Area Council of Berguedà (Consell Comarcal Del Berguedà)

EU local and regional authorities contributing to the Mid-term review of Europe 2020

Assessment of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion flagship initiative

Over two years after its launch, the Committee of the Regions will take stock of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion flagship initiative at a conference to be held on 29 May 2013 in Brussels. This conference will be the fourth in a series of CoR events and monitoring initiatives surrounding the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014. More news on this conference can be found on the CoR website1.

By participating in this survey, you will:

- ensure that your views are taken into account in the debate held during the conference; - contribute to the fourth CoR Monitoring Report on Europe 2020, to be published in October 2013; - contribute to the CoR's consultative activity in this field over the coming months; - contribute to the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014.

IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE IN ANY EU LANGUAGE, USING THE SPACES PROVIDED, AND RETURN IT IN TEXT FORMAT TO: [email protected]

by 22 April 2013

For more information on this survey and for details on how to join the Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform, go to: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/

The questionnaire is available on this website in all official languages of the EU

1 http://cor.europa.eu/en/activities/europe2020/Pages/eu-platform-against-poverty.aspx.

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD EN - 2 -

Contributor information2

Name of sender: Raquel Pons / Roser Prat C/ Barcelona, 49, 3 Tel. 93 82135 53 e-mail Contact details: [email protected] (address, telephone, email) [email protected] On behalf of: Consell Comarcal del Berguedà (name of local or regional authority) City/Town/Municipality Region County/Province Type of organisation Association of local and/or regional authorities Other (please specify) Comarcal Council Country: Catalonia – Spain

Member of the EUROPE 2020 Yes No Monitoring Platform:

Policy challenges and responses at regional and local level

BOX 1 – European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: basic information

This is the first time ever that the objective of reducing poverty has been identified as a quantitative target under an EU strategy. The aim of the Europe 2020 flagship initiative, the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, is "to ensure economic, social and territorial cohesion in order to raise awareness and recognise the fundamental rights of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, enabling them to live in dignity and take an active part in society" 3. In particular, it outlines actions to help Member States reach the EU target of reducing poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million by the year 20204.

Although the average at-risk-of-poverty-and-social-exclusion rate in the EU has remained relatively stable in recent years, it varies significantly among different age groups and between the Member States. It has significantly increased in a number of countries over the last three to four years 5: while the rate is under 20% in certain Member States such as Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg, it recently increased to 47% in Bulgaria, 40% in Latvia and 31% in Greece (2011). Furthermore, considerable differences exist between different regions in the Member States6.

2 Privacy Statement: The follow-up to your contribution requires that your personal data (name, contact details, etc.) be processed in a file. All the answers to the questions are voluntary. Your replies will be kept for a period of 5 years after the receipt of your questionnaire. Should you require any further information or wish to exercise your rights under Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 (e.g. to access, rectify or delete your data), please contact the data controller at [email protected]. If necessary, you may also contact the CoR Data Protection Officer ([email protected]). You have the right of recourse to the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time (www.edps.europa.eu). Please note that the questionnaire with your contribution and your contact details will be published online. Your questionnaire may be transmitted to CoR rapporteurs and other EU institutions for information. Should you not agree to this, please inform us accordingly. 3 EUROPE 2020. A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, COM(2010) 2020 final, Brussels, 3.3.2010 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:2020:FIN:EN:PDF p. 19. 4 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=961. 5 http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/refreshTableAction.do?tab=table&plugin=0&pcode=t2020_50&language=en. 6 http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/graph.do?tab=graph&plugin=1&language=en&pcode=tgs00103&toolbox=type.

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 3 - Today, the inhabitants of around one fifth of the EU's regions are particularly exposed to risks of poverty and social exclusion.

The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion feeds into the Europe 2020 objective of inclusive growth along with the Agenda for New Skills and Jobs flagship initiative. It will also help to achieve the other objectives of smart growth (alongside the Youth on the Move flagship initiative). In particular, it contributes to the objective of achieving the Europe 2020 headline target to lift at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty and social exclusion.

The main objectives and lines of action of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion are highlighted in Box 2 below.

EU regional and local governments are responsible for about one fifth of total government expenditure for social protection and services and therefore play an important role in helping to achieve the objectives of the flagship initiative7.

