Strasbourg, 17/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - Adopting the own initiative report this week by Edit Bauer (EPP-ED, SK) on social protection and social inclusion, the European Parliament urged Member States to ensure better coordination of their action to tackle the causes of poverty, particularly long-term unemployment, bad quality jobs and low skills levels.
In 2002, some 15% of EU citizens were living at risk of poverty, explains the EP, emphasising that 'employment is the most effective safeguard against poverty'. The EP calls for a focus on the elimination of inequalities in the labour market and urges Member States to take measures to improve the skills of the labour force at all ages, for men, women, ethnic minorities and national minorities. To tackle child poverty, the EP asks the European Commission to publish a Green Paper on child poverty and a Charter of Children's Rights focussing on making progress in promoting children's rights in the framework of the EU's domestic and foreign policies. The EP calls for the EU heads of state 'to adopt an integrated framework in the fields of social protection and integration when they meet at the Spring Summit.'