B4-1098/96

Resolution on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Council recommendation of 27 July 1992 on the convergence of social protection objectives and policies ((OJ L 245, 26.8.1992, p. 49.)),

- having regard to the Commission Communication 'Towards a Europe of Solidarity - intensifying the fight against social exclusion by fostering integration¨ (COM(92)0542),

- having regard to the Commission communication 'The policy of the Community and its Member States on the campaign against poverty in developing countries¨ (COM(93)0518),

- having regard to the Commission White Paper of 27 July 1994 on European Social Policy - a way forward for the Union (COM(94)0333),

- having regard to the Commission's medium-term social action programme 1995- 1997 (COM(95)0134) and Parliament's resolution of 16 January 1996 thereon ((OJ C 32, 5.2.1996, p. 24.)),

- having regard to the Commission communication on the future of the social protection: a framework for a European debate (COM(95)0466),

- having regard to the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action adopted on 4 June 1993,

- having regard to its resolutions of 28 October 1993 on social exclusion ((OJ C 315, 22.11.1993, p. 242.)), 27 October 1994 on a medium-term action programme to combat exclusion and promote solidarity: a new programme to support and stimulate innovation (1994 to 1999) ((OJ C 323, 21.11.1994, p. 188.)), and 23 May 1996 on the final report from the Commission on the implementation of the Community programme concerning the economic and social integration of the economically and socially less privileged groups in society 'Poverty 3" (1989-94) ((OJ C 166, 10.6.1996, p. 191.)),

- having regard to the report by the Committee of Wise Men 'For a Europe of civic and social rights¨ of February 1996,

- having regard to the United Nations General Assembly resolutions 48/183 of 21 December 1993 which proclaim the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty to be celebrated in 1996 and the date of 17 October 1996 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and 49/179 of 23 December 1994 which reaffirms that extreme poverty and social exclusion constitute a violation of human dignity,

A. whereas, according to the Commission, there are some 52 million citizens living below the poverty threshold of 50% of the equivalent mean national expenditure who, as a result, live on the margins of society or are excluded from society,

B. whereas all international organizations, both governmental and non- governmental, have expressed alarm in their recent reports about the increasing feminization of poverty;

C. whereas those persons who do not dispose of the material, cultural and social means which enable them to live in the Member State in question according to the minimum standards acceptable therein should be characterized as poor,

D. whereas social exclusion and poverty stem from structural changes affecting our economies and societies and are directly linked with unemployment, the level of education, health, housing and equal opportunities,

E. whereas the phenomenon of extreme poverty has a serious impact on human rights as a whole and fundamental freedoms and its eradication should be a high-priority item on the EU's agenda,

F. whereas the White Paper on European Social Policy called for further action on the integration of those excluded from the labour market, the adoption of a 'Poverty 4" programme and the continuation of dialogue towards a public solemn declaration against exclusion,

G. whereas the European Union must identify the hope in a better future based on the enjoyment of fundamental rights by all citizens and legal residents, and sustainable economic and social development;

H. whereas social exclusion and poverty inside and outside the European Union are a violation of fundamental human rights and may in future pose a threat to the survival of our democracy and to world stability; whereas poverty must therefore be combated by adopting a policy to promote employment and social development,

I. whereas worldwide one fifth of the population, i.e. 1.5 billion people, have to live on less than 1 dollar per day and have to be considered as 'extremely poor¨ according to World Bank criteria; whereas the number of extreme poor is growing by 25 million per year,

1. Calls on the Community institutions to indicate clearly their political determination to combat poverty and social exclusion;

2. Calls upon the heads of state and government who participated in the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen to fulfil all commitments undertaken in the resolution adopted and to give particular priority in the implementation of Commitments 2,3 and 5;

3. Calls on the European Union and its Member States to ensure that the new programme to combat poverty will encourage any measures, including positive action in favour of women, which are likely to combat the feminization of poverty;

4. Praises the courage of persons, families and population groups engaged at the grass roots in a daily struggle against poverty, from which they themselves and others suffer, and joins them in honouring solemnly 17 October as a day of solidarity with all those who strive and struggle to overcome misery;

5. Is appalled by the action of certain Member States that has led to the suspension of the payment of ECU 12 million destined to benefit the socially excluded, the elderly and those in poverty;

6. Is profoundly concerned at the large number of people worldwide who live below the poverty threshold and is particularly disturbed by the widening gap between rich and poor in the industrialized European Union and by the emergence of new forms of social exclusion;

7. Calls on the Commission to compile and publish annually figures concerning the number of people living below the poverty threshold in the European Union, and calls on the Member States to commit themselves to establishing a range of common indicators to that end;

8. Considers the fight against poverty and social exclusion to be of priority for the safeguard of social cohesion in the European Union and its Member States; calls therefore for the mobilization of all sectors - private, public and non-profit organizations - in creating employment opportunities for the reintegration of the socially excluded into the labour market;

9. Takes the view that the struggle against poverty and social exclusion should form part of all Community initiatives;

10. Calls on the Commission to involve the groups affected in the development of policies to combat poverty;

11. Calls on the Commission to propose the integration of the fight against poverty and social exclusion into the body of the Treaty as a guiding principle for the action of Member States and the Union;

12. Stresses the need for the adoption of a poverty programme in the light of experience carried out in the Union, expects that this programme would enhance exchanges of good practice, promote more appropriate policies, stimulate a more effective use of resources at a local or national level and envisage measures that can be implemented more effectively at European than at national level;

13. Points out that one of the best ways of ensuring the elimination of poverty and social exclusion is to enable those who can and wish to work and earn an adequate income actually to find work;

14. Notes that the implementation of the five Essen points for employment, especially the fifth policy area aimed at those hardest hit by unemployment, could provide a basis for the development of national programmes specially tailored to the needs of those marginalised or excluded from the labour market; invites the Council to consider further how this can be achieved;

15. Calls on the Commission to make better use of resources available from the European Social Fund and other Community programmes to promote actions targeted at the integration of the socially excluded and to ensure that all Community decisions and measures are assessed as to their impact on social cohesion;

16. Asks the Commission to prepare a communication on the follow-up it intends to give to the report from the Committee of Wise Men and to submit a report on all relevant Community actions in the field of poverty and social exclusion which it announced in its medium-term social action programme;

17. Asks the Commission to establish an internal task force, composed of all relevant Commission departments, with the shared purpose of developing integrated strategies and coordinating Community resources to combat social exclusion in the European Union;

18. Invites the Council to organize an exchange of information and to hold a debate on the implementation of the declaration signed in Copenhagen in March 1995 by each government, particularly as regards the establishment of an anti-poverty strategy;

19. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the social partners and the NGOs involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion.