REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
Date: 2012-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European cultural event, aid to disadvantaged groups, marginalisation, poverty, public awareness campaign

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 15.3.2012  
COM(2012) 107 final 

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT 

on the implementation, results and overall assessment  
of the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 

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REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT 

on the implementation, results and overall assessment  
of the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 

1. 

BACKGROUND: BUILDING POLITICAL COMMITMENT AT A TIME OF CRISIS  

1.1. 

Introduction 

In  2008,  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  reaffirmed  that  the  fight  against  poverty 
and social exclusion was a key commitment of the EU and its Member States, and agreed to 
designate  2010  as  the  European  Year  for  Combating  Poverty  and  Social  Exclusion 
(hereinafter EY2010).1  

The EY2010 coincided with a time of economic and social challenges, spurring mobilisation 
and  helping  put  poverty  and  social  exclusion  at  the  centre  of  the  Europe  2020  agenda.  It 
highlighted  the  crucial  importance  of  citizens’  engagement  and  awareness,  and  brought 
opportunities  for  positive  participation  by  men  and  women  experiencing  poverty.  It  also 
showed that Europe can encourage new models of governance, and stressed the need to build 
more  bridges  between  key  players.  Yet,  the  crisis  hit  the  people  experiencing  poverty  and 
social exclusion and those working with them on a daily basis, making it difficult for the full 
impact of initiative to be felt. 

In  accordance  with  the  Decision  establishing  the  EY2010,  this  report  offers  an  overview  of 
the implementation, results and overall achievements of the European Year, building on the 
conclusions of an external evaluation.2  

1.2. 

EU coordination on social inclusion 

At the launch of the Lisbon strategy  in March  2000, the European Council invited Member 
States  and  the  Commission  to  take  steps  to  make  ‘a  decisive  impact  on  the  eradication  of 
poverty’  by  2010,  and  the  European  Council  has  been  reaffirming  this  objective  ever  since. 
The Open Method of Coordination on Social Protection and Social Inclusion (Social OMC) 
was developed to ensure policy coordination among Member States. This has helped identify 
common  challenges,  increased  the  shared  knowledge-base  and  supported  good  governance. 
However, work is still to be completed on strengthening political commitment and visibility, 
interaction with other policy areas and ownership by all relevant players. 

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Decision No 1098/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2008. 
The  European  Commission  asked  an  external  contractor  to  carry  out  the  ex-post  evaluation  (from  16  December 
2009 to 16 April 2011). The Report was finalised in June 2011. 

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1.3. 

The European Year 2010 and its objectives 

As  the  first  decade  of  EU  cooperation  on  poverty  and  social  exclusion  drew  to  a  close,  the 
EY2010 was designed to act as a catalyst for raising awareness, building new partnerships and 
creating fresh momentum. Four main objectives were pursued: 

Recognition  of  rights  —  recognising  the  right  of  people  experiencing  poverty  and  social 
exclusion to live with dignity and to play a full part in society. 

Shared responsibility and participation — increasing public ownership of social inclusion 
policies and actions, emphasising collective and individual responsibilities in tackling poverty 
and social exclusion. 

Cohesion — promoting a more cohesive society, by raising public awareness of the benefits 
for all of a society that eradicates poverty, works for fair distribution and marginalises no one. 

Commitment and concrete action — reiterating the strong political commitment of the EU 
to  combat  poverty  and  social  exclusion,  and  promoting  this  commitment  and  action  at  all 
levels. 

2. 

EUROPEAN YEAR 2010: IMPLEMENTATION AND KEY ACTIVITIES 

2.1.  Management and financial execution 

A budget of € 17.25 million went towards activities in 29 participating countries (EU 27 plus 
Iceland and Norway) and at European level. 

Programming and financial management in Member States 

National Implementing Bodies (NIBs) coordinated the EY2010 and managed EU funding at 
country  level,  in  accordance  with  a  National  Programme  devised  in  consultation  with  key 
stakeholders. 

Overall, the 29 NIBs (27 Member States, Norway and Iceland) were granted a total of € 9.27 
million  from  the  EU  budget,  following  the  indirect  centralised  management  procedure.  In 
each country, the amount received had to be matched, at least, by a level equivalent to the EU 
grant.  Some  countries  provided  more  than  was  requested.  In  addition,  private  funding  was 
secured by calls for proposals, with a variable percentage co-funding requirement. 

Programming and financial management at EU level 

A  budget  of  € 8  million  was  dedicated  to  initiatives  at  European  level,  most  of  them  key 
European  level  activities.  In  the  main  they  were  fully  funded,  while  others  (opening  and 
closing conferences) were 80 % co-financed. While pan-European initiatives were coordinated 
at European level, others were implemented in a decentralised way in participating countries, 
with close cooperation between the communication contractor’s national correspondents and 
the  NIBs.  An  advisory  committee  of  representatives  from  participating  countries  met 
regularly  to  advise  and  assist  the  Commission  in  planning  and  implementing  the  EY2010 
activities.  An  EU  Stakeholder  Expert  Group,  comprising  some  70  European  NGOs  and 
organisations (networks or regional/local authorities, social partners, foundations, think-tanks, 

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European/international  bodies)  served  as  an  information  and  consultation  channel,  meeting 
five times between March 2009 and March 2011. 

EY2010 in figures 

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29 participating countries (27 Member States, Norway and Iceland). 

Around 900 co-funded activities promoted either by NIBs or by stakeholders; at least 
another 1800 national and local activities using the logo. 

Around 40 EU events (organised by EU bodies or in partnership with large events). 

164 Ambassadors (160 at national level and 4 at European level). 

49 million viewers and listeners reached by broadcasted reports. 

Over 400 000 unique visitors to the website. 

Over 10 000 printed/online articles. 

1200 entries to the Journalist Award competition and 60 winners. 

Over 60 videos produced at EU level. 

200 photographs from 18 European countries participating in the Art Partner Project. 

Total  budget  of  € 17.25  million  (EU  budget)  +  € 9  million  (national  budgets),  i.e.  a 
total of € 26.25 million. 

2.2. 

Implementation in participating countries 

Activity on the ground 

Much  of  the  activity  at  national,  regional  and  local  level  was  promoted  by  stakeholders, 
particularly  NGOs,  that  led  664  co-funded  projects,  and  by  National  Implementing  Bodies, 
that directly promoted 220 activities. These included: 

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awareness-raising  activities 
competitions, solidarity chains, open universities, social networking …); 

(debates,  didactic  materials,  media  work,  art 

direct  support  to  those  concerned  (information  on  rights,  community  support, 
empowerment through arts, informal education …); 

policy  development  (conferences,  seminars,  participatory  meetings,  introduction  of 
new policy schemes and action plans …); 

expertise-related activities (research, studies, publications …). 

Educational and media-related outputs outweighed studies and surveys, reflecting the Year’s 
role as an awareness-raising campaign. Around 10 000 printed/online articles were produced. 

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The  number  and  scale  of  co-funded  projects  promoted  by  stakeholders  varied  significantly, 
ranging  from  1  in  Finland  and  2  in  Lithuania  to  71  in  France  and  92  in  Ireland.  In  most 
countries the average amount of co-funding was under € 20 000, making it possible to support 
organisations with limited absorption capacity. In addition, ‘moral support’ was given to over 
1800 national and local activities that used the logo without receiving EY2010 funding. 

The role of national ‘Ambassadors’ 

In  all,  22  countries  appointed  160  national  EY2010  Ambassadors  in  order  to  reach  a  wider 
public. They came from varied backgrounds: actors, singers, NGO activists, academics, sports 
people,  business  people,  people  with  a  direct  experience  of  poverty  and  social  exclusion, 
people from groups particularly at risk (people with disabilities, Roma people, single mothers, 
etc.). The number of ambassadors appointed varied from one (in France and Romania) to 26 
in Austria. 

2.3. 

Activities at EU level 

While  many  activities  were  coordinated  and  implemented  by  the  European  Commission,  a 
significant  number  were  also  carried  out  by  the  Spanish  and  Belgian  Presidencies, 
stakeholders and other EU institutions and bodies. 

