Brussels, 07/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Luxembourg on Monday 7 June, the EU27's employment and social policy ministers approved the EU's objective to promote social inclusion and reduce poverty. The aim is to get 20 million Europeans out of poverty and social exclusion by 2020, an aim to be subject to a mid-term review in 2015. It is based on a reference year for determining income and measuring employment rates. The ministers backed the three poverty indicators defined by the Social Protection Committee as a compromise, and agreed to general employment guidelines that may be officially decided upon in October 2010 once the European Parliament and Committee of the Regions have submitted their views to the Council of Ministers, explained the chair of Monday's meeting, Spanish minister Celestino Corbacho Chaves (see EUROPE 10151).
EU Employment, Social Policy and Inclusion Commissioner László Andor welcomed the new agreement on the poverty reduction target for the EU, calling it a major breakthrough. For the first time, he said, the EU has a tangible target to remove 20 million Europeans from the risk of poverty and social exclusion by 2020, demonstrating the EU's strong commitment for a fairer, more inclusive Europe. The commissioner pointed out the needs of the most vulnerable members of society, mostly children, explaining that if the problem of child poverty is not tackled, then this would mean sacrificing the next generation. By getting more and more people out of poverty and getting them back into a full role in society, the EU will be securing the path to long-term recovery, he added.
During the debate, Germany and France made a joint contribution, calling for a mid-term review of the “highly ambitious” poverty reduction targets (getting 20 million European out of poverty by 2020) and called for 2008 to be used as the reference point (just before the crisis broke out). France calls for the social dimension to be given greater weight in future work on the poverty reduction strategy. The “Open Coordination Method” will be crucial here. The idea of a pre-crisis reference year was backed by all the delegations. As far as Italy is concerned, poverty and lack of material goods is something that can be measured using both subjective and objective criteria. Poor people often live in isolation and local communities will have to provide them with work. Italy called on the Social Protection Committee to examine pensions systems. The Italian minister said that a new EU structure was needed for dialogue about how to deal with the new social and economic challenges. As far as the Czech Republic is concerned, 20 million is far too high a number and the 2008-9 reference year should be used, along with new indicators to reduce the number of people facing exclusion and allow tighter state budget consolidation at the same time. Hungary said that specific targets were needed for social inclusion, along with a commitment to get at least one in six out of poverty. Greece says it fully supports the 20 million target for 2020, but wants the reference year used to be 2009 and the mid-term review to focus on the future of the poverty reduction efforts. Poland commented that it was an ambitious target but queried whether it was realistic. Poland wants 2009 to be the reference year for determining employment rates. The key point for achieving this objective will be the mid-term review in 2015 and the introduction of good governance to ensure proper coordination with the ECOFIN Council, commented Cyprus. Belgium said it agreed with the 20 million target but said this should be seen as the minimum aim. The Belgian minister said Belgium would be calling for 30 million Europeans to be removed from poverty by 2020.
Another ambitious target discussed was the aim of increasing the number of 20 to 64 year olds in paid employment to 75%. Italy said it could agree no more than 67-69%, drawing attention to skill levels as a determinant in whether somebody finds a job, a point echoed by Ireland. Austria called for a target of over 75%. Hungary pointed out that it could not achieve this without investment in sustainable growth. Agreeing with 75% as a target, Luxembourg said that employment policies alone could not do everything and a macroeconomic policy to this end was also required.
Agreeing with the employment guidelines, France called for clearer and lighter governance to be introduced for labour issues. Sweden endorsed the idea of getting women onto the labour market and having this incorporated into and developed in the employment guidelines. Belgium and Portugal called for greater EU coordination of the economic and employment guidelines. (G. B./transl.fl)