and colleague Patricia Stepman on 12 March 2014For more than 20 years Patricia has fought with heart and soul against poverty and exclusion, convinced that every human being has a right to a dignified existence. She was a supporter and co-founder of the Fourth World group People for People (Mensen voor Mensen), an association where the ‘poor’ take the floor in Aalst, Belgium. Patricia was a very recognizable contributor to the European Meetings of people experiencing poverty and was an active participant in a number of General Assemblies and other EAPN meetings.

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European elections 2014: Civil society and candidate MEPs commit to a Citizens’ Europe

Joining forces to mobilise EU citizens for the upcoming European elections 2014

Brussels, 18 March 2014 – European Parliament elections are the periodical momentum to test both politicians’ and citizens’ engagement and capacity to debate on how best shape our societies and improve European integration for the benefit of all. In the light of the democratic crisis and growing mistrust towards the European Union, it is of utmost importance to mobilise EU citizens to go to vote in May, said panellists from AGE, COFACE, ILGA Europe, EWL, ENAR, EDF, EAPN, AEGEE and Eurochild during a joint event on 18 March at the European Parliament hosted by Claude Moraes (MEP, S&D, UK).

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A story that millions of Europeans would want to hear

Millions of Europeans should know that it is possible that EU Member States could cooperate, through a European Directive, to ensure the progressive realization of adequate Minimum Income Schemes in every EU country.

Brussels, 19 March 2014 – Yesterday, the European Minimum Income Network (EMIN) a two-year project led by the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), presented its first results on how to ensure adequate minimum income schemes in all EU Member States, at an event in the European Parliament organised by MEPs, Frédéric Daerden and Pervenche Berès from the Socialists and Democrats Group.  Millions of Europeans should know that it is possible that EU Member States could cooperate, through a European Directive, to ensure the progressive realization of adequate Minimum Income Schemes in every EU country.  The EMIN project shows growing support for such a directive.

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EU’s 5 next years: EU leaders can choose progress

Half-way through the Europe 2020 Strategy, in a context of failure due to macroeconomic priorities and austerity measures, EAPN calls on Member States to deliver on social targets through Country-Specific Recommendations for 2014 and to make sure that a real consultation on the Mid-Term Review takes place to finally shift to coherence, inclusion, sustainability and participation for the 2nd half of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

17 March 2014, Brussels – The European Anti-Poverty Network addressed last Thursday 13 March a letter to the EU Prime Ministers and Heads of State, ahead of their General Affairs Council meeting tomorrow and Spring Council next 20-21 March, where they will review the progress made on the European Semester for 2014 including the up-coming Recommendations (CSRs) and debate the Commission’s proposals on the Mid-Term Review of the Europe 2020 Strategy. In its Letter, EAPN calls on EU leaders to ensure coherence between social and economic policies, with coherent country-specific recommendations capable of delivering on the Europe 2020 targets for 2014, notably on poverty, and to launch a concrete participative consultation of the Europe 2020 Strategy Mid-Term Review, involving civil-society actors taking place in 2014-15.

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EAPN Estonia: Raising awareness on poverty and extreme poverty

24/02 – On the occasion of the celebration of Estonian Independence Day at St. Olaf’s Church, EAPN Estonia organised an awareness-raising event around poverty and extreme poverty. The event aimed at gathering Tallinn’s homeless people, people who consider themselves to be living in poverty as well as decision makers. This event, open to the public, was also attended by two MEPs Indrek Tarand and Ivari Padar. In Strasbourg that day, Tunne Kelam however expressed his support.

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EAPN launches its proposals for Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) for 2014

10/03/2014 – EAPN presents its proposals for CSRs for 2014, based on its national and European-organization members’ assessment. This comes in the week following the European Commission’s launch of the Communication in preparation for the Mid-Term Review of the Europe 2020 Strategy (2010-2020). EAPN’s synthesis report provides an overview of members’ findings on the social…

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EAPN launches its proposals for Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) for 2014

10/03/2014 – EAPN presents its proposals for CSRs for 2014, based on its national and European-organization members’ assessment. This comes in the week following the European Commission’s launch of the Communication in preparation for the Mid-Term Review of the Europe 2020 Strategy (2010-2020). EAPN’s synthesis report provides an overview of members’ findings on the social impact of the 2013 CSRs, i.e. recommendations of the European Commission to member States and their implementation, and proposes positive recommendations for the different States. The Report highlights the urgent need for the European Semester to deliver results on the Europe 2020 targets if it is to maintain any credibility, within the context of spiraling poverty levels across Europe, recognized by the Commission’s Communication.

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