COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: A European framework for social and territorial cohesion
Date: 2010-12-16
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: approximation of laws, economic and social cohesion, marginalisation, poverty

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 16.12.2010 
COM(2010) 758 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: A European framework 
for social and territorial cohesion 

SEC(2010) 1564 final 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: A European framework 
for social and territorial cohesion  

1. 

INTRODUCTION  

The European Commission has placed the fight against poverty at the heart of its economic, 
employment and social agenda – the Europe 2020 strategy. Heads of State and Governments 
have agreed a major  breakthrough: a common target that the European Union should lift at 
least  20  million  people  out  of  poverty  and  social  exclusion  in  the  next  decade. 
Complementary national targets for all 27 Member States will now follow. 

In 2008, more than 80 million people across the Union lived below the poverty line, that is, 
more  than  the  population  of  our  largest  Member  State,  or  16.5  per  cent  of  our  population. 
Women  account  for  well  over  half  of  them  and  20  million  are  children.  With  the  economic 
crisis, the situation has of course worsened. 

The  most  vulnerable  people  in  our  societies  have  borne  much  of  the  impact  of  the 
economic  crisis.  The  situation  of  those  earning  the  lowest  amount  has  continued  to 
deteriorate  and  they  now  face  a  greater  risk  of  indebtedness  and  insolvency.  Young  people, 
migrants and the low skilled, often relying on temporary and low-paid jobs, have experienced 
the  greatest  increases  in  unemployment  and  are  therefore  exposed  to  a  worsening  of  their 
living conditions. In particular, one in five young people in the labour market is jobless; the 
unemployment  rate  for  non-EU  nationals  is  more  than  11  percentage  points  higher  than  for 
nationals and the low skilled are experiencing an increase in unemployment twice that seen by 
the highly skilled.  

The  so-called  "working-poor"  represented  8%  of  the  working  population  in  2008,  while  the 
risk  of  poverty  rose  significantly  for  the  unemployed,  from  39%  to  44%  since  2005. 
Furthermore, 8% of Europeans live in conditions of severe material deprivation and can not 
afford  a  number  of  necessities  considered  essential  in  order  to  live  a  decent  life  in  Europe, 
such as telephone,  or adequate heating. In the poorest countries, the  rate is more than 30%. 
Also,  over  9%  of  European  population  in  working  age  live  in  households  where  nobody 
works.  

This  is  unacceptable  in  21st  Century  Europe.  Combating  social  exclusion,  promoting 
social justice and fundamental rights have long been core objectives of the European Union, 
which is founded on the values of respect for human dignity and solidarity. But the European 
Union and its Member States must do more and do it more efficiently and effectively to help 
our  most  vulnerable  citizens.  The  Union's  greatest  asset  is  its  people.  Our  prospects  for  a 
prosperous Union depend on Europeans having the opportunities to secure a better future for 
themselves and their families. Restoring economic growth with more and better jobs will be 
the key to the fight against poverty. 

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The Commission proposes to establish a European Platform against Poverty and Social 
Exclusion, as one of its seven flagship initiatives for action to serve that goal. The Platform 
aims at creating a joint commitment among the Member States, EU Institutions and the key 
stakeholders to fight poverty and social exclusion. As most of the upcoming decade is likely 
to be marked by reduced public budgets, actions will have to increase efficiency and trust by 
finding  new  participative  ways  to  address  poverty  while  continuing  to  develop  prevention 
policies and target needs where they arise.  

The  Platform  will  therefore  set  a  dynamic  framework  for  action  to  ensure  social  and 
territorial  cohesion  such  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.  

Alongside  the  European  Platform  against  Poverty  and  Social  Exclusion  and  the  poverty-
reduction target, the social objectives of Europe 2020 are backed up by the employment target 
(that at least 75% of women and men 20 to 64 are in employment) and the education target (to 
reduce the rate of early school leavers from 15% to less than 10%). Flagship initiatives such 
as  the  'Youth  on  the  Move'  and  the  'Agenda  for  New  Skills  and  Jobs'  aim  at  serving  these 
targets.  There  are  also  important  links  with  the  other  flagship  initiatives,  such  as  'A  Digital 
Agenda  for  Europe'1, 
'An  Integrated  Industrial  Policy  for  the 
Globalisation  Era'3.and  the  forthcoming  Flagship  on  Resource  Efficient  and  Low-Carbon 
Europe.  

'Innovation  Union'2, 

This Communication presents how different policies will contribute to this ambitious goal of 
reducing  poverty  and  increasing  inclusion,  identifies  a  number  of  associated  actions  to  help 
achieving  the  poverty  target  and  explains  the  design  and  the  content  of  the  Platform  (see 
accompanying  Staff  Working  Paper  containing  a  more  detailed,  indicative,  list  of  planned 
Commission actions).  

2. 

THE CHALLENGES  

2.1. 

The multiple dimension of poverty and exclusion  

The  headline  target  for  the  reduction  of  poverty  and  exclusion  has  been  defined  by  the 
European  Council  on  the  basis  of  three  indicators:  the  at-risk-of-poverty  rate  (after  social 
transfers), the index of material deprivation and the percentage of people living in households 
with  very  low  work  intensity4.  This  definition  is  at  the  same  time  an  expression  of  the 
multiple  factors  underlying  poverty  and/or  exclusion,  of  the  diversity  of  the  problems  that 
Member  States  face  and  of  the  priorities  they  have  therefore  set  out.  The  larger  aggregate 
(totalling  116  million  people  in  2008)  covers  a  broader  population  than  the  one  that  is 
normally  considered  as  “poor”,  as  it  encompasses  a  territorial  perspective  and  forms  of 
exclusion not necessarily related to income. The territorial dimension is particularly important 
as the very "poorest people" are often concentrated in particular regions or even smaller areas. 

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COM(2010) 245. 
COM(2010) 546. 
COM(2010) 614. 
For the definition of these indicators and a description of their level in EU countries, see Annex . 

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The indicators underlying the EU poverty target have been agreed and developed within the 
open  method  of  coordination  for  social  protection  and  social  inclusion  (Social  OMC).  Over 
the  last  ten  years,  Member  States  have  worked  together  and  shared  experiences  on  the 
functioning  and  the  reform  of  their  social  protection  systems.  They  have  defined  common 
objectives and  agreed on indicators along which to orient their policies for  social inclusion, 
for the reform of pension systems and in the field of healthcare and long-term care. The Social 
OMC  has  supported  mutual  learning,  promoted  stakeholders’  involvement,  deepened  the 
understanding of old and new social risks, and has brought to the fore the challenges that call 
for new approaches and solutions. 

Europe 2020 will give new impetus and relevance to this work and help developing tailored 
policies and actions to fight poverty and social exclusion. While the main responsibility in this 
area  falls  within  the  competence  of  Member  States,  achieving  the  EU  poverty  rate  target 
will require a pooling of all efforts and instruments at EU and at national level.  

2.2. 

