On 26th March, the Spring Council agreed to make the reduction of Poverty one of the 5 key objectives and targets for the EU’s new Europe 2020 strategy for the next decade. However, Heads of State did not commit themselves to a concrete figure nor indicator.
The decision on the specific indicator and target has been postponed, following a ‘reflection period’ until the June Council.
EAPN welcomes the decision of the Spring Council to make the reduction of poverty one of the main objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy. EAPN hopes that the reflection period up to the June Council on the precise target and indicator to be used will enable the June Council to agree an ambitious EU poverty target, based on the tried and tested EU relative poverty indicator.
“We’re clearly pleased that EU leaders have made poverty a key objective in the new Strategy, linked to an action “platform” delivered though the Social OMC. .The EU seems to have recognized, at last, that growth and jobs alone, can’t be relied upon to reduce poverty and inequality. .But the failure to agree the Commission’s proposal of a 25% reduction in poverty, based on the current agreed relative poverty indicator, does raise doubts about EU leaders commitment to go beyond symbolic actions and really commit themselves to achieving a significant reduction in poverty and inequality” Says Fintan Farrell , Director of EAPN.
Read EAPN´s letter to Prime Ministers and EAPN’s detailed response to the Commission’s Europe 2020 proposal.