You can find more information on the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, as seen from the local and regional authorities' viewpoint, on the European Commission's Europe 2020 portal8 and in the Committee of the Regions' publication Delivering on the Europe 2020 Strategy. Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities9. General information on Europe 2020 can be found on the strategy's official website10 and on the website of DG Employment.11.

1) What are the main challenges currently facing your region/city in terms of (i) preventing child poverty (ii) providing decent housing conditions and (iii) combating the social exclusion of vulnerable groups? The Berguedà Comarcal Council is working to reduce the risk of exclusion of children and young people in a number of areas, as they constitute a priority group for this sub-regional council. Prevention is basically the work of the social services, in full cooperation with the health, education and family services. The social well-being of the child population is a cross-cutting, fully-fledged objective: a forum for cooperation between the various professionals has therefore been set up in this district. (ii) The housing, social services and social inclusion departments are launching a system for the early detection of disadvantageous housing situations, and a service has been set up to advise people experiencing difficulties with property loans. (iii) Thirdly, with a view to combating the exclusion of vulnerable groups, a number of programmes have been launched to boost the skills and autonomy of people from these groups: a practical example would be the Cronos programme, offering a range of training courses, social skills and other steps to enhance the employability of people suffering severe social exclusion.

2) Please briefly describe what type of policy programmes/actions are being implemented in your city/region in the policy areas covered by the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, highlighting their specific contribution to the above targets (see Box 1). These programmes can be classified as follows: Action programmes for at-risk groups: this includes programmes to help individuals or families at serious risk of, or actually experiencing, social exclusion. Concerning children, for example, Berguedà

7 http://cor.europa.eu/en/activities/europe2020/Pages/eu-platform-against-poverty.aspx. 8 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=961&langId=en. 9 The Handbook can be downloaded from http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/SiteCollectionDocuments/Europe%202020%20Handbook%20for%20Local%20and %20Regional%20Authorities.pdf. 10 http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-a-nutshell/flagship-initiatives/index_en.htm. 11 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=961&langId=en.

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 4 - is running the "+3 programme" (support and guidance for families with children under the age of three and having difficulty with regard to learning and care). Preventive programmes: all those addressing vulnerable groups, e.g. all protocols and circuits between primary care professions, etc. Skills and awareness raising programmes: including all training measures to equip individuals with the tools they need to improve their daily lives. At the same time, informing people of the issues of poverty and social exclusion in our district. 3) Are any of the policy programmes/actions described in the above question carried out in partnership with different tiers of government and/or with other stakeholders (regional or local NGOs, representatives of the social partners, the business sector or service providers). If yes, please state (a) the administrative levels involved (b) the practical arrangements taken to manage such joint action (c) who the main partners were and (d) how you worked with them (work organisation and time). All programmes and measures are carried out in partnership with the social bodies and other administrations within our territory. Our body is not responsible for coordination with local authorities (municipalities), consortiums, provincial or regional administrations. Coordination takes place primarily at political and technical level, through "Berguedà Online". This is a strategy for cooperation between all welfare actors. There is a general meeting once a year, with meetings for each work area every three months. This is supplemented by e-mail and phone contact.

4) Ensuring effective access to and participation in cultural activities for all is an essential part of promoting an inclusive society. In what way can participation in cultural and creative activities be instrumental for helping people and communities overcome poverty and social exclusion? Please refer to specific examples and existing initiatives......

How is the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion relevant to your city or region?

BOX 2 - European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: main objectives and actions

The specific objectives of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion are12 13:

 to support the eradication of child poverty. Over 20 million children are at risk of poverty in Europe today. This risk rises to 25% for children who live in large families and is over 30% in the case of children who live in single parent families;  to promote the active inclusion in society and on the labour market of the most vulnerable groups since unemployment is the principal cause of poverty among the working-age population. The risk of poverty for the unemployed is more than five times greater than in the case of people in employment;  to provide decent housing for everyone. Homelessness and housing exclusion represent one of the most extreme forms of poverty and have increased in recent years. Fuel poverty, which risks depriving households not only of heating or air conditioning but also hot water, light and other essential domestic necessities, is another example of severe deprivation;  to overcome discrimination and increase the social integration of people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, immigrants and other vulnerable groups. For example, older people face a higher risk

12 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=751&langId=en. 13 COM(2010) 758 final "The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: A European framework for social and territorial cohesion", p. 4-5 - http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0758:FIN:EN:PDF.

