EAPN published last week its full EAPN Social Inclusion Scoreboard on the National Reform Programmes (2008-10) highlighting details of national EAPN networks evaluations of the NRP’s.
A new Executive Summary highlights key messages in relation to EU’s response through Lisbon to the Economic Crisis.
The report demonstrates how the Lisbon strategy has continued to sideline social inclusion – leading in some cases to more poverty not less and continues to undermine the EU’s investment in vital social protection systems, new services to respond to new social needs and social economy as well as continuing to attack social rights.
The lessons need to be learnt from the economic crisis to challenge the basis of the growth and jobs strategy to ensure that Lisbon delivers on its social dimension, by recognizing the need to invest in people, social protection and effective social inclusion strategies of the crisis is not going to be paid for by the poor and lead to a drastic increase in poverty..
The key recommendations include:
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Ensure that the EU gives equal priority to a 3rd pillar of the EU Recovery Plan to ensure strategies deliver social justice and solidarity.
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Recognize explicitly the productive role of social protection and adequate minimum income in stabilizing the economy, promoting consumer demand and promoting social cohesion and a right to a dignified life.
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Back extensive public investment in services – to create sustainable jobs in areas of key new social needs/ as well as green smart jobs, including support to Social Economy initiatives particularly WISE (Work Integration Social Enterprises).
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Defend quality work and living wages rooted in employment protection and invest in positive integrated active inclusion approaches to support those furthest from the labour market into work.
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Embed poverty proofing and social impact assessment of the Economic Recovery packages and the delivery of the Growth and Jobs strategy, with the support of the Social OMC.
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Ensure that the causes as well as the consequences of the current crisis are fully analysed as part of a wide stakeholder debate including with those most affected. This should lead to a new post 2010 strategy based on social and sustainable growth, capable of making progress on addressing poverty, social exclusion and inequality.
