| European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN) |
LATEST
Call for new PM to Support Europen Poverty Target
EAPN in the UK have called on the Prime Minister to support the the inclusion of robust poverty targets in the new Europe 2020 stratgey. Twenty-six organsiations signed a joint letter to David Cameron ahead of the meeting of the Council of Ministers in June 2010. To view the letter click here. Since writing to the PM, the new target has been agreed. A compromise was agreed, and the new target to reduce poverty by 25% over the next 10 years willbe measured by member states using one of three indicators: the 'at risk of poverty' measure (60% of median household income), material deprivation; and jobless households. For more information visit the EAPN website.
EAPN UK: Dear Chancellor, You Think You’ve Got Problems!
Members of EAPN in the UK have used the Coalition Government's emergency budget on the 22 of June 2010 as an opportunity to highlight the need for adequate minimum incomes. Members of EAPN have directed people living on low incomes to write to the Chancellor asking exactly how they should cut their already inadequate budgets. This action was part of EAPN Europe wide campaign for adequate minimum income schemes. For more on the campaign visit www.adequateincome.eu. Follow the link to view the press release for the campaign and download two of the letters sent as part of the campaign. Letter one, letter two.
The European Commission and European Parliament have designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. One of the key aims of the European Year in 2010 is to raise public awareness of the importance of combating poverty and social exclusion for personal, social and economic development.
Over the coming year the Poverty Alliance will be working with a range of organisations to ensure that the European Year has a lasting legacy in Scotland and the UK. We will be working alongside our partners across Europe through the European Anti-Poverty Network to ensure that we create a renewed vision for a genuinely social Europe with addressing poverty at its heart.
The UK Government is supporting activities that contribute to one or more of the following objectives:
1. Raise awareness of the causes, prevalence and consequences of poverty and social exclusion, and of UK and European strategies and policies that aim to tackle these issues.
2. Promote and facilitate the engagement and participation of a broad range of actors who have a role to play in developing and delivering solutions to tackle poverty and social exclusion, including people experiencing poverty.
3. Ensure a lasting legacy from the Year, including the identification and sharing of good practice and knowledge, and the development of effective structures that facilitate ongoing dialogue between relevant actors.
EY2010: What Are you doing?
We want to make sure that during the course of the European Year that as many activities as possible take place that will help raise the profile of poverty issues, will involve people with experience of exclusion and will leave a lasting legacy. We also want to be able to share with other organisations, including anti-poverty groups across Europe through the European Anti-Poverty Network, the kinds of events and actions that are taking place. This can include seminars, workshops, conferences, new publications, demonstrations. If you would like us to like your event, and link it to the European Year, please download this form and return it to us.
Please check back to our site regularly for updates on 2010 activity. For more information you should also check these sites
- The European Anti-Poverty Network
- In the UK, the DWP 2010 site
- At the EU level, the Commission's 2010 site
European Seminars, Edinburgh, September 2009
September saw a great deal of activity for the Poverty Alliance around the European agenda. As well as hosting the European Anti-Poverty Network for their Executive Committee meeting, we also hosted two half day seminars on European issues and held a Parliamentary recepetion on the evening of the 24th of September. Further details on these events are below. We would like to thank all the speakers and participants, especially those who had travelled from across Europe to attend.
Punching Above our Weight? The role of smaller nations and regions in the fight against poverty. 24 September 2009
This seminar heard from a number of speakers looking at what smaller countries can do to address poverty. Ann Thompson from the Scottish Government outlined the approach that has been adopted to address poverty here, including the challenging targets to address income inequality.
Download Ann Thompson's presentation.
The second session focused on the need to address inequalities as part of the fight against poverty in Europe. We heard from Dr Linda Lane from the University of Gothenburgh, who spoke about the Swedish approach to addressing inequalities and the particualrly impact on women. . Professor Adrian Sinfield presented the case for a focus on tackling income inequalities in the fight against poverty.
Download Linda Lane's presentation
Download Adrian Sinfield's presentation.
The next session looked at issues related to work and welfare. Dr Elke Heins from the University gave a presentation on her research into 'flexicurity' in Denmark. Sian Jones from EAPN spoke about the potential contribution that 'Active Inclusion' can make to providing decent work, adequate incomes and quality services.
Download Elke Hein's presentation.
Download Sian Jone's presentation
The final session looked at the role of services to address poverty. Ken Shaw from Eurocities and Edinburgh City Council gave an overview of the work of Eurocities and the important contribution that local authorities make to combating poverty. Anna Visser, Director of EAPN, provided an update from Ireland where services to address poverty are under significant pressure due to the economic crisis. .
Download Ken Shaw's presentation.
Download Anna Visser's presentation
About the European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN) in the UK
The Poverty Alliance is an active member of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN). EAPN is an independent network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and groups involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion in the Member States of the European Union. There are member networks in 24 Members States. EAPN in the UK is made up of four anti-poverty networks:
- EAPN England
- Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network; and
- Anti Poverty Network Cymru (Wales)
We coordinate activity through UK Liaison Group (UKLG) which is made up of representatives of each of the networks. The UKLG forms the link back to the work of EAPN in Brussels, which in turn links into the 24 networks across Europe. The Poverty Alliance currently provides the secretariat for the UKLG.
What Do We Do?
For many people in the UK the European Union is at best a distant irrelevance or at worst an unwelcome interference in domestic affairs. However, the European Union shapes our lives in the UK and it is vital that we ensure that it works for people in poverty. EAPN UK aims to put the fight against poverty high on the agenda of the EU and to ensure cooperation at EU level aimed at the eradication of poverty and social exclusion. In the UK this means following a number of key EU policies and undertaking a range of activities to raise the importance of anti-poverty work.
Lobbying: Central to our work over recent years has been following the development of the National Action Plans on Social Inclusion in the UK and seeking to influence their development. EAPN UK took the lead in establishing the Social Policy Task Force (SPTF) which meets regularly with the UK Government over the development of the NAP. EAPN UK is in regular contact with MEP’s and have lobbied them on a range of issues from fuel poverty to the Services Directive. Members of EAPN UK have also been active in lobbying around Structural Funds, ensuring that new programmes in the UK address poverty and social exclusion.
Participation: EAPN UK has sought to have greater involvement of people with experience of poverty in getting their voices heard at both the UK and EU levels. We supported delegations to the annual people experience poverty conference in Brussels and have taken the lead in organising similar events in the UK.
Future Plans: The next two years will be important for EAPN UK. The European elections in June 2009 are an important opportunity to put poverty back on the agenda. 2010 is the European Year Against Poverty and EAPN UK will be working hard to make sure that it has a real impact in the UK.
For information regarding the Poverty Alliance’s role in EAPN contact peter.kelly@povertyalliance.org
Visit the EAPN website at www.eapn.eu