Information, Communication and Promotion Campaign 

The  main  activity  at  European  level  was  a  common  campaign  coordinated  by  the  European 
Commission, for the most part in 23 languages, and implemented in participating countries in 
cooperation with the communication contractor and the NIBs: 

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development  of  a  media  relations  network  and  regular  outreach  to  media 
(print/online/audiovisual) covering key events (e.g. press breakfasts); 

online  tools  —  including  a  campaign  website  (www.2010againstpoverty.eu)  in  23 
languages,  use  of  the  ‘Social  Europe’  Facebook  group,  Flickr  page  for  photos,  and 
posts on Youtube, EUtube and Wikipedia; 

publications — a Eurobarometer brochure, a newsletter (6 issues), a compendium of 
good  practices  (‘Getting  out  of  Poverty’),  a  magazine  beyond  2010  (‘Springboard 
into the Future’) and an overview of key statistics; 

production of audio-visual material (one promotional clip in 23 languages, 29 short 
country features and news clips of key events); 

partnership with 26 European events (music, film festivals, NGO events, etc); 

promotional material (posters, bookmarks, pens, t-shirts, lanyards); 

four Campaign Ambassadors at EU level (Dr Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Dr Lesley-Anne 
Knight,  Mr  Michał  Piróg  and  Ms  Tasha  de  Vasconcelos),  who  increased  media 
interest  and  enhanced  the  EY2010’s  profile  through  their  active  involvement  and 
endorsement of the EY2010 messages.  

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EY2010 opening and closing events 

The  opening  conference  hosted  in  Madrid  on  21  January  by  the  Spanish  Presidency  was 
attended by 400 participants. The closing conference on 17 December in Brussels under the 
Belgian  Presidency  reviewed  key  achievements  and  highlighted  selected  national  projects. 
The European Year Final Declaration (see below), adopted by the Council of Ministers, was 
endorsed formally on this occasion. The broad political commitment to achieve the EY2010’s 
objectives was reflected by the participation in both events: a variety of decision-makers and 
stakeholders  were  joined  by  high-level  representatives,  including  the  Presidents  of  the 
European  Council  and  the  Commission,  Spanish  and  Belgian  heads  of  government  and 
numerous national ministers. 

Two focus weeks 

Two focus weeks were organised in June and October to instil momentum by concentrating a 
number of EU and national activities and events over a short period, with a strong emphasis 
on partnership and participation. 

Two year-long initiatives — Art Partner and pan-European Journalists Competition 

The  Art  Partner  Project  (IN)VISIBLE  (April  2010  —  November  2010)  encouraged  art 
students across the EU to visualise poverty through photography. All the photos were shown 
on the EY2010 website and 70 were displayed at an exhibition in Brussels at the end of 2010. 
The  Journalists  Award  (April  2010  —  December  2010)  aimed  to  support  journalists  whose 
work had contributed to increased awareness and broader understanding of poverty and social 
exclusion. Almost 1.200 articles or audiovisual reports were submitted, and both national and 
European winners were selected. 

Eurobarometer surveys and studies 

A Eurobarometer survey published in October 20093 canvassed public opinion on policies to 
prevent  and  combat  poverty  and  social  exclusion.  Four  waves  of  ‘Flash’  Eurobarometer 
surveys  on  public  perceptions  of  the  social  impacts  of  the  crisis  were  also  conducted  and 
published. 

EU- level activities organised by partners 

Many  European  activities  were  organised  in  addition  to  those  coordinated  by  DG  EMPL  in 
the Commission. 

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A special coalition of NGOs4 brought together more than 40 organisations and set up 
joint  activities  (human  chain  around  the  European  Parliament,  their  own  website 
www.endpoverty.eu, information exchange). 

Special Eurobarometer No 321 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_321_en.pdf. 
http://endpoverty.eu. 

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A  large  number  of  European  stakeholders  developed  activities  for  the  Year, 
including conferences, awareness-raising events and specific advocacy work. 

The European Parliament issued several related reports, hosted the June Meeting of 
People Experiencing Poverty, and organised a citizens’ Agora on the issue in January 
2011. 

The European Economic and Social Committee organised a high-level conference on 
poverty and social exclusion (May 2010) and set up a standing group on the EY2010 
as well as several specific initiatives (People’s University, hearing). 

