Ministersvergadering over armoede en sociale uitsluiting (en)

To achieve concrete results in the fight against poverty and social exclusion within the European Union implies strong political commitment by the Member States: the first meeting of European ministers on poverty and social exclusion, chaired Martin Hirsch, High Commissioner for Active Solidarity against Poverty, will mark a significant step towards this objective.

The informal meeting of European ministers on poverty and social exclusion, chaired by Martin Hirsch, the French High Commissioner for Active Solidarity against Poverty, is being held in the context of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion in 2010 and also the discussions on the new European social agenda.

It aims to reinforce the commitment of the Member States to reducing the number of people living in a state of poverty, who represent 16% of the European Union's population. The fight against poverty and social exclusion is one of the principal objectives of the EU and its Member States: when the Lisbon strategy was launched in March 2000, the European Council invited the Member States and the Commission to take measures to give a "decisive impetus to the elimination of poverty" by 2010. However, the results obtained to date are still inadequate, while new forms of precariousness are being reinforced in the EU, such as those affecting the working poor.

To this end, the meeting of European ministers for combating poverty and social exclusion will be devoted to the strategy of active inclusion.

The European Commission has been working with all the parties concerned since 2006 to promote the active inclusion of those furthest from the labour market. This policy reflects the commitment to solidarity that is central to Europe's values and identity. Firmly linking social inclusion and employment, it is based on three 'pillars', namely: a guaranteed adequate minimum wage; access to measures favouring integration into the labour market; and access to quality social services.

This meeting of the ministers will thus mark a further step towards the formulation of common principles of active inclusion, a priority set by the French Presidency. In this spirit, the meeting also aims to stimulate discussions and exchanges of best practices on specific methods and tools adapted to implementing the strategy of active inclusion, with a view to mutually reinforcing the national strategies for combating poverty and social exclusion.

The discussions will draw on the work of the European Commission on active inclusion, as well as the key messages that will be sent from all the participants of the 7th European Round Table on Poverty and Social Exclusion. This round table, which will be chaired by Martin Hirsch, the French High Commissioner for Active Solidarity against Poverty, will also be held in Marseilles on 15 and 16 October before the ministerial meeting.