Addressing poverty throughout the life cycle 

Certain groups in the population have emerged as particularly exposed to the risk of poverty. 
This  relates  in  particular  to  children,  young  people,  single  parents,  households  with 
dependants,  people  with  a  migrant  background,  certain  ethnic  minorities  (such  as  Roma), 
people  with  disabilities.  Also,  the  gender  divide  is  clearly  visible  and  women  are  generally 
more at risk than men.  

Over  20  million  children  are  at  risk  of  poverty  in  today’s  Europe.  The  risk  increases  to 
25% for children who live in large families and exceeds 30% for children who live with lone 
parents.  These  figures  have  not  improved  in  recent  years,  despite  the  increased  political 
awareness of the problem. Poverty always means  fewer opportunities, and wasted potential. 
Our  future  is  at  stake.  Poverty  inhibits  personal  development,  adversely  affecting  children's 
health,  educational  attainments  and  general  well-being.  A  child  growing  up  in  poverty  and 
exclusion  runs  a  higher  risk  of  becoming  a  marginalised  adult,  entangled  in  a  ‘cycle’  that 
passes  from  generation  to  generation.  Helping  children  out  of  poverty  demands  a  multi-
dimensional approach touching upon employment policies (to support parents finding work); 
the  design  of  tax-benefit  systems;  the  provision  of  key  services  such  as  quality  child  care; 
education and protection of children’s rights – which has become an explicit objective of the 
Union in the Lisbon Treaty. Equal opportunities and family policies are also crucial.  

One out of every five young people in the EU is at risk of poverty. Increasing numbers of 
young people fail to find places in vocational education and training or higher education and 
have limited prospects of finding work. One out of five people aged under 25 is unemployed 
and  thus  at  strong  risk  of  poverty.  At  the  same  time,  the  fact  that  1  in  10  working  young 
people still lives in poverty, illustrates that the quality of labour market integration of young 
people also needs to be improved. 

Unemployment is the main cause of poverty for the working-age population. The risk of 
poverty  for  the  unemployed  is  more  than  five  times  higher  than  for  those  who  have  a  job 
(44% against 8%). Poverty and exclusion from the labour market go hand in hand, and this is 
particularly visible for women and younger people. However, low pay, low skills, and under-
employment can lead to in-work poverty. Since 2000, the number of individuals affected by 
in-work poverty has increased as a consequence of the rise in temporary and part-time work 
(including  involuntary  part-time  work),  coupled  at  times  with  stagnating  wages.  In-work 
poverty is also related to the situation of entire families depending on one income from work. 

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Among these, lone parent and single-wage families face the highest risk of in-work poverty. 
The lack of affordable childcare hinders their full participation in the labour market.  

The elderly are also exposed to a higher risk of poverty compared to the overall population 
(at  19%)  and  in  a  number  of  countries,  the  elderly  population  is  particularly  exposed  to 
material  deprivation.  The  scale  of  the  demographic  challenge  facing  the  EU  will  only 
intensify  the  problem.  By  2030  the  number  of  pensioners  in  the  EU  will  have  increased  by 
more than 25 million, placing more pressure on the adequacy and long-term sustainability of 
our pension systems as well as on health and elderly care systems. In the longer term the risk 
of poverty for the elderly will also increase if job biographies become more fragmented.  

2.3. 

Severe exclusion, new vulnerabilities and specific disadvantages 

Homelessness and housing exclusion represents one of the most extreme forms of poverty 
and  deprivation,  which  has  increased  in  recent  years.  Fuel  poverty,  which  risks  depriving 
households not only from heating or cooling but also from hot water, lights and other essential 
domestic  necessities,  is  another  manifestation  of  severe  deprivation.  Financial  exclusion 
arising  from  the  lack  of  access  to  basic  banking  services,  and  high  indebtedness,  that  the 
recent crisis has aggravated, can also be an obstacle to finding a job and thus lead to persistent 
marginalisation and poverty.  

The  economic  crisis  has  also  further  underlined  the  higher  exposure  to  social  risks  of  the 
migrant population, often the first to be hit in a context of rising unemployment. In the first 
quarter  of  2010  the  unemployment  rate  for  non-nationals  has  reached  over  21%.  For  this 
population, the loss of employment is often compounded with lack of access to social security 
safety  nets.  Certain  ethnic  minorities,  of  whom  Roma  (approximately  10  to  12  million 
people  in  Europe)  represent  the  largest  group,  are  disproportionately  affected  by  multiple 
deprivation.  

People with disabilities or who suffer from severe chronic illness are frequently confronted 
with  major  economic  and  social  difficulties,  which  often  involve  the  whole  household  on 
which  they  depend:  some  6.5  million  of  the  people  at-risk-of  poverty  or  exclusion  declare 
some form of disability.  

3. 

THE EUROPEAN PLATFORM AGAINST POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION 

The fight against poverty and exclusion needs to rely on growth and employment as well as 
on modern and effective social protection. Moreover, innovative social protection intervention 
must be combined with a broad set of social policies including targeted education, social care, 
housing, health, reconciliation, and family policies, all areas where welfare systems have so 
far tended to intervene with residual programmes.  

The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion represents the EU contribution 
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;  

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- Working in partnership and harnessing the potential of the social economy;  

- Enhanced policy coordination among the Member States. 

3.1. 

Delivering action to fight poverty and exclusion across the policy spectrum 

Poverty  in  its  multiple  dimensions  includes  a  lack  of  income  and  sufficient  material 
resources to live in dignity; inadequate access to basic services, such as healthcare, housing 
and  education;  labour  market  exclusion  and  poor  quality  work.  These  elements  are  the  root 
causes  of  poverty  and  explain  how  individuals  and  families  become  socially  excluded. 
Providing solutions to these problems demands approaches that cut across all policy domains, 
thus  requiring  the  challenge  of  fighting  poverty  to  be  mainstreamed  into  all  policy 
development. It demands a better coordination between macro- and micro-economic policies 
and  emphasises  the  crucial  role  of  a  number  of  policy  areas  outside  the  traditional  remit  of 
social  inclusion  and  social  protection  policies:  effective  synergies  with  other  Europe  2020 
Flagship Initiatives will be essential. 

Access to employment 

Getting a job is the safest route out of poverty for those who can work. This is a difficult 
message to preach at a time of economic crisis, but as our economies move back to growth 
our primary focus must be on ensuring sustainable job-intensive growth. Achieving by 2020 
the 75% employment rate target for both women and men set for the Union would represent 
the single biggest contribution to lifting 20 million Europeans out of poverty.  

