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The “Europe 2020 strategy” is the EU's growth strategy for the coming decade. Launched in 2010, it aims to achieve “smart, sustainable and inclusive growth" through the achievement of 5 overarching targets:
Employment:
75% of the 20-64 year-olds to be employed
R&D / innovation:
3% of the EU's GDP (public and private combined) to be invested in R&D/innovation
Climate change / energy:
greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if the conditions are right) lower than 1990
20% of energy from renewables
20% increase in energy efficiency
Education
Reducing school drop-out rates below 10%
at least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education
Poverty / social exclusion
at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion
Eurodiaconia is particularly interested by the "inclusive growth" objective as well as the stakeholders involvement in the process. In these times of economic and financial crisis, austerity programs and budget restraints, the challenge to find the balance between financial, economic and social policy has pushed many Member States to forget the social inclusion dimension of Europe, and the requirement to involve stakeholders in policy making.
Eurodiaconia is following the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy through the European Union's seven "flagship initiatives" ("new engines to boost growth and jobs"), and working for a stronger engagement of diaconal actors in the overall process of the European semester.
To know more about Eurodiaconia's work on Europe 2020, please contact Clotilde at
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EAPN Toolkit on Stakeholder Involvement (NRPs & NSRs, 2013) |
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21 March 2013
The European Ant-Poverty Network (of which Eurodiaconia is a member) has just published a toolkit to help their national networks and European Organisations to engage with the 2013 preparation of the National Reform Programmes (NRPs) and the Questionnaires on the National Social Reports (NSRs). It aims to provide brief, to-the-point information about the processes and the opportunities for engagement, by clarifying the key elements, timeline, and strategic actors of the new process, as well as giving links and suggesting different ways of involvement. They also give some tips for engaging in the new cycle, building on members’ experiences from the past years, and previous such Toolkits drafted with members of EAPN. Please click here to download the toolkit
Eurodiaconia and CSC of CEC are holding a seminar on Europe 2020 in Brussels on 10 and 11 April which also aims to help members engage in the European Semester with a focus in country specific Recommendations. For more information about this event see here. |
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Eurodiaconia reminds decision makers of their social responsibility to promote inclusive growth |
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14 March 2013
Today the EU Spring Summit brings together Heads of State and Government to discuss the pressing issue of how to initiate growth to reduce unemployment and state indebtedness in the EU. More particular, the first phase of the European Semester will be concluded and the progress made in implementing the 2012 Country Specific Recommendations will be assessed.
Eurodiaconia took this opportunity to remind decision makers of the social responsibility the European Semester process has to promote ‘inclusive growth’ and address poverty and exclusion. We see inequalities and unemployment on the rise and austerity measures are damaging the economic, social and health situations of people already experiencing or at risk of poverty. In a letter to the Council Eurodiaconia called on Heads of State and Government to stop putting further constraints on social systems through promoting debt reduction regardless of the consequences and to start investing in social services.
Please find the letter here. |
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Eurodiaconia calls for a roadmap to implement the Recommendation on Investing in Children |
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14 March 2013
Recently Eurodiaconia as part of an Adhoc group (ATD 4th World, Caritas Europa, Coface, Eurochild, EAPN, European Social Network, PICUM) sent a letter to Commissioner Andor, presenting joint proposals for a roadmap which would ensure an effective implementation on the Recommendation on child poverty and well-being entitled “Investing in Children: breaking the cycle of disadvantage”. This Recommendation comes as part of the Commission’s long awaited Social Investment Package (SIP) which was published mid February.
Our proposal sets out 5 key messages:
1. Ensure strong EU leadership to drive implementation based on active partnership
2. Mainstream the Recommendation through the Europe 2020 Strategy
3. Put in place an EU Roadmap for the implementation of the Recommendation that includes an EU multi-annual work programme
4. Facilitate and support national and sub-national stakeholders’ involvement in the implementation of the Recommendation
5. Use EU funds to support delivery
To download the full proposal click here.
Eurodiaconia will soon release a briefing for members on the Recommendation as well as on other relevant documents of the SIP.
For more information on this, contact
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Ministers of social affairs fail to address Eurodiaconia's concerns on social and economic policies |
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08 March 2013
On 28 February the EPSCO Council (Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council) adopted conclusions providing political guidance for employment and social policies on the basis of the Annual Growth Survey for 2013 and the Joint Employment Report. The results of the debate and the decisions taken in this framework will form part of the employment and social policy ministers' messages to the European Council for its meeting on 14 and 15 March, where the EU heads of state or government are due to agree on guidance to member states for their economic policies. The EPSCO Council also endorsed key messages on the social situation and 'trends to watch' in the Union, a document drafted by the EU's Social Protection Committee (SPC). Noting that the social situation in the EU is worsening, the SPC singles out four social trends in the EU to watch with particular attention, namely the increases in poverty and social exclusion for the overall population, the number of poor children, the working poor and the poverty risk for people living in quasi-jobless households.
A political agreement was reached on establishing the "Youth Guarantee" aiming to ensure that all young people under the age of 25 who lose their job or do not find work after leaving education quickly receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship. Member states are called upon to implement the schemes as soon as possible, preferably as from 2014.
The conclusions on employment and social policies call on member states to ensure that the priorities set out in the Annual Growth Survey and the Joint Employment Report are reflected in their National Reform Programmes. Among these priorities, tackling long-term and youth unemployment and combating poverty and social exclusion are core issues. In terms of measures taken to contribute to job creation and social inclusion the focus is on economic strategies such as fiscal consolidation measures and employment measures. A frequent discourse we are hearing is that the sole solution to poverty is economic growth. Although the EPSCO Council does highlight the importance of improving resilience and efficiency of social protection systems to fight poverty, it fails to address most of the points Eurodiaconia has raised in their letter to the EPSCO Council.
Social investment has not been mentioned by the EPSCO Council as the Social Investment Package will be discussed only at a later stage. Stakeholder involvement has been touched upon briefly, but should be emphasised much more strongly and concretely for the European Semester process. Eurodiaconia will continue to lobby the EU institutions to meet the Europe 2020 target to fight poverty and social exclusion in the EU and promote investment in quality social services.
Please find the conclusions of the EPSCO Council from 28 February here. |
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Eurodiaconia calls on Ministers to focus on social investment |
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28 February 2013
Today the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO-Council) is meeting in Brussels to discuss the Annual Growth Survey 2013 and formulate recommendations for the Spring Council, which will be held from 14 to 15 March 2013. Eurodiaconia would like to see a change of direction from giving priority to financial reforms and developments of the conditions for growth towards a Social Investment approach. Investments in quality and sustainable employment in the social and health sector are necessary to respond to growing needs and staff shortages.
We addressed a letter with our recommendations to relevant Ministers, calling on them to take them into consideration during their discussions. Please find the letter here. |
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Sunday, May 19, 2013
