At the end of October, Eurodiaconia and its Dutch member Kerk in Actie sent a letter outlining key social priorities for the upcoming Dutch Presidency to Jetta Klijnsma, the Dutch State Secretary for Employment and Social Affairs. From the start of January until the end of June 2016, representatives of the Dutch government will chair the different configurations of the so-called Council of the EU, which represents individual Member States’ interests and can develop recommendations on future EU legislation.
In their letter, Eurodiaconia and Kerk in Actie emphasised the importance of a) reinforcing the Poverty Target of Europe 2020, b) developing national responses to the rise of in-work poverty, and c) promoting discussion about Adequate Minimum Income at a Member State level. To access the original letter (in Dutch), please click here.
On 23 November, the Dutch State Secretary sent an official response, lauding Eurodiaconia’s and KIA’s joint commitment to supporting the most vulnerable in society and presenting poverty reduction as a key priority of the upcoming Dutch Presidency. Concretely, they will a) stimulate an exchange of ‘best practices’ between Member States to promote mutual learning, and b) emphasise the importance of an integrated approach to poverty, drawing on broad cooperation between public and private parties. They also expressed a desire to involve local authorities and civil society actors in giving shape to the social priorities of the Dutch Presidency. To view the response letter (in Dutch), please click here.