0. 20 March EUROPA 2020 – Flagship initiative “The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion”
Sven Matzke European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

1. Europe 2020: 5 EU targets
By 2020:
75 % employment rate (% of population aged years)
3% investment in R&D (% of EU’s GDP)
“20/20/20” climate/energy targets met (incl. 30% emissions reduction if conditions are right)
< 10% early school leavers & min. 40% hold tertiary degree
20 million less people should be at risk of poverty
Supported by 7 Flagship Initiatives
These targets articulate where we want Europe to be in 2020
Highest political commitment has been given to these targets- heads of state or government
75 % employment rate (% of population aged years)
Requires effort equal to job growth
< 10% early school leavers & min. 40% hold tertiary degree
Requires funding
20 million less people should be at risk of poverty
Difficult as many will retire and intra-EU labour mobility will grow
These targets are translated in 27 national targets. They will have to add up to EU level target.

2. Climate, energy and mobility
Europe 2020: 7 flagship initiatives to make Long term-targets more operational
Smart Growth
Sustainable Growth
Inclusive Growth
Innovation
« Innovation Union »
Climate, energy and mobility
« Resource efficient Europe »
Employment and skills
« An agenda for new skills and jobs”
Education
« Youth on the move »
Competitiveness
« An industrial policy for the globalisation era »
Fighting poverty
« European platform against poverty »
Digital society
« A digital agenda for Europe »
Flagships which define CONCRETE ACTIONS

3. Why a target on poverty in Europe 2020?
1 in 6 Europeans is at risk of poverty
Most vulnerable hit hardest by the crisis: young adults, single parents, Roma, migrants
Poverty and social exclusion already major concern in Europe beforehand
European citizens are concerned about the social dimension of Europe.

4. Challenges and priorities of the flagship on poverty
Multiple dimensions of poverty  action across the whole policy spectrum
Address needs of groups particularly at risk, tackle severe exclusion and new vulnerabilities
Break the cycle of disadvantage and step up prevention efforts
Do better and more efficiently in times of budget constraints
Strong focus on prevention, innovation, going beyond “traditional” social inclusion policies and making best use of EU funds
A framework for action, building on 10 years of cooperation and finding new, participative approaches

5. People at risk of poverty or social exclusion (2009)
At risk of poverty or social exclusion: 114 mio
At risk of poverty: 80 mio
Severe material
deprivation: 40 mio
Low work intensity: 34 mio
Source: EU-SILC (2009)

6. 80 million at risk of poverty: 1 in 6 Europeans
At-risk-of-poverty rate: total, by age and by employment status; EU-27
The risk of poverty threshold is set at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income (after social transfers).
Source: Eurostat (November 2011)

7. 40 million face severe material deprivation
Severely materially deprived persons; Percentage of total population, 2009
People are considered « severely 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.
Source: Eurostat 2009

8. 34 million live in jobless households
Persons living in households with very low work intensity, 2009
People aged 0-59 living in households where adults work less than 20% of their total work potential during the past year.
Source: Eurostat

9. What is the Commission doing?
Continued work within Europe 2020:
Assessment progress at EU level in the Annual Growth Survey 2012
MS monitoring and Country-specific Recommendations in June 2012
Benchmarking, awareness raising, policy innovation and experimentation
Implementation reviewed in 2014

10. First European Semester 2012:
Additional efforts are required for reaching the targets in the area of employment and poverty:
EU GDP growth for 2012 remains modest (+0.6%);
Unemployment >9%, staying high in 2012;
Fiscal consolidation affecting social expenditure
Low progress on the poverty reduction targets (12 million by 2020)
The trends highlight a growing risk of poverty and marginalisation unless active measures are taken to counter them

11. Five areas for action Delivering action across the policy spectrum
Making EU funds deliver on the social inclusion and social cohesion objectives
Developing an evidence-based approach to social innovation and reforms
Promoting a partnership approach and the social economy
Stepping up policy coordination between the Member States

12. Example of concrete actions (1)
Enhancing access to employment and active inclusion of vulnerable groups:
Communication on active inclusion, 2012
Making social protection and services more responsive to new social needs:
White paper on Pensions, 2011
Further develop quality framework on social services (sectoral approach on homelessness)
Follow-up to communication on health inequalities
Breaking the cycle of disadvantage:
Recommendation on early school leaving, 2011
Recommendation on child poverty, 2012

13. Example of concrete actions (2)
Strengthening existing partnerships and involving new actors (social partners, regional/local authorities, NGOs…):
Voluntary guidelines on stakeholders’ involvement and participation of people experiencing poverty
Regular dialogue on thematic priorities
Harnessing the potential of the social economy:
Improving legal structures (e.g. foundations)
Social Business Initiative (2011) to support socially innovative corporate projects (Single Market Act)

14. European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion
Europe 2020 strategy
European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion
Social Europe

15. Thank you for your attention