The  Committee  of  the  Regions  organised  a  Forum  in  June,  and  one  of  its  political 
groups ran a film competition (‘Poverty in Europe: Can you picture a way out?’). 

European  Commission  Representations 
in  participating  countries  provided 
significant  input  by  organising  many  communication  activities  (e.g.  a  photo 
competition,  outreach  to  disadvantaged  groups,  open  air  concerts,  info  stands)  and 
participating in different discussions, debates and conferences on the themes. Europe 
Direct Information Centres were also actively involved in many countries.  

Within  the  European  Commission  itself,  numerous  DGs  other  than  DG  EMPL 
developed  specific  projects  and  initiatives  (e.g.  on  health,  information  society, 
research, youth, culture, tourism, etc.). 

'Together  against 
Ahead  of  the  EY2010,  the  2009  EU  Journalists  Award 
discrimination'  of  the  European  Commission  dedicated  a  Special  Award  to  articles 
focusing on poverty and discrimination.  

3. 

WHAT DID THE EUROPEAN YEAR ACHIEVE? 

3.1. 

A firm political commitment, despite a difficult economic context 

The European Year took place in a critical social context, coinciding with discussions on the 
future of key EU policies. Building on the impetus of the launching of the EY2010 throughout 
the  EU,  it  helped  create  momentum,  underlining  the  need  for  political  commitment  at  the 
highest level. 

Against this backdrop, the fight against poverty and social exclusion was acknowledged to be 
one  of  the  key  priorities  of  the  Europe  2020  strategy  for  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive 
growth. For the first time ever, this commitment is linked to a numerical target, namely to lift 
‘at least 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion by 2020’. The final declaration 
of the European Year5 marked a further commitment to pursue and deepen these efforts. 

Europe 2020 acknowledges the need for strong engagement at national level. Member States 
were thus invited to define a specific national target for reducing poverty and social exclusion 
in  their  National  Reform  Programmes.  The  EY2010  also  contributed  to  domestic  policy 

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Council Declaration on The European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion: Working together to fight 
poverty  in  2010  and  beyond.  3053rd  Employment,  Social  Policy  Health and Consumer  Affairs  Council  meeting, 
Brussels, 6 December 2010, OJ C333/8 10.12.2010. 

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developments beyond Europe 2020, as a number of countries took this opportunity to develop 
or implement new policy initiatives, and to strengthen links with other policy themes (such as 
health, justice, antidiscrimination and finance). 

However,  while  these  developments  represent  a  step  forward  in  reinforcing  the  EU  and 
Member  States’  commitment,  they  have  to  be  seen  in  the  light  of  the  situation  of  the  most 
vulnerable, which in many cases deteriorated in 2010. 

3.2. 

Development of new partnerships and alliances 

The  European  Year  provided  a  significant  incentive  to  strengthen  partnerships  and  involve 
new  players,  from  the  local  to  the  European  level.  These  alliances  were  built  primarily 
between  stakeholders  (in  particular  NGOs  and  foundations)  but  also  involved  institutional 
players at various levels (local authorities, academics, cultural organisations, schools, etc.). 

Moreover, the EY2010 provided an impetus to overcome traditional boundaries by involving 
players  who,  although  perhaps  less  directly  engaged  in  addressing  poverty  and  social 
exclusion,  still  have  a  critical  impact  (e.g.  business,  media,  public  authorities  beyond  social 
the  EY2010 
inclusion  departments,  etc.).  In  some  countries 
‘Ambassadors’ has had a significant role in this respect. At European level, cooperation has 
been  strengthened  with  a  number  of  key  bodies  and  new  stakeholders,  as  well  as  across 
departments  within  the  European  Commission.  However,  despite  some  positive  examples, 
opportunities for strengthening links with social partners and the private sector were not fully 
exploited. 

involvement  of 

the 

3.3.  Meeting the need for better communication 

Reaching  out  to  a  broad  public  and  shaping  perceptions  of  poverty  were  particularly 
challenging objectives for the EY2010. Data gathered by the communication contractor show 
that  information  on  the  Year  reached  about  one  tenth  of  Europeans  through  the  broadcast 
media, helping to raise awareness of the various faces of poverty in Europe and the EU’s role. 
The  EY2010  also  generated  wide  press  coverage,  both  written  and  electronic,  in  particular 
around major events and key stages. Social media channels were also developed to reach out 
to a wider audience. 

The initiative’s impact on deconstructing stereotypes is more difficult to assess. Nevertheless, 
a number of key activities, such as the October 2009 EU conference ‘Poverty between Reality 
and  Perception  —  the  communication  challenge’  as  well  as  national,  regional  and  local 
initiatives, gave the floor to those in poverty. They also sparked off a necessary discussion on 
how best to report on a complex issue by combining the interests of those in poverty with the 
constraints of increasingly demanding journalistic work. 

Finally,  the  EY2010  raised  awareness  of  the  need  for  public  institutions  to  communicate 
better, and in a different way, on social inclusion issues, to engage further with media and to 
reach  out  both  to  those  at  risk  and  to  the  general  public.  New  approaches  were  tested  and 
further developed with this in view (e.g. partnership with major events or media). 

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3.4. 

Towards greater participation by those experiencing poverty 

The participation of people experiencing poverty was recognised as an important objective of 
the EY2010, both to encourage individual empowerment and as a more direct form of civic 
participation. The European Year partly lived up to expectations by giving the floor to men 
and women directly concerned, making their voices heard in key events (opening and closing 
conferences,  grassroots  events,  popular  universities)  and  media  work  (video,  conference  on 
perceptions  of  poverty)  and  enhancing  their  presence  as  participants  in  such  events.  It  also 
supported the development of structured forms of participation, through a variety of projects 
developed in participating countries. 

Moreover,  the  Year  contributed  to  explore  the  link  between  social  exclusion,  poverty  and 
discrimination.  Initiatives  carried  out  have  had,  to  some  extent,  a  positive  impact  for  all 
groups  at  risk  of  discrimination  (e.g.  such  as  migrants,  ethnic  minorities,  people  with  a 
disability, older people).  

3.5. 

Complementing existing EU initiatives 

The  Year  complemented  existing  EU  initiatives  and  programmes  in  the  field  of  social 
inclusion  and  reducing  inequalities,  such  as  the  PROGRESS  programme6  and  the  Social 
OMC.  It  provided  funding  opportunities  for  projects  which  were  ineligible  for  other  EU 
programmes and so helped reach out to a wider range of players. However, opportunities to 
complement other EU-funded initiatives were not fully grasped and will be further developed 
in the context of the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework. 

3.6. 

Development of innovative approaches 

A  number  of  innovative  approaches  were  tested  during  the  Year:  using  social  media  for 
communication;  engaging  with  journalists;  advanced  participatory  approaches  to  policy 
planning;  evidence-based  social  policy  and  social  entrepreneurship.  Some  initiatives  forged 
links  with  other  policy  areas,  namely  health,  justice  and  finance.  The  impact  of  these 
innovations is potentially significant and they could be further developed. However, current 
budget consolidation efforts will be a significant obstacle to any scaling up. 

3.7 Gender Mainstreaming 

Provisions  were  put  in  place  to  take  the  gender  dimension  into  account  for  example  in  the 
governance  of  the  Year  and  indirect  evidence  suggests  that  gender  specific  issues  such  as 
single  parenthood  and  homelessness  were  addressed  in  a  balanced  manner.  However,  the 
gender dimension was not strongly perceived by key 2010 players and gender disaggregated 
data were not systematically produced.  

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As illustrated by a 2010 call for project proposals on reducing health inequalities  

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4. 

THE WAY FORWARD: BUILDING A LASTING LEGACY 

The  impacts  of  the  economic  crisis  continue.  Unemployment  persists  at  high  levels  and  the 
EU still has unacceptable numbers of people living below the poverty line or on the margins 
of society. The very cohesion of European societies is at stake.7  

While essential policies to tackle poverty and social exclusion are  primarily in the hands of 
the Member States, the EU has a major role to play and must live up to expectations. It has 
clear competences and new instruments to support Member States and make a difference in 
the lives of the most vulnerable. These include Europe 2020 as well as the European Platform 
against Poverty and Social Exclusion,8 both of which have put social inclusion high on the EU 
agenda. 

4.1. 

