1. EAPN: Fighting for a Social Europe Free of Poverty
Introduction to the European Union and its social policy work
Amana Ferro, Senior Policy Officer
Leuven, 19 June 2015
EUROPEAN ANTI-POVERTY NETWORK
RÉSEAU EUROPÉEN DES ASSOCIATIONS
DE LUTTE CONTRE LA PAUVRETÉ ET L’EXCLUSION SOCIALE

2. Outline of Presentation
What is the European Union?
What are the main European Institutions?
How does the decision-making process at the EU level work?
Where does social policy fit on the EU agenda?

3. What is the European Union?
Politico-economic union of 28 Member States
Began in 1951 as the European Coal and Steel Community (comprising 6 Member States)
Operates through a system of supranational institutions and intergovernmental-negotiated decisions by the Member States.
Features a Single Market – freedom of goods, services, people, and capital
Monetary Union – the euro (19 Member States)

4. What is the European Union?

5. What is the European Union?
Flag Currency
Motto: UNITED IN DIVERSITY
Anthem: "Ode to Joy“, based on the final movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
Official language(s): 24
Population: 506,913,394 million
Largest economy in the world
In 2012, the European Union was awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize

6. What are the main European Institutions?
European Commission
Technical body of experts; 1 Commissioner / Member State
28 thematic Directorate Generals (DGs) – like Ministries; EAPN works with DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Proposes legislation, implements decisions, upholds the EU treaties
President: Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxemburg)
European Parliament
Only directly elected European Institution (5 year mandate)
751 MEPs, 8 political groups (EPP, S&D, ALDE, GUE, Greens…)
Shares equal legislative and budgetary powers with the Council
President: Martin Schulz (S&D, Germany)
Council of the European Union
Represents the executive governments of the Member States
Meets in 10 different configurations of 28 national ministers (one per state), according to the topic under consideration
The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months among the Governments of the Member States

7. How does the decision-making process
at the EU level work?
European Commission makes a legislative proposal
CO-DECISION
European Parliament discusses and amends the proposal in the relevant committee
Council of the EU discusses and amends the proposal in the relevant formation

8. Where does social policy fit EUROPEAN SOCIAL POLICIES – KEY REFERENCES
on the EU agenda?
EUROPEAN SOCIAL POLICIES – KEY REFERENCES
Article 3 of the Treaty on EU - full employment, social progress, the fight against social exclusion and social protection among the Union’s objectives
Article 9 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU - a high level of employment, adequate social protection and the fight against social exclusion should be taken into account in the development and implementation of Union policies
The Treaty of Lisbon recognises the legal value of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. 
Sharing of competences
exclusive competences: the EU alone is able to legislate and adopt binding acts in these fields.
shared competences: the EU and Member States are authorised to adopt binding acts in these fields.
supporting competences: the EU can only intervene to support, coordinate or complement the action of Member States. Consequently, it has no legislative power in these fields.

9. How does the decision-making process at the EU level work?
Social policy forms part of the shared competences 
between the EU and Member States.
Subsidiarity Principle - the EU may only act (i.e. make laws)
where action of individual countries is insufficient
=> OFTEN UNDERMINED BY THE BINDING CHARACTER OF ECONOMIC MEASURES!
KEY CHALLENGES
EU economic policies are binding – significant impact on social policies (labour market and wages, social security, services etc)
Economic objectives (growth) prioritized over wellbeing
The economic and financial crisis, and subsequent austerity (including Troika) – downward pressure on social rights
Eroding social & civil dialogue and increased difficulty for civil society organisations to influence policies.

10. Where does social policy fit
on the EU agenda?
EUROPE 2020 STRATEGY
The European Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, for the coming decade ( )
Features, as one of its 5 overarching targets, the objective to reduce the number of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million by 2020.
Since 2010, poverty in Europe has increased by 4.8+ million (1 in 4)
SOCIAL OPEN METHOD OF COORDINATION (SOCIAL OMC)
Framework for cooperation between the Member States, where they:
jointly identifying and defining common objectives
jointly established measuring instruments (statistics, indicators)
joint reporting: National Social Reports reviewing social progress.
benchmarking, i.e. comparison of the Member States' performance and exchange of best practices (monitored by the Commission).
IMPORTANT TO HAVE A SOCIAL INCLUSION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION STRATEGY ALONGSIDE THE GROWTH ONE!

11. Thank you for your attention!
Still confused about the
workings of the European Union?
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