1. The Platform of European Social NGOs
Presentation for the Steering Group
March 27, 2014

2. Index
Information: Task forces on topics on which we have a Social Platform position
Decision: Task forces on topics on which we don’t have a Social Platform position
Discussion: Political orientation on our new topics

3. INFORMATION (point 5 of the agenda) Task forces on topics on which we have a Social Platform position
Obj. 5 Migration (2013)
Obj. 4 Combating all forms of bias violence through EU legislation (2012)
Obj. 1 Public procurement ( )
Obj. 6 Civil dialogue (2009)

4. How we are going to set up the task forces
After the Steering Group meeting, the Secretariat will send members:
a call to register for the task forces
terms of reference for each task force by specifying:
Objectives
Expected outcomes
Foreseen beginning date and end date
Foreseen no. of meetings
Profile of participants

5. DECISION (point 6 of the agenda) Task forces on topics on which we don’t have a Social Platform position
Obj 1. European governance (European Semester and mid-term review of Europe 2020)
Obj. 1 Social benefits (minimum income and unemployment benefits)
Obj. 1 Minimum wage
Obj. 3 EU internal Strategy on Human Rights
Obj. 1 Financing of social services

6. DISCUSSION Political orientation on our new topics
Obj. 1 Mid-term review of Europe 2020
Obj. 1 Minimum income
Obj. 1 Minimum wage
Obj. 3 EU internal Strategy on Human Rights
Obj. 1 Financing of social services
‘Unemployment benefits’ and ‘European Semester’ will be discussed at the next SG meeting

7. Discussion process for all objectives
1) What policy challenge are we facing?
2) What do we want? (clear definition and key elements)
3) what is the most appropriate tool?
4) What is our target?
5) Who should we partner with to impact the target?

8. Mid-term review Europe 2020
Political Orientation
Rebalancing financial/economic vs social policies
Put EU back on track with social targets + reduce inequalities
Possible questions
How to rebalance?
Key challenges and flaws of Europe 2020?
Review poverty target / Review EPAP?
Review employment target?
Inequality reduction target?
Possible partners?

9. Mid-term review Europe 2020
What is our target? The European Council
Who should we partner with to impact the target?
The Spring Alliance
The Trade unions?

10. Minimum income
Policy challenge: there is no minimum income scheme at EU level
Political Orientation
EU framework on minimum income: definition
Accessible + adequate minimum income schemes in all member states
Possible questions
Directive? Decision? Recommendation?
Essential elements of the framework? (adequacy? Accessibility? Beneficiaries? Calculation methods?)
Possible partners?

11. Minimum income
Target: the EC, the Council
Partner: EMIN, ETUC?

12. Minimum wage
Political challenge: No minimum wage set at EU level and challenges of posting of workers directive, fiscal consolidation, competition policy
Political Orientation
an EU framework on minimum wage / living wage or at least a statutory minimum wage in all member states
key elements of living / minimum wages: adequacy + coverage (all workers) + calculation methods
Possible questions
Minimum wages or living wages?
Do we want an EU framework?
Building a coalition with ETUC?

13. Minimum wage
Opportunities: only 7 member states don’t have a minimum wage
Challenge: ETUC is against a EU legislation on minimum wage.
Target: the Commission and European Council
Partner: we cannot go alone without the TU

14. EU internal Strategy on HR
Policy challenge: There is no EU internal human rights policy while there are numerous systemic Human rights violation in member states
Proposition: EU adopts a strategy and internal mechanisms that address member states failures to respond to consistent and structural violations of human rights.
Key demands: content of the internal strategy, indivisibility of human rights, action plan, mechanisms of EU intervention, upward convergence between internal and external strategy.

15. EU internal Strategy on HR
Target: European Commission and Council
Partnership: Work and define the content of our messages together with the Human Rights and Democracy Network: In order to collectively generate maximum political will by civil society. We will also seek further possible partnership.

16. Financing of social services
Political Orientation
public funding should be the mainstream way to finance social services, in order to guarantee universal access, quality, accessible and affordable services for all
concrete responses to the current challenges:
shrinking public financing
how to cope with an increased demand for social services with less resources?
pressure on measuring the social impact, increased focus on efficiency and effectiveness of service provision (the logic of “payment by result”)
social services considered more and more only for the most vulnerable and not for society as a whole (repairing versus investing)

17. Financing of social services
Possible questions
Are revised taxation policies a possible answer to respond to shrinking public financing?
What are the conditions according to which we can accept that private sources can complement public funding? If so, to:
promote social innovation?
support in a temporary way social services in the countries under the Troika supervision or those with an excessive public debt?
Do we want to explore existing methods and tools to improve quantitative and qualitative assessment of social service delivery?
Do existing tools and methodologies need to be adjusted to our sector? Can they help us to improve management control, strategic thinking, planning, and support our accountability towards funders and institutions?