Europe 2020: from commitment to delivery 

The  crisis  has  illustrated  the  extent  to  which  economic  and  social  developments  in  EU 
Member  States  are  interconnected.  Drawing  on  this  lesson,  the  EU  has  implemented  a  new 
working method, the European Semester, to ensure EU coordination on key policy priorities 
before  decisions  are  taken  at  national-level.  The  2011  exercise  has  put  a  strong  focus  on 
sustainable  public  finances  and  creating  jobs  and  growth.  Tackling  unemployment  and  the 
social  consequences  of  the  crisis  is  one  of  the  five  priorities  of  the  2012  Annual  Growth 
Survey9  ,  whereby  Member  States  should  protect  the  vulnerable  by  further  improving  the 
effectiveness  of  social  protection  systems,  implementing  active  inclusion  strategies  and 
ensuring access to services supporting integration in the labour market and society. 

Efforts should be stepped up so that the historical commitment to reduce poverty and social 
exclusion  by  2020  results  in  tangible  change.  In  all,  26  Member  States  have  now  proposed 
national  poverty  reduction  targets  and  highlighted  their  specific  strategy  for  delivery  in  the 
National  Reform  Programmes  which  they  submitted  in  April  2011.  So  far,  these  have 
however fallen short of meeting the level of ambition collectively agreed in June 2010. 

4.2. 

The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: a framework for 
action 

As  one  of  the  flagship  initiatives  within  Europe  2020,  the  Platform  highlights  the 
Commission’s  agenda  to  step  up  efforts  to  combat  poverty  and  social  exclusion,  building 
directly on the lessons learned from the EY2010. 

Promoting a partnership approach and broadening participation 

One of the key objectives of the Platform is to broaden and enhance stakeholder involvement. 
To this end, the Stakeholders Group which was set up for the EY2010 has been maintained 
and  extended.  The  Commission  has  also  worked  together  with  Council  Presidencies  to 
transform the Annual Round Table against Poverty and Social Exclusion into a wider Annual 
Convention which will take stock of progress made towards the headline target and review the 
implementation of activities under the Platform. The  first Annual  Convention took place on 

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Social Protection Committee, Report on the Social Dimension of the Europe 2020 Strategy, 2011. 
The  European  Platform  against  Poverty  and  Social  Exclusion:  A  European  framework  for  social  and  territorial 
cohesion, COM/2010/0758 final. 
COM(2011) 815 final, Annual Growth Survey 2012 

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17 and 18 October 2011. With time, the Convention will provide an opportunity to strengthen 
and  deepen  cooperation  with  other  EU  institutions  and  bodies  and  strengthen  the  links  with 
other policy areas, as well as with major stakeholders. 

Delivering action across the policy spectrum 

The  Communication  on  the  Platform  proposed  a  set  of  measures  in  key  policy  areas,  going 
beyond  social  inclusion  stricto  sensu.  These  include  financial  services  (Commission 
Recommendation  on  access  to  a  basic  payment  account10),  energy,  education  (e.g. 
Commission  Communication  and  Council  Recommendation  on  policies  to  reduce  early 
school  leaving11),  health  (launch  of  the  European  Inovation  Parnership  (EIP)  on  active  and 
healthy  ageing  in  2011,  implementation  of  the  Communication  on  "Solidarity  in  Health: 
reducing health inequalities in the EU"12), migration and integration. It will be necessary, in 
particular, to step up efforts to facilitate the integration of Roma into the EU societies and to 
assist  minorities'  integration  on  the  neighbouring  countries,  as  set  out  in  the  EU  framework 
for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies  up  to  202013.  The  protection  and  integration  of 
minorities, including Roma, is also particularly relevant as an indispensable part of the visa 
liberalisation process with the Eastern Partnership countries and of the post visa liberalisation 
monitoring vis-à-vis of the visa-free Western Balkans countries. 

