A European platform to combat poverty and social exclusion

As stated in Mr. Barroso’s address to the European Parliament, back in April 2010, “the real strength of a society rests on the opportunities it creates for its weakest citizens”.

As part of its Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, the European Commission is launching a European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion. The Platform will build on the European year for combating poverty and social exclusion in order to foster economic, social and territorial cohesion. It will primarily seek to support the EU target of lifting at least 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion in the next decade by creating a joint commitment among the Member States, EU Institutions and the key stakeholders. The Platform will set a framework for action to ensure that the benefits of growth and jobs are widely shared across the European Union and people experiencing poverty and social exclusion are enabled to live in dignity and take an active part in society.

In 2008, more than 80 million people across the Union lived below the poverty line, that is, more than the population of Germany, or 16.5 per cent of the EU population. Women account for well over half of them and 20 million are children. Poverty, social exclusion and health are closely interrelated. They can be a cause or a consequence of the others and the relations amongst the three is often cyclical. Many of the mechanisms leading to and perpetuating poverty and social exclusion are related to health, which reflects a marked correlation between socio-economic status and health.

The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion represents an opportunity to addressing these challenges within the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The Commission has identified the following areas for action:

• Delivering actions across the policy spectrum;
• Greater and more effective use of the EU Funds to support social inclusion;
• Promoting evidence-based social innovation;
• Working in partnership and harnessing the potential of the social economy;
• Enhanced policy coordination among the Member States.

Will growth and jobs will be sufficient to reduce social and health inequalities? Please tell us what you think on the Equity Channel community.

To download the EC communication on the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, please click here.
To access the list of key initiatives planned in the framework of the Platform, please click here.