The  Agenda  for  New  Skills  and  Jobs  sets  out  the  routes  for  bringing  more  people  into 
employment,  with  a  focus  on  better  functioning  and  less  segmented  labour  markets,  a  more 
skilled workforce, better  job quality and working conditions, and  the promotion of  both job 
creation  and  labour  demand.  All  four  aspects  are  relevant  to  poverty  reduction,  and  of 
particular  pertinence  are  the  following  key  actions  proposed  therein:  achieving  a  new 
momentum  for  flexicurity  and  finding  new  methods  to  overcome  the  labour  market 
segmentation  with  ensuring  modern  and  inclusive  benefits  and  social  security  systems; 
equipping people with the right skills; including digital competences; stimulating recruitment 
through the selective reduction in non-wage labour costs particularly for the low skilled. This 
flagship  initiative  takes  a  “social  perspective”  to  employment  growth,  underlining  the 
importance  of  addressing  both  the  quantity  of  employment  as  well  as  its  qualitative 
dimensions. It emphasises the need to provide poor people with the skills that can enable them 
to take full advantage of any expansion in employment potential such as in green jobs as there 
is a clear synergy between job creation and green growth. 

The active inclusion of people furthest from the labour market has featured prominently 
on the EU and on national agendas. We now have an agreed set of common principles5 to help 
people  to  have  access  to  the  labour  market  they  need.  Principles  that  address  the  need  for 
integrated  strategies  combining  well-designed  income  support  schemes,  inclusive  labour 
markets  and  adequate  social  services.  Those  furthest  from  the  labour  market  also  need 
enhanced social support that continues once they are in a job, in order to avoid a revolving-
door  situation  where  they  find  themselves  shunted  between  unemployment  and  low-quality, 

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Commission  Recommendation  on  the  active  inclusion  of  people  excluded  from  the  labour  market 
(2008/867/EC), including common principles endorsed by the Council Conclusions on common active 
inclusion principles to combat poverty more effectively (17 December 2008). 

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precarious  employment.  Evidence  shows  that  this  is  often  missing  or  inadequate.  In  several 
Member States a significant percentage of people in need have no access to social assistance 
or do not take up their rights. Others are trapped in a condition of benefit dependency, often 
with entitlements that are not sufficient to lift them out of poverty.  

The Commission will present in 2012 a Communication providing an in-depth assessment of 
the implementation of active inclusion strategies at national level, including the effectiveness 
of minimum income schemes and of the way EU programmes can be used to support active 
inclusion.  

Social protection and access to essential services  

The  recent  crisis  has  put  social  protection  systems  under  the  unprecedented  challenge  of 
addressing  ever  increasing  levels  of  exclusion  with  reduced  public  resources.  Despite  the 
success  of  social  protection  to  address  the  most  immediate  needs  following  the  outbreak  of 
the crisis, a significant proportion of low income people have poor access to social safety nets.  

Greater  efficiency  through  service  consolidation  and  better  delivery,  together  with  the 
mobilisation of a greater set of actors and instruments is now needed. It is also essential that 
policies address two key challenges: prevention which is the most effective and sustainable 
way of tackling poverty and social exclusion and early intervention to avoid that people that 
fall  into  poverty  remain  trapped  in  ever  more  difficult  and  problematic  socio-economic 
situations. 

The adequacy and long-term sustainability of pension systems is crucial for preventing and 
tackling  elderly  poverty.  However,  the  rapid  ageing  of  Europe's  population  is  having  wide-
ranging  impacts  on  all  types  of  pension  schemes  and  gives  unprecedented  urgency  to  the 
agenda  for  reforms,  with  difficult  balances  to  be  struck  between  equity,  efficiency  and 
sustainability.  The  key  to  adequate  and  sustainable  pensions  in  the  future  is  'active  ageing' 
which implies in particular creating conditions that allow older workers to remain longer on 
the  labour  market.  Pension  reforms  need  to  take  into  account  the  overall  design  of  social 
protection. Given the present trends in pension provision, vulnerable groups and people with 
short or discontinuous work careers are likely to become increasingly dependent on minimum 
pensions and minimum income provisions for older people.  

Widening  health  inequalities  within  Member  States  underline  close  interactions  between 
health  inequalities  and  poverty,  as  illustrated  by  the  differences  between  income  groups  in 
levels of health, restrictions in activities due to illness and disability and in life expectancy at 
birth where the gap between the lowest and highest socioeconomic groups, reaches up to 10 
years for men and 6 years for women. Poor health – often arising from poor living conditions 
–  can  be  a  major  contributor  to  poverty  as  it  can  reduce  the  ability  to  work  and  due  to  the 
costs  of  treatment  and  care.  Preventing  illness  and  providing  access  to  effective,  affordable 
health  and  social  care  are  therefore  important  measures  in  combating  poverty.  This  is  a 
challenge for public health policy and health systems where increasing demand coupled with 
severe  budget  pressure  has  given  new  urgency  to  the  efficiency  of  health  systems:  the 
challenge is to improve efficiency while ensuring access for all to quality healthcare.  

An  ageing  population  and  wider  societal  changes  such  as  more  women  entering  the  labour 
market,  more  single  households,  families  without  children  and  different  generations  of 
families  living  far  apart  from  each  other,  are  all  contributing  to  an  outburst  in  demand  for 

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health  and  social  services.  The  poor  may  have  difficulties  in  accessing  these  services, 
contributing  significantly  to  their  detachment  from  the  labour  market  as  they  are  forced  to 
take  on  caring  responsibilities.  The  policy  challenge,  again  in  the  context  of  budgetary 
pressure, is one of ensuring a sufficient supply of high quality, efficient and affordable care.  

The Commission will:  

•  Present  in  2011  a  White  Paper  on  Pensions  to  jointly  address  sustainability  and 

adequacy of pensions in the post-crisis context. 

•  Launch a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on active and healthy ageing in 2011 
and support initiatives for active ageing at all levels in the context of a European Year 
for Active Ageing in 2012. 

•  Develop the Voluntary European Quality Framework on social services at sectoral level, 

including in the field of long-term care and homelessness. 

•  Undertake  an  assessment  of  the  efficiency  and  effectiveness  of  health  expenditure, 
including  in  relation  to  the  issues  highlighted  in  the  communication  on  "Solidarity  in 
Health: reducing health inequalities in the EU",  

•  Present in 2011 a legislative initiative to ensure access to certain basic banking services 
and  call  on  the  banking  sector  to  submit  a  self-regulatory  initiative  geared  towards 
improving the transparency and comparability of bank charges. 

Education and youth policies 

Education and training have a direct bearing on what people can be and do. Education and 
training systems should be instrumental in supporting upward social mobility and help break, 
rather  than  reinforce,  the  cycle  of  disadvantage  and  inequality.  Pre-primary  education  is 
probably  the  most  crucial  factor  for  breaking  the  vicious  circle  of  intergenerational 
transmission of poverty, and it is the investments with the highest returns. Investing in high 
quality  early  childhood  education  and  care  can  support  a  sure  start  in  life  for  all.  Member 
States  have  subscribed  the  benchmark  that  95%  of  children  between  4  years  old  and  the 
beginning of compulsory education should participate in early childhood education and care.  

The Commission will work with Member States to make education and training systems more 
inclusive at all levels and for all ages (primary and secondary school levels, higher education, 
vocational training and adult learning). In the long-term perspective, reducing school drop-out 
as agreed by the Europe 2020 headline target to less than 10% early leavers from education by 
2020 would be a strong contribution to poverty reduction, since a sufficient level of skills and 
competences (including digital ones) is indispensable for the employability of young people 
in today’s labour markets. Worrying trends in the number of young people who are neither in 
education  nor  in  employment  underline  the  need  to  step  up  the  broader  range  of  policies 
supporting young people as agreed in the European Youth Strategy 2010-20186. Targeted 
approaches  are  needed  to  address  the  increasing  difficulties  that  characterise  transition  to 

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adulthood  in  post-industrial  societies,  in  particular  for  marginalised  youth.  The  flagship 
"Youth on the Move" makes precisely the link  between education and training on one side, 
and  labour-market  on  the  other  by  proposing  measures  to  improve  young  people's 
employability.  

The Commission will: 

•  Present  in  2011  a  Communication  and  a  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on 
policies  to  combat  early  school  leaving  and  launch  a  wide-ranging  initiative  to  promote 
more effective interventions at all levels of education against the cycle of disadvantage. 

•  Propose  in  2012  a  Recommendation  on  child  poverty  outlining  common  principles  and 

effective monitoring tools to combat and prevent poverty in early age. 

Migration and integration of migrants 

Managing migration and integration of migrants is now at the forefront of European and 
national  policy  agendas.  More  than  30  million  –  or  6.4%  of  the  population  –  living  in  EU 
countries are non-nationals. Two thirds of them are third-country nationals. While migration 
can  be  an  important  part  of  the  solutions  to  Europe’s  economic,  demographic  and 
competitiveness  issues,  setting  a  comprehensive  and  effective  policy  framework  for 
integration  is  a  major  challenge.  The  process  of  becoming  part  of  a  new  society  is  a  very 
complex one and requires efforts in different areas. It entails access to labour market, housing, 
public  services  (especially  welfare  and  educational  services),  private  services  (banks, 
insurance,  etc.),  and  building  up  of  social  and  cultural  relations  with  the  community, 
participation in political processes. There is ample evidence of intergenerational transmission 
of  disadvantage  in  the  migrant  population.  In  addition,  second  and  third  generation  of 
migrants  also  experience  discrimination  in  access  to  employment  as  well  as  to  goods  and 
services. Yet, succeeding in the integration challenge is crucial for European social cohesion, 
and  closely  related  to  the  future  of  European  welfare  systems.  Achieving  the  Europe  2020 
objective of social inclusion and cohesion will crucially depend on the capacity of the EU and 
its Member States to fit together social and migration policies.  

•  The Commission will present in 2011 a "New European Agenda on Integration" to better 
support  the  efforts  of  Member  States  in  promoting  third-country  nationals  of  diverse 
cultural,  religious,  linguistic  and  ethnic  backgrounds  to  participate  actively  in  European 
economies and societies. 

Social inclusion and antidiscrimination 

Social  inclusion  policies  need  to  dovetail  with  effective  antidiscrimination  policies,  as  for 
many groups and  individuals  the  roots of poverty and hardship very often lie in restrictions 
from  opportunities  and  rights  that  are  available  to  other  groups.  Antidiscrimination  and 
upholding  human  rights  have  gained  increasing  importance  in  the  EU  legal  order,  but  full 
implementation of EU antidiscrimination legislation at national level needs to be supported by 
social  and 
relevant  policies  and  concrete  actions.  Closer 
antidiscrimination  policies  is  crucial  to  address  the  specific  disadvantages  affecting  large 
segments of the European population.  

integration  between 

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Gender equality policies, in line with the new Strategy on equality between women and men 
for  2010-2015,  are  needed  to  address  the  gender  income  gap  that  is  visible  in  most  age 
groups, and leads to higher rates of poverty in the female population, both in work and out of 
work. This risk increases dramatically for single mothers and elderly women.  

Addressing  the  specific  forms  of  discrimination  and  exclusion  faced  by  people  with 
disabilities  also  requires  interventions  across  a  range  of  different  policy  areas.  Current 
poverty indicators fail to reflect that the amount of resources that can ensure a decent life for a 
person without disabilities may be absolutely insufficient for people with disabilities, due to 
the additional barriers  that they encounter in performing their everyday  activities7. The new 
European  Disability  Strategy  2010-2020  will  contribute  to  breaking  down  the  barriers  that 
prevent 80 million Europeans with disabilities from participating in society on an equal basis.  

On almost every account people with mental health problems are among the most excluded 
groups in society and they consistently identify stigmatisation, discrimination and exclusion 
as major barriers to health, welfare and quality of life. The European Pact for Mental Health 
and  Well-being  may  contribute  to  identify  how  social  and  health  policy  actors  can  work 
together to promote the social inclusion of people with mental health problems.  

Poverty  and  marginalisation  of  certain  ethnic  minorities,  such  as  Roma,  have  increased. 
A 2009 survey on discrimination in seven Member States by the Fundamental Rights Agency 
reported that half of Roma respondents had experienced discrimination in the previous twelve 
months and a fifth had been the victim of racially motivated crime8. Many Roma live in low 
quality, segregated housing and accommodation. Roma children are more likely to be taught 
in  segregated  schools,  to  have  poor  attendance  records,  and  to  leave  school  early.  The 
Commission has invited the Member States to present national strategies for Roma inclusion 
in  the  National  Reform  Programmes  so  these  strategies  might  contribute  to  meeting  the 
headline target for reducing poverty and social exclusion.  

Homelessness and housing deprivation are perhaps the most extreme examples of poverty 
and  social  exclusion  in  society  today.  Although  access  to  affordable  accommodation  is  a 
fundamental need and right, guaranteeing this right still represents a significant challenge in a 
several Member States. Developing appropriate and integrated responses, both to prevent and 
tackle homelessness, shall remain an important element of the EU’s social inclusion strategy. 

The Commission will: 

•  Present an EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies in 2011. 

•  Step up efforts to promote the economic independence of women, which is the first of the 

five priorities of its Strategy on equality between women and men for 2010-2015. 

•  Ensure appropriate follow up to the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, targeting in 
particular  circumstances  and  barriers  that  prevent  people  with  disabilities  from  enjoying 
their rights fully.  

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8

By  way  of  example,  by  developing  on  EU  level  suitable  tools  for  improved  access  to  products  and 
services for people with visual and hearing impairments. 
EU Fundamental Rights survey on EU Minorities and Discrimination – the Roma – November 2009. 

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•  Identify methods and means to best continue the work it has started on homelessness and 
housing  exclusion,  taking  into  account  the  outcome  of  the  consensus  conference  of 
December 2010. 

Sectoral policies  

EU policies and financial instruments need to take into greater consideration the essential role 
that network services, such as transport, energy, IT and others can play in reducing local and 
regional  disparities  and  promoting  social  inclusion.  Access  to  these  services  and  ensuring 
their affordability has become a primary necessity in our advanced societies. This highlights 
the  importance  of  mainstreaming  the  social  objectives  in  a  number  of  sectoral  policies,  as 
well as in internal market and consumer policies. 

An accessible use of Information and Communication Technologies in the era of internet 
enhances employability and life opportunities, the inclusion in the local communities, the use 
of online public services and the access to modern and efficient care, thus facilitating social 
inclusion. This calls for sustained efforts to bridge the digital divide through enhancing digital 
literacy,  skills  and  regular  internet  use  for  disadvantaged  people,  as  well  as  providing 
inclusive  and  targeted  online  services  in  key  areas  (employment,  housing,  health  and  other 
social services) that support the empowerment of users, in particular from vulnerable groups. 
Education can play a crucial role to avoid a further widening of the digital divide9. 

Rising energy prices can become a challenge for the EU citizens. Energy policy will continue 
to  contribute  to  address  the  consumer  needs  and,  where  appropriate,  address  the  risks  of 
energy  poverty.  In  this  context,  a  well  functioning  internal  market  and  energy  efficiency 
measures  are  particularly  important  to  consumers.  In  particular,  vulnerable  groups  are  best 
protected  from  energy  poverty  through  a  full  implementation  by  Member  States  of  the 
existing EU energy legislation and use of innovative energy efficiency solutions. 

Access to financial services for the most vulnerable can be enhanced through internal market 
and consumer policies. Financial exclusion can prevent people from getting a job, creating a 
business  and  accessing  to  other  services.  Ensuring  access  to  basic  financial  services  is  a 
responsibility of public authorities – both at national and European level. 

External dimension 

Finally,  efforts  to  combat  poverty  are  a  key  part  of  the  external  dimension  of  EU  policies 
and, in particular, its employment and social policies. Since the adoption of the Millennium 
Development  Goals,  and  together  with  international  organisations  or  fora,  the  EU  has  been 
increasingly supporting developing countries in their efforts to alleviate poverty, in particular 
through access to primary education, water or health, the promotion of decent work but also 
by means of trade policy, and by reinforcing democracy and good governance. The promotion 
of  decent  work  for  all  plays  an  essential  role  in  reducing  poverty  and  enhancing  social 
inclusion.  The  Commission  will  further  develop  policy  dialogue  with  the  EU's  strategic 
partners and in international fora, notably the ILO, G20, G8, and the UN. 

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the  Study  on 

Cf. 
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/eeurope/i2010/docs/eda/social_impact_of_ict.pdf  

the  Social  Impact  of  ICT,  European  Commission  2010,  available  at 

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In  the  framework  of  the  EU  enlargement  process  and  within  the  European  Neighbourhood 
Policy, the Commission will also ensure that the objectives of this Platform are taken up in the 
relevant countries. 

Social Impact Assessment 

Better  policy  coordination  means  that  the  social  impact  of  policy  initiatives  needs  to  be 
carefully  assessed  and  that  potentially  adverse  social  consequences  should  be  minimised 
through  equity-orientated  and  poverty-focused  measures.  The  European  Commission  has 
subjected all major initiatives and legislative proposals to a comprehensive impact assessment 
(IA), including the social dimension. The Commission will continue to refine and improve the 
quality of its impact assessment to ensure that attention is paid to the social dimension. It is 
important  that  other  EU  Institutions  when  modifying  the  Commission's  proposals  and  the 
Member States at national level assess the social dimension of their own proposals  

3.2.  Making EU funding deliver on the social inclusion and social cohesion objectives  

The Budget Review and the objectives of Europe 2020  

In October 2010, the European Commission launched a review of the EU budget. In view of 
inclusive growth, the Commission stressed that cohesion funding needed to be concentrated 
on  the  objectives  of  Europe  2020.  The  future  Cohesion  Policy  shall  translate  the  goal  of 
Europe 2020 into tangible benefits and make a real difference in citizens’ life. 

The Budget Review stresses the importance of solidarity, arguing that paying attention to the 
most vulnerable has a positive impact on growth and creates benefits enjoyed by all. It also 
underlines  that  the  issue  is  primarily  about  how  to  spend  more  intelligently.  Innovative 
approaches  are  needed  that  complement  existing  tools  and  help  to  ensure  a  cost-efficient, 
effective and equitable use of public social spending.  

In  view  of  next  year's  Commission  proposals  regarding  the  next  Multiannual  Financial 
Framework,  the  EU’s  financial  instruments  are being  reexamined  in  the  light  of  the  Budget 
Review’s  core  objectives  and  principles.  For  the  purposes  of  the  European  Platform  against 
Poverty  and  Social  Exclusion,  the  European  Social  Fund  and  the  European  Regional 
Development Fund are of particular relevance, but also to the European Agricultural Fund for 
Rural Development and other components of the community budget have an important role to 
play. 

The contribution of EU Funds  

Every year, 5 million unemployed and some 1 million people from vulnerable groups benefit 
from direct support from the European Social Fund (ESF), the key European financial tool for 
supporting employment and social inclusion. Over the 2007-2013 programming period more 
than  €10  billion  have  been  earmarked  for  projec ts  that  combat  social  exclusion  which  are 
further  matched  by  national  funding.  The ESF  co-funds  projects  tailored  to  help  vulnerable 
and disadvantaged people furthest from the labour market (whose access to work is limited by 
problems  such  as  lack  of  training,  disability,  or  discrimination)  as  well  as  the  long-term 
unemployed, older workers, and those who have lost their jobs. 

The  ESF  will  be  adjusted  to  the  new  framework  of  Europe  2020  to  fully  play  its  role  in 
ensuring  the  right  skills  for  jobs  and  in  reducing  poverty,  including  through  predictable 

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funding  volumes.  Simplified  access  by  beneficiaries  should  be  ensured,  in  particular  for 
NGOs  and  local  partnerships,  through  tailor-made  grant  schemes.  Social  inclusion  and 
poverty  reduction  is  one  of  the  themes  that  could  be  proposed  to  be  retained  by  Member 
States under the ESF, to fully support the implementation of the Integrated Guidelines. More 
emphasis should be placed on well targeting of resources not only on specific groups, but also 
on  certain  deprived  areas:  in  this  context,  integrated  approaches  to  fight  poverty  should  be 
stepped up and allow for investment by the funds in social infrastructure when necessary for 
the  successful  implementation  of  social  policy  measures  underpinned  by  the  ESF.  The  ESF 
could also contribute through innovative ways to leveraging more private resources in support 
of  social  inclusion.  Finally,  Member  States  could  be  required  to  identify  groups  at  risk  of 
discrimination,  and  encouraged  to  earmark  specific  funding  for  actions  in  this  field.  ESF 
action in the field of integration is presently complemented by the European Fund for the 
Integration  of  third-country  nationals  (for  migrants)  and  by  the  European  Refugee  Fund 
(for refugees).  