Using community funds and the ESF more efficiently 

In accordance with the Budget review, the Communication on the Platform stressed that the 
European Social Fund should be used to sustain Member States' efforts to achieve the Europe 
2020  objectives,  including  the  poverty  reduction  target.  Thus,  the  legislative  package  for 
2014-20  Cohesion  Policy  adopted  by  the  Commission  on  5  October  has  a  significantly 
stronger  focus  on  social  inclusion.  The  fight  against  poverty  and  social  exclusion  is 
recognised as one of the four thematic objectives of the European Social Fund. According to 
the  Commission  proposal14,  a  minimum  share  of  20 %  of  the  ESF  would  go  towards  social 
inclusion  measures,  including  the  following  priorities:  inclusion,  the  integration  of 
disadvantaged  groups,  access  to  services,  social  economy  and  community-led  development 
strategies. The participation of social partners and civil society will be further encouraged, as 
will the simplification of the delivery system. 

Developing an evidence-based approach to social innovation and reform 

The increasing demand for social intervention has led to a growing awareness of the need to 
explore  new  approaches  to  meet  current  and  emerging  social  challenges,  improve  the  cost-
effectiveness  of  social  policies  and  make  better  use  of  evaluation  for  policy-making.  The 
Platform  has  therefore  announced  a  major  initiative  on  social  innovation  involving:  the 
promotion  of  evidence-based  social  innovation  through  awareness-raising  activities;  policy 

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C(2011) 4977/4 
COM(2011)18, OJ C 191(2011) 
COM(2009) 567 final 
An EU framework for National Roma Integration Strategies (COM) 2011 173 final 
COM(2011)  607  final,  Proposal  for  a  REGULATION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT  AND  OF  THE 
COUNCIL on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 

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and financial support to projects; capacity-building for key players and further development 
of methodological approaches. 

Stepping up policy coordination between the Member States 

In  line  with  the  Social  Protection  Committee  opinion  on  "reinvigorating  the  social  OMC  in 
the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy" endorsed by the Council on 17 June 2011, there is a 
need  to  improve  the  visibility  and  impact  of  the  Social  OMC.  The  social  dimension  of  the 
Europe  2020  Strategy  provides  an  opportunity  to  reinvigorate  the  Social  OMC.  Efforts  will 
focus  on  enhancing  mutual  learning  and  analytical  capacity,  enhancing  stakeholders' 
involvement  and  developing  synergies  with  the  European  Platform  Against  Poverty  and 
Social Exclusion. 

5. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The EY2010 succeeded in injecting new momentum into the fight against poverty and social 
exclusion in Europe. At a particularly challenging time for the economy and society, it opened 
many people’s eyes to the reality of poverty and social exclusion in Europe, while triggering 
the need to find innovative, more efficient programmes. It brought attention to the current and 
potential  contributions  of  stakeholders  and  policy-makers,  pointed  out  the  significant 
multiplicative function of the media, and reinforced the importance of listening to the voices 
of  men  and  women  experiencing  poverty.  It  also  highlighted  the  need  for  political 
commitment at the highest level and for reaching out to people not traditionally involved in 
social inclusion policies. Subsequent European Years (Volunteering in 2011, Active Ageing 
and Solidarity between Generations in 2012, and the European Year of Citizens in 2013) have 
close links with the themes addressed in 2010 and the lessons learned from the EY2010 could 
be applied in preparing and implementing them.  

The focus must now shift to keeping up the momentum initiated by the Year. With this end in 
view,  the  European  Commission  will  work  together  with  the  Council,  the  European 
Parliament and all key stakeholders to turn to account the instruments provided by the Europe 
2020 strategy and the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion. 

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ANNEX 

EXAMPLES  OF  INITIATIVES  FROM  PARTICIPATING  COUNTRIES,  NATIONAL  IMPLEMENTING 

BODIES OR THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS 

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A  Belgian  project  to  help  socially  excluded  people  gain  a  foothold  in  the  labour 
market through tailored advice and networking. 

A bus tour around Portugal with young artists to raise public awareness of  poverty 
and social exclusion. 

A  project  in  the  Netherlands  to  bring  together  local  partnerships  in  60  different 
communities  and  develop  integrated  strategies  for  tackling  social  exclusion  in  their 
areas. 

An Irish partnership to broadcast on the country’s biggest radio station the stories of 
people living in poverty. 

An Austrian programme to train financial advisers to counsel people facing debts and 
other financial problems. 

