Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-11-Speech-3-176"
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"en.20040211.7.3-176"2
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".
It is actually a very interesting and comprehensive question, as I would have expected from Mary Banotti. As Mrs Banotti is undoubtedly aware, the Lisbon European Council in March 2000 asked the Member States and the Commission in particular to take steps to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty; the whole Lisbon Agenda was not just focused on enterprise. It also agreed that Member States should coordinate their policies to combat poverty and social exclusion on the basis of the open method of coordination, combining common objectives, national action plans and commonly-agreed indicators with the aim of promoting more ambitious and effective policy strategies for social inclusion, together with a Community action programme to run from 2002 to 2006 and designed to encourage cooperation and the sharing of experience and best practice between the Member States. That was a rather long-winded sentence, but the proposition was focused in a way that makes sense.
The third will be on 28 and 29 May in Brussels. It will be a follow-up to a previous conference. It will be a special meeting of people from European Union countries who have experienced poverty. The aim of this conference will be to develop further ways to promote the participation, at all levels, of people experienced in poverty and to promote the creation of structural networks to facilitate this.
I am sure the Member will agree with me that in framing policy, no matter how good policy-makers are, it is only by listening to people who have had the experience on the ground that you really make policies which are focused efficiently and effectively on the needs of families and communities in poverty.
Following the submission of the second round national action programmes on social inclusion for the period 2003-2005, the Commission adopted its second report on social inclusion in December 2003. This report identifies key trends and challenges across the Union. It is also interesting in that it identifies group practice and innovative approaches of common interest. That will form the basis of the joint Council and Commission report on social inclusion which will be presented in March at the spring European Council.
An important feature of the report is the increased attention given to regional and local variations in the levels of poverty and social exclusion, and how the underlying causes of poverty and social exclusion can vary from region to region. I suspect that this was an issue that was very much in Mrs Banotti's mind when she framed her question.
On a regional basis, in particular, declining regions with negative migration, high unemployment and increasing dependency contrast with problems of congested and growing regions where issues of accommodation feature more highly. There are differences and regional disparities which feed into the overall picture.
The issue of marginal rural areas with ageing populations, poor services and higher dependency levels is also highlighted in the study. In addition, specific emphasis is being given to the particular concentrations of poverty and multiple deprivation in communities, particularly urban communities, for example amongst migrant populations.
The point I am making about poverty is that there are regional differences and disparities, as we are all aware. This is the background and against this background the report stresses the importance for Member States to develop integrated and coordinated strategies at local and regional level. This is particularly important in communities facing multiple disadvantages. Such strategies should adapt policies to the local situation, facilitate the mobilisation and involvement of all actors – including the third sector – and ensure more accessible and quality services for the poor and for socially-excluded citizens.
As far as the Irish presidency is concerned, the presidency will take all necessary steps to ensure that the Union's social inclusion goals are fully reflected during the course of the preparation and in the follow-up to the spring European Council. For the first time, for example, in March 2004, the meeting of the Employment and Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will forward to the spring Council a key messages paper which will include its views on the issue. It will also report on the Lisbon goals relating to social protection and employment policy, including the goals of combating poverty and fostering social inclusion in Member States.
Finally, the Irish presidency will take a number of initiatives to assist Member States to develop further policies and programmes to combat poverty and foster social inclusion. There will be three specific conferences during the course of the Irish presidency. The first of these is to be held on 1 and 2 April in Bundoran in County Donegal, a particularly appropriate location given its regional position. It will address reconciling mobility and social inclusion and the role of social and economic policy.
The second will be held on 13 and 14 May in Dublin: the Families, Change and Social Policy in Europe Conference. This will include a discussion on the family as a focus of social inclusion and social cohesion."@en1
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