Working  alongside  the  ESF,  the  PROGRESS  programme  is  designed  to  ensure  that  EU 
social policy remains on course to face key policy challenges. It works to help Member States 
deliver on their commitments to create more and better jobs, to fight poverty and exclusion, to 
guarantee  equal  opportunities  and  to  implement  EU  social  laws.  PROGRESS  has  been 
instrumental to shape and consolidate EU cooperation in the social field, and is increasingly 
promoting mutual learning and social innovations. 

Both the EU and the European Investment Bank have committed themselves to contributing € 
100 million each to the European Progress Microfinance Facility. This fund aims to provide 
around € 500 million to microloans over the comi ng ten years. Microfinance is an important 
means to stimulate self-employment and the creation of micro-enterprises and can potentially 
play a significant role in promoting both social inclusion and job creation.The achievement of 
the social inclusion objectives of the EU will also rely on the current and future operation and 
design of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The nature of disadvantage 
affecting people in situations of poverty and social exclusion is influenced by the area where 
they  live  and  one  of  the  key  objectives  of  the  Platform  is  to  ensure  social  and  territorial 
cohesion. 

The  fifth  Cohesion  report  adopted  in  November  2010  provides  the  main  orientations 
regarding  the  future  Cohesion  policy  focusing  on  Europe's  key  priorities.  It  allows  for  a 
closer link between the social and the territorial agenda.  

Structural  Funds  regulations  post-2013  should  support  the  coordinated  investments  of  ESF 
and  ERDF  in  the  implementation  of  integrated  approaches.  Decreasing  disparities  and 
combating continuously high levels of poverty, in particular in urban areas, will, in the future, 
require  targeted  actions  covering  economic,  social  and  environmental  aspects.  Such  actions 
should be closely coordinated with ESF actions. Without prejudice to the future proposals on 
the  Structural  Funds  for  the  period  post-2013,  the  ERDF  continues  to  accompany  these 
actions  with  major  investments  in  education,  social  and  health  infrastructure,  particularly  in 
the poorest regions in close cooperation with the other funds. 

While most people in disadvantaged conditions live in major urban centres, in relative terms 
they tend to be over-represented in rural and geographically isolated areas and communities. 
In  some  Member  States  the  poverty  risk  in  rural  areas  is  double  that  of  urban  ones.  The 
European  Union  has  an  active  rural  development  policy,  supported  by  the  European 
the 
Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development  (EAFRD),  which  contributes 

to 

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development  of  social  and  educational  infrastructure  and  services,  and  more  generally,  to 
enhancing  human  capital  in  rural  areas.  In  recent  years,  rural  development  policy 
interventions  have  been  increasingly  geared  towards  social  inclusion  objectives,  in  a  way 
which  could  also  be  useful  for  the  support  of  rural  Roma  communities.  Synergies  between 
actions  supported  by  structural  funds  in  both  rural  and  urban  areas  should  be  further 
enhanced.  

The  promotion  of  advanced  European  socio-economic  research  has  also  been  supported 
through  the  Research  Framework  Programme,  notably  through  the  development  of  new 
methodologies, progress indicators or research infrastructures.  

•  In  line  with  the  Budget  Review,  the  European  Social  Fund  should  be  used  to  sustain 
Member  States'  efforts  to  achieve  the  Europe  2020  objectives,  including  the  poverty 
reduction  target.  This  implies  that  the  necessary  resources  would  be  devoted  to  social 
inclusion while making the access of the relevant stakeholders to those resources easier. 

•  The Commission will aim at facilitating access to global grants for small organisations and 
an improved access to funding for groups with multiple disadvantages and at high risk of 
poverty. 

•  In line with the proposals made in the 5th cohesion report, the Commission will put forward 
proposals in 2011 for the new Cohesion Policy regulatory framework for the period post-
2013 which will simplify access to the structural funds for local groups and ensure greater 
to  promote  community-based 
complementarity  and  synergies  between  EU  funds 
approaches, including for urban regeneration. 

•  The Commission will propose for the new Cohesion Policy post-2013 a Common Strategic 
Framework (CSF) that will ensure coherence and complementarity between the European 
Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the European Agricultural Fund 
for  Rural  Development  and  the  European  Fisheries  Fund.  The  CSF  would  identify  EU 
priorities  to  address  the  European  poverty  target  and  the  actions  set  out  in  this  flagship 
initiative. 

3.3. 

Developing an evidence-based approach to social innovations and reforms 

For  several  years  now,  the  EU  has  been  promoting  innovation  and  modernisation  of 
Member States’ social policies through peer-reviewing, mutual learning, communication and 
transfer  of  best  practices,  helping  to  improve  policy  design  and  focus.  Nevertheless,  cross–
national learning in the field of social policy would benefit from greater recourse to scientific 
methods to test and assess policy innovation. 

Very  often  government  programs  in  the  field  of  social  policy  suffer  from  a  lack  of  robust 
evidence of what does and does not work. Evidence based social innovation particularly in the 
form of "social experimentation” can be a powerful tool to guide the structural reforms that 
will  be  needed  to  implement  the  Europe  2020  vision  for  a  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive 
growth.  

Social  experimentation  refers  to  small  scale  projects  designed  to  test  policy  innovations  (or 
reforms)  before  adopting  them  more  widely.  The  impact  of  the  innovation  on  the  sample 
population is assessed against the situation of a ‘control group’ with similar socio-economic 
characteristics that remains under the dominant policy regimes. Social experiments have been 

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conducted since the 1970s in several countries to evaluate proposed changes in public policies 
or programmes. They have been applied to a large spectrum of social interventions, such as 
welfare-to-work  programmes,  provision  of  health  services,  technologies  to  facilitate 
independent  living,  addressing  homelessness,  education,  early  child  development,  access 
public  utilities,  active  retirement,  etc.  Most  have  been  used  to  evaluate  policies  targeted  at 
disadvantaged groups. 

Social experimentation requires a thorough preparation and selection. The programmes should 
be  of  sufficient  size  to  make  them  politically  relevant  and  should  focus  on  fields  where 
evidence  suggests  that  a  policy  change  is  needed.  To  be  conclusive,  the  program  must  be 
subject  to  well-defined  evaluation  standards,  to  ensure  that  its  results  are  transferable  to 
another  context.  This  raises  challenging  issues  as  regards  the  underlying  methodology  and 
sometimes important ethical questions.  

Member  States  efforts  to  innovate  and  modernise  social  policy  could  significantly  benefit 
from a European initiative on social innovation. Such an initiative would aim to provide the 
best  European  expertise  in  terms  of  the  methods  to  design,  implement  and  evaluate  social 
experimentation.  It  would  allow  Member  States  to  complement  national  resources  with  EU 
funding. And it would ensure a larger diffusion of knowledge.  

The European Social Fund (ESF) can provide funding for testing innovative actions, together 
with the PROGRESS programme. The ESF can also provide a framework for mainstreaming 
social innovation. 

