EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Social protection and inclusion policies Walter WOLF Economic, employment and social policies in the new EU 2020 strategy Skopje, 19 November 2010
EU Social Inclusion Process Open Method of Coordination (OMC) http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langid=en&catid=750 Definition of common Objectives and agreed indicators Reporting to national partners and to the EU (EC, Council, EP) Facilitating mutual learning and exchange of good practices EU and national poverty reduction targets
EU social protection and inclusion strategy Overarching Objectives social cohesion, equality between men and women and equal opportunities for all through adequate, accessible, financially sustainable, adaptable and efficient social protection systems and social inclusion policies. effective and mutual interaction between the Lisbon objectives of greater economic growth, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and with the EU's Sustainable Development Strategy. good governance, transparency and the involvement of stakeholders in the design, implementation and monitoring of policy
The 2006 Social Inclusion Objectives Making a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion by ensuring: access for all to the resources, rights and services needed for participation in society, addressing exclusion, and fighting all forms of discrimination the active social inclusion of all, both by promoting participation in the labour market and by fighting poverty and exclusion that social inclusion policies are well coordinated and involve all levels of government and relevant actors, including people experiencing poverty, that they are efficient and effective and mainstreamed into all relevant public policies
Europe 2020 Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/index_en.htm 7 EU flagship initiatives Smart: innovation, youth on the move digital agenda Sustainable: resource efficiency, competitiveness Inclusive: new skills and jobs, European Platform against Poverty 5
EU 2020 integrated guidelines adopted in July 2010 (1) ensuring the quality and the sustainability of public finances; (2) addressing macroeconomic imbalances; (3) reducing imbalances in the euro area; (4) research, development and innovation, digital economy; (5) improving resource efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases; (6) improving the business and consumer environment, modernising the industrial base; 6
EU 2020 integrated guidelines continued (7) increasing labour market participation and reducing structural unemployment; (8) developing a skilled workforce responding to labour market needs, promoting job quality and lifelong learning; (9) improving the performance of education and training systems at all levels and increasing participation in tertiary education; (10) promoting social inclusion and combating poverty. 7
Europe 2020 The 5 EU headline targets 75 % of aged 20-64 employed 3% of EU's GDP invested in R&D 20/20/20 climate /energy targets Early school leavers down to 10% and 30-34 with tertiary education up to 40% Lifting 20 million people out of poverty and exclusion 8
EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies in April 2011 Commission decision of September 29 Based on the ten basic principles for Roma inclusion The EU Framework will seek to ensure a more efficient monitoring of and support to national and European efforts with regard to Roma integration To that end, and in the frame of the Europe 2020 Strategy, the Commission will invite Member States to present their own national strategies for the inclusion of Roma which could feature in their national reform programmes. The forthcoming flagship initiative on a "Platform against poverty" will constitute an integrated framework of actions to support horizontal priorities The European Commission also expects Member States to be explicit and ambitious about Roma when setting their national Europe 2020 targets in the fields of poverty reduction, employment and education. 9
Europe 2020 An integrated strategy Recognising that the success of the Strategy relies on all its goals being achieved together Reducing poverty through active social security will help sustaining demand Reinforcing labour supply and better employment opportunities for all Reducing poverty will enhance children s chances to do well at school Reducing poverty will enhance participation of all in society 10
Despite economic and employment growth poverty was not reduced before the crisis At-risk-of poverty rates by groups, EU, 2005-2008 45 40 Unemployed: 44% 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 Children: 20% Elderly: 19% Total: 17% Employed: 8% In-work poverty also remained stable at 8%. The risk of poverty of the unemployed is much higher and was even on the rise, highlighting concerns about the adequacy of safety nets. 11
Possible gains in the efficiency of social transfers 70% Impact of social transfers (excluding pensions) on the reduction of the risk of poverty - %, 2007 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% lv ro pl lt ee bg sk mt cy it cz si el pt lu es hu 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Expenditure on social protection benefits (excluding pensions) - % of GDP, 2007 Source: SILC 2008 & ESSPROS 2007 ie at eu27 fi be de nl fr se dk 12
Gaps in social safety nets In some countries 80% of longer term unemployed do not get any benefits poverty rate for unemployed is 44% 13
Commission original proposal Reducing poverty by one fourth by 2020, lifting 20 million of people out of poverty People at risk of poverty are those who live with less than 60% of the median income in their country Poverty line varies from less than 100 to more than 1000 across EU countries 80 Million people at risk of poverty in the EU Varies from 9.1% to 25.6% Headline indicator used to measure and monitor poverty in the EU and in most MS 14
Impact of the crisis Expected GDP growth for 2010 remains modest Unemployment > 10% and expected to stay high Social expenditure (social protection, education and health) ~ 70% of public expenditure in EU Social protection > 40% of public expenditure Fiscal consolidation will affect social expenditure: a challenge for social polices aimed at addressing poverty and exclusion The social situation is likely to further deteriorate and poverty is likely to increase. 15
Target adopted in June 2010 EU level target Lifting 20 millions people out of poverty or exclusion by 2020 Based on 3 existing EU social inclusion indicators: At-risk-of-poverty rate severe material deprivation people living in jobless households National targets Member States are free to chose the most appropriate indicator to set their national target Member States to show how they will contribute to meeting the EU level target, in dialogue with the Commission 16
Past trends (2005-2008) 30 25 20 15 10 5 People at-risk-ofpoverty or exclusion At-risk-of-poverty rate Workless households (provisional) Severe material deprivation rate 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 Source EU-SILC(2008); % of total population 17
Severe material deprivation Definition: People whose living conditions are severely constrained by a lack of resources: 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 A non monetary measure of poverty Based on a single European threshold reflecting the disparities across the EU It concerns 8.3% of the EU population varying from 1% in LU to 33% in RO List of items to be reviewed in 2015 18
People in workless households People (aged 0-59, not students) living in a family where no one works (or very little) Reflects long-term exclusion from the labour market, for individual workers and the family members who depend on them Strong link to child poverty and intergenerational transmission of poverty It concerns approx. 8% of the total EU population, varying from 4% to 14% 19
120 Million people at risk of poverty or exclusion 80 Mio people at risk of poverty 40 Mio people materially deprived 40 Mio people in workless households Million people People at-risk-of-poverty 80 + Those materially deprived, not at-risk-of-poverty 22 + Those living in a workless household, not at-risk-of-poverty, not deprived Total: People at-risk-of poverty or exclusion 120 18 20
Country A focusing on raising living standards People at risk of poverty People materially deprived People in workless households 21
Country B focusing on labour market inclusion People at risk of poverty People materially deprived people in workless households 22
European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion To be adopted on December 17, 2010 To support concrete and innovative actions and a broader involvement of stakeholders Four main pillars: 1. Stepping-up Member States coordination to address common challenges 2. Promoting effective partnerships and the social economy 3. The fight against poverty beyond social policy 4. Community Funding in support of social inclusion 23
Next steps National targets Member States set their targets on the most appropriate indicators, given national circumstances and priorities Bilateral dialogues between Commission and each Member State to establish the link between national target and EU target Monitoring of the target at EU level Part of the monitoring of the 5 headline targets Eurostat website http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/port al/europe_2020_indicators/headline_indicators 24
EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Further Information DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Social Inclusion website http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catid=751&langid=en