A  German  project  to  help  disadvantaged  people  from  a  migrant  background  to 
integrate  into  society  by  offering  them  volunteering  opportunities  in  the  local 
community. 

A  series  of  regional  seminars  in  France  to  highlight  the  responsibilities  of  the 
regional  authorities  in  tackling  poverty,  allowing  for  the  diversity  of  cities  and 
regions. 

A programme in Denmark designed to help people with mental disabilities find work 
by training job centre staff in dealing with their specific needs. 

A campaign  in Luxembourg to  promote  a  real estate service which helps people to 
access affordable housing in the private sector while guaranteeing rental payments to 
landlords. 

An Italian supermarket which provides free basic foodstuffs to those in greatest need. 

An essay competition dedicated to the EY2010 and Spring Day was organised by the 
European Commission Representation in Bulgaria. The best essays were published in 
a brochure.  

Workshops for school children (14 - 19 year old) on the subject of "The fight against 
poverty  and  social  exclusion",  organised  by  the  European  Commission  Office  in 
Wales. Over 480 students attended in total. 

Information to local partners on EU social programmes targeted at improving social 
inclusion  of  the  Roma  and  other  groups  at  risk,  organised  by  the  Europe  Direct 
Information Centre in Komotini, Greece.  

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE EUROPEAN YEARS 

The European Commission endorses the following recommendations, arising mainly from the 
external  evaluation,  for  the  management,  planning  and  implementation  of  future  European 
Years. 

Advance planning and follow-up 

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Develop arrangements for detailed programme planning, so that EU-level activity is 
scheduled  at  least  one  year  in  advance;  arrange  for  similar  advance  planning  in 
participating countries. 

Ensure that commitments are followed up, either by maintaining a reduced team to 
follow  up  the  Year  or  by  formally  mandating  a  particular  Unit  in  the  European 
Commission to do so. 

At national level, strengthen links between Years that are thematically connected, by 
unifying the closing event of one Year with the opening event of the following Year. 

Identify  possible  partner  events  early  on  and  establish  partnerships  at  least  six 
months before the start of the Year. 

Strengthen  planning  and  coordination  between  all  European  Commission 
communication services before the start of the EY.  

Administrative procedures 

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Review  arrangements  for  the  administrative,  contractual  and  financial  management 
of  national  funding,  in  order  to  reduce  management  and  administrative  burdens 
within implementation bodies at both EU and national levels. 

Prepare a project promoters' manual on grant management procedures to be adapted 
and used by NIBs. 

Communication tools 

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Further develop innovative communication channels for European Years, especially 
social networking tools. 

Consider abandoning the principle of EU-level Ambassadors. If they are judged to be 
necessary, there should be a sufficient number of individuals (10-15) from a range of 
backgrounds, to ensure impact. 

Clarify right from the start, the respective roles of the communication contractor and 
the NIBs in implementing the communication campaign at national level. 

Regular contacts with the press and journalists are crucial. 

Maintain  a  margin  of  flexibility  in  the  implementation  of  the  communication 
campaign at national level, so that it can be tailored to local needs and situations. 

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– 

– 

Use  committed  national  ambassadors  who  are  genuinely  available  and  high-level 
officials  to  attract  media  attention  in  countries;  develop  strategic  partnerships  with 
key media players. 

the  roles  of 

Better  define 
the  European  Commission  Representations  and 
media/outreach  services  that  are  based  in  the  Member  States  (operated  by  the 
national  governments  or  other  organisations),  like  Europe  Direct  Information 
Centres, so that their input to communication activities can be further enhanced.  

Stakeholder involvement 

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Ensure that governance arrangements for stakeholder engagement are appropriate for 
managing expectations effectively; maintain a distinction between the administrative 
and the political. 

Allow stakeholders to take a greater part in EU-level activity by contributing to the 
design  of  the  communication  campaign;  mutual  trust  and  reliability  are  key  factors 
here. 

From  the  very  beginning,  involve  national  stakeholders  in  designing  the  national 
programmes  to  ensure  their  full  support.  Give  them  the  opportunity  to  provide 
feedback during the campaign. 

Be  aware  of  duplication  of  efforts  if  stakeholders  prefer  to  develop  their  own 
websites, logos and slogans. 

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