The  Commission  will  launch  in  2011  an  initiative  to  pool  a  range  of  European  funds  to 
promote  evidence-based  social  innovation,  possibly  initially  concentrating  on  social 
assistance schemes. Comprised within the initiative will be:  

•  A European research excellence network to promote capacity building for the design and 

evaluation of social innovation programmes. 

•  A European research project in the area of social innovation aimed at devising workable 

methods and concrete impact measurements. 

•  The  definition  of  common  principles  on  the  design,  implementation  and  evaluation  of 
small scale projects designed to test policy innovations (or reforms) before adopting them 
more widely (social experiments). 

•  Communication and awareness raising about ongoing social innovation. 

•  A "high-level steering committee" which will provide advice and guidance on developing 

actions.  

3.4. 

Promoting a partnership approach and the social economy  

Broadening and enhancing stakeholders’ involvement 

Europe  2020  represents  a  new  partnership  between  European  institutions,  Member  States, 
and  all  European,  national,  regional  and  local  stakeholders.  This  new  start  offers  the 
opportunity  to  both  improve  current  partnership  structures,  and  importantly,  widen 
partnership to include new actors.  

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Supporting  the  efforts  made  by national, regional and  local authorities  remains  central  to 
EU  action.  These  authorities  are  at  the  forefront  of  implementing  policy  and  proven 
‘incubators’ of social innovation. Engaging them, in particular through the Committee of the 
Regions  and  key  European  networks  and  national  associations,  will  increase  focus  on  the 
territorial dimension of poverty, and strengthen synergies in the delivery of EU funds.  

Social Partners also have a critical role to play in helping ensure access to the labour market. 
The Social partners should be at the centre of this strategy, and the Commission will work to 
support  the  effective  implementation  of  their  framework  agreement  on  the  inclusion  of 
vulnerable groups in the labour market.  

NGOs  have  become  essential  actors  in  the  fight  against  poverty  and  social  exclusion  and 
engage  in  regular  dialogue  with  public  authorities.  However,  the  timing  and  impact  of 
engagement  is  very  uneven  across  Europe,  and  effective  participation  is  at  risk  as  budgets 
tighten. It is therefore important to strengthen and stabilise existing partnerships at European 
level,  and  promote  sustainable  involvement  at  national  level.  The  participation  of  people 
experiencing poverty is acknowledged as a paramount objective of inclusion policies, both 
as a tool for individual empowerment and a governance mechanism. The EU has been setting 
the example and will continue to disseminate knowledge and best practices on participation.  

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The  Commission  will  support  through  the  PROGRESS  programme  regular  exchanges  and 
partnerships  between  a  wider  set  of  stakeholders  in  specific  priority  areas,  such  as  active 
inclusion, child poverty, Roma inclusion, homelessness and financial inclusion.  

The  Commission  will  elaborate  voluntary  guidelines  on  stakeholders’  involvement  in  the 
definition and the implementation of policy actions and programmes to address poverty and 
exclusion, and will promote their implementation at national, regional and local level.  

Harnessing the potential of the social economy 

Social economy initiatives have grown throughout Europe, bringing innovative responses to 
emerging social needs and to challenges that neither the state nor market are able to meet. But 
tension can arise between supporting these developments and smooth and fair functioning of 
the  market.  Several  Member  States  are  framing  policies  and  legislation  to  clarify  roles  and 
relationships and to ensure the necessary legal, social, administrative, and financial support. 
To keep pace, the EU has endeavoured to improve its legal and administrative framework 
so that the social economy can live up to its potential and operate efficiently across Europe.  

Volunteering  is  important  to  growth  of  the  social  economy.  Some  100  million  EU  citizens 
make  a  positive  contribution  to  their  community  offering  their  time,  talent  and  money  too. 
Volunteering  empowers  individuals  and  helps  create  stronger  communities,  providing 
services  to  the  excluded.  It  also  fosters  new  skills,  civic  responsibility  and  enhanced 
employability. 2011 is the "European Year of Volunteering". The European Year for Active 
Ageing  proposed  by  the  Commission  for  2012  will  also  be  an  opportunity  to  highlight  and 
promote the contribution of older volunteers to society. This will be one of the key goals of 
the  European  Innovation  Partnership  for  active  and  healthy  ageing  to  be  proposed  by  the 
Commission in 2011. 

Foundations have thrived across Europe. Their actions often foster empowerment of people 
facing  poverty  and  social  exclusion  and  their  participation  in  society.  They  also  promote 
awareness-raising,  research,  policy  analysis  and  debate,  or  advocate  for  policy  change  and 
implementation.  These  activities  can  have  a  significant  bearing  on  poverty  and  social 
exclusion covering a range of areas – such as education, employment, culture, participation in 
society, and by targeting different population groups. The Commission has announced that it 
plans to present a regulation on a European Foundation Statute by the end of 2011. 

The social enterprise sector represents 10% of all European businesses and employs over 11 
million  paid  employees.  Yet  many  legal  and  practical  hurdles  impair  its  effective 
development, including the lack of a level playing field between social economy enterprises 
and their wholly commercial competitors. As announced in the Innovation Union Flagship, a 
Social Innovation Pilot which will be launched to provide expertise and a networked 'virtual 
hub' for social entrepreneurs and the public and third sectors. 

More  generally,  the  European  model  of  a  pluralist  and  inclusive  economy  needs  to  be 
strengthened by encouraging the involvement of business in building more inclusive societies, 
including  by  promoting  Corporate  Social  Responsibility.  This  can  be  achieved  among 
others  by  encouraging  companies  to  employ  people  from  disadvantaged  groups  and  better 
manage diversity, as well as by taking account of social considerations in public procurement.  

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The  Commission  will  support  the  development  of  the  social  economy  as  a  tool  for  active 
inclusion  by  proposing  measures  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  legal  structures  relating  to 
foundations, mutual societies and cooperatives operating in a European context, proposing a 
"Social Business Initiative" in 2011, as well as facilitating access to relevant EU financial 
programmes. 

3.5. 

Stepping up policy coordination between the Member States  

Europe  2020  now  has  the  social  dimension  at  its  heart.  The  new  improved  governance 
structures  of  the  strategy  offer  the  opportunity  to  move  up  a  gear  in  the  coordination  that 
Member  States  have  long  established  in  the  field  of  social  protection  and  social  inclusion, 
notably within the Social OMC. 

The  headline  target  on  poverty  reduction  will  enhance  political  commitment  and 
accountability,  and  will  be  a  powerful  driver  for  further  developing  social  indicators.  The 
Commission's Annual Growth Survey (AGS), presented each January, will inter alia review 
overall  progress  achieved  on  the  headline  targets,  the  flagship  initiatives,  and  identify 
priorities for action aimed at achieving the objectives and the targets of the strategy.  

Member States are now asked to report annually on their overall strategies in their National 
Reform Programmes (NRP). Reporting on the social goals of the strategy will be an integral 
part  of  these  reform  programmes.  The  NRPs  will  set  out  national  targets  (including  on 
poverty)  and  proposed  trajectories  and  reforms  for  achieving  these.  The  NRPs  should  also 
indicate how the national authorities do or will involve local/regional authorities and relevant 
stakeholders in defining and implementing the NRP, and how they communicate on Europe 
2020 and on their own NRP.  

The  Commission  will  assess  progress  achieved  by  the  Member  States  on  the  strategy, 
including  the  poverty  target,  and  will,  where  relevant,  and  within  the  context  of  the  powers 
offered by the Treaty, make a proposal for a joint Commission/Council set of country specific 
recommendation  in  the  areas  covered  by  the  integrated  guidelines.  Within  the  integrated 
guidelines, Guideline 10 on "Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty" provides for 
closer links between the employment and the social agenda. 

All this shows that the integration of the Social OMC into the Europe 2020 strategy provides 
a stronger basis for the EU to meet its social goals. 

At  the  same  time,  it  is  important  that  the  instruments  and  tools  that  have  been  developed 
under the Social OMC cross-fertilise with the governance architecture of Europe 2020, to best 
serve  the  purposes  of  the  new  strategy.  The  detailed  arrangements  must  ensure  the  right 
balance  between  integration  and  focus,  continuity  and  innovation,  simplification  and 
accountability,  coordination  and  subsidiarity.  Therefore,  the  Commission  will  continue  to 
work  with  Member  States  and  key  stakeholders  in  the  coming  months,  and  foster  solutions 
that ensure ownership, commitment and delivery. 

Based on the experience of the first European Semester of Europe 2020, the Commission will 
discuss  with  Member  States  and  other  institutional  and  non-institutional  actors,  how  to  best 
adapt  the  working  methods of  the Social  Open  Method  of  Coordination  to  the  new 
governance  of Europe  2020. The  Commission  will  present  a  report  before  the  end  of  2011 
summarising the orientations emerged and the follow up it will give to it. 

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4. 

BUILDING ON THE LEGACY OF THE EUROPEAN YEAR 2010 AGAINST POVERTY AND 
EXCLUSION 

The  European  Platform  against  poverty  and  exclusion  marks  the  start  of  a  new  phase  in 
European  policies  for  social  inclusion  and  social  cohesion.  Born  from  the  political  will  to 
shape  the  new  European  vision  for  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive  growth,  it  will  take 
advantage  from  the  political  impetus  generated  by  the  European  Year  2010  against  poverty 
and exclusion. 

Throughout the year, thousands of events and initiatives have been organised across Europe, 
mobilising  institutions,  administrations,  social  actors,  civil  society  organisations,  media, 
artists,  schools  and  universities,  politicians,  experts  and  ordinary  citizens  in  a  campaign  for 
information and awareness raising that has unfolded at EU, national and local level. The key 
messages  emerged  from  this  unprecedented  mobilisation  are  now  enshrined  in  a  Council 
declaration that will seal the campaign.  

Other  EU  institutions  –  both  Council  and  Parliament  -  and  bodies,  and  in  particular  the 
Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee, have contributed to raise 
the  visibility  and  the  political  impact  of  these  initiatives,  and  also  proposed  new  venues  for 
stakeholders’  involvement  and  exchanges.  They  all  request  that  the  dialogue  opened  during 
the European Year is continued, in particular through regular exchanges on progress towards 
the poverty target. 

One  of  the  important  lessons  of  the  European  Year  2010  is  that  citizens'  awareness  and 
participation are crucial to ensure that the European objectives for social inclusion and social 
cohesion are given the visibility and the  priority  they  deserve on the European and national 
policy agendas. 

A  second  lesson  is  that  the  European  Union  can  pioneer  new  models  and  practices  of 
governance that can successfully take root in national and local realities. More importantly, by 
doing  so,  the  Union  can  effectively  promote  that  “multilayer  governance”  that  is  crucial  to 
address the epochal challenges we are facing.  

The European Platform against poverty and exclusion provides the appropriate framework to 
ensure  that  the  experiences  of  governance  and  participation  and  extended  dialogue  that  the 
European Year has contributed to boost can be continued and enhanced.  

•  The Commission will work with other EU institutions and bodies to transform the Annual 
Round Table on Poverty and Exclusion into a wider Annual Convention of the European 
Platform  designed  to  bring  together  all  relevant  actors.  This  event  will  take  place  in 
autumn, in proximity of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The Annual 
Convention  will  take  stock  of  progress  made  towards  the  headline  target,  review  the 
implementation of the activities announced under the Platform and provide suggestions for 
future action.  

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5. 

CONCLUSIONS  

The key actions of the Platform and the accompanying and preparatory measures are listed in 
the accompanying Staff Working Paper. They rely on a mix of policy coordination, dialogue 
with institutional and non-institutional actors, funding and strategic partnerships.  

In  addition  to  the  regular  reporting  within  the  governance  mechanisms  of  the  Europe  2020 
strategy,  and  in  particular  in  the  Annual  Growth  Survey,  the  Commission  will  review  the 
implementation of the Platform in 2014, also with a view to adapt it to the new Multiannual 
Financial Framework.  

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Figure 1a: At-risk-of-poverty rate, total, by age and by employment status; 2005-08 

Annex  

EU-25

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Figure 1b: At-risk of poverty rate10 by country; 2008 

Source: EU-SILC  

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10 

The at-risk-of poverty rate also reflects the definition of poverty adopted by the European Council in 
1975  who  defined  the  "poor"  as  "those  individuals  or  households  whose  resources  are  so  low  as  to 
exclude  them  from  the  minimum  acceptable  way  of  life  in  the  country  where  they  live".  The  risk  of 
poverty  threshold  is  set  at  60  %  of  the  national  median  equivalised  disposable  income  (after  social 
transfers).  

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Figure 2: Share of people suffering from severe material deprivation11 by country; 2008 

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EU27 LU SE NL DK ES FI MT UK EE FR DE IE BE AT SI CZ IT CY PT GR SK LT PL HU LV RO BG

Figure 3: Share of people aged 0-59 living in a jobless household12 by country; 2008 

Source: EU-SILC (2008) 

11 

12 

People are considered "materially deprived" if they experience at least 4 out of 9 deprivations: people 
cannot  afford  i)  to  pay  their  rent  or  utility  bills,  ii)  keep  their  home  adequately  warm,  iii)  face 
unexpected expenses, iv) eat meat, fish, or a protein equivalent every second day, v) a week of holiday 
away from home once a year, vi) a car, vii) a washing machine, viii) a colour tv, or ix) a telephone. 
People  living  in  households  with  very  low  work  intensity  are  people  aged  0-59  living  in  households 
where the adults work less than 20% of their total work potential during the past year. 

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EU27CY LU LV LT SK EE SE ES PT SI CZ FI EL AT PL BG NL MT RO DK FR IT UK DE BE HU IE

Source: EU-SILC (2008) 

EN 

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