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 5 - of poverty compared to the overall population; moreover, in some countries older people are at particular risk of material deprivation;  to tackle financial exclusion and over-indebtedness which arise from a lack of access to basic banking services, a situation which has been aggravated by the recent crisis. It can also be an obstacle to finding a job and thus lead to persistent marginalisation and poverty;  to promote the integration of Roma. Certain ethnic minorities, of whom Roma are the largest group, and migrant people in general, are disproportionately affected by multiple deprivation. The specific actions and tools at EU level are structured as follows14 15:

 improved access to work, social security, essential services (healthcare, housing, etc.) and education;  better use of EU funds to support social inclusion and combat discrimination;  social innovation to identify smart solutions in post-crisis Europe, especially in terms of more effective and efficient social support;  new partnerships such as those between the public and the private sector;  enhanced policy coordination among the Member States;  provision of food to the most deprived people, as well as clothing and other essential goods to homeless people and materially-deprived children16.

5) Which of the objectives and lines of action of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion (listed in Box 2) are most relevant for the current situation in your region/city? To what extent have they encouraged you to set more ambitious policy goals at regional/local level? Please explain your answer. The most relevant lines of action of the European Platform for our region are: - Eradication of child poverty - Labour market inclusion (unemployment rate of 17.9%) mostly among young people. - Provision of essential goods (Food Bank programme etc.) - Social innovation - Combating school failure (high rate of early leaving among boys) - Enhanced coordination between social and employment agents.

BOX 3 – Social Investment Package17 18:

The Social Investment Package (SIP) aims to give guidance to Member States on more efficient and effective social policies in response to the significant challenges they currently face such as financial distress, increasing poverty and social exclusion, unemployment, especially among young people.

14 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=961. 15 COM(2010) 758 final "The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: A European framework for social and territorial cohesion", p. 5 - http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0758:FIN:EN:PDF. 16 http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/andor/headlines/news/2012/10/20121024_en.htm. 17 http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=751&langId=en. 18 COM(2010) 758 final "The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: A European framework for social and territorial cohesion", p. 4-5 - http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0758:FIN:EN:PDF.

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 6 - These are combined with the challenge of ageing societies and smaller working age populations, which test the sustainability and adequacy of national social systems.

The Social Investment Package includes a Commission recommendation against child poverty, calling for an integrated approach to child-friendly social investment. Investing in children and young people is especially effective in breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty and social exclusion and improving people's opportunities later in life.

The Social Investment Package is an integrated policy framework which takes account of the social, economic and budgetary divergences between Member States. It focuses on:

1. Ensuring that social protection systems respond to people's needs at critical moments throughout their lives. More needs to be done to reduce the risk of social breakdown and so avoid higher social spending in the future.

2. Simplified and better targeted social policies, to provide adequate and sustainable social protection systems. Some countries have better social outcomes than others despite having similar or lower budgets, demonstrating that there is room for more efficient social policy spending.

3. Upgrading active inclusion strategies in the Member States. Affordable quality childcare and education, prevention of early school leaving, training and job-search assistance, housing support and accessible health care are all policy areas with a strong social investment dimension.

6) How relevant is the new Social Investment Package adopted by the European Commission on 13 February 2013 (Box 3) for your local/regional policies? Has it encouraged or helped you to set more ambitious policy goals at regional/local level? Please explain your answer. We are unaware of the new investment package at local level, the lines of action at regional level have been watered down and we are not well-informed about how to work or on what.

7) What are the strong and weak points of the EU's policies addressing poverty and social exclusion? Were they sufficient in view of the challenges you are facing in this area? If not, would you recommend making any specific changes to the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion flagship initiative after the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014, especially with regard to local and regional authority involvement? Strong point: food surplus.

Are your country's policies relevant to your city or region?

8) To help meet the headline targets and objectives (see Boxes 1 and 2), your country has set its own country targets, which you can find at http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/targets_en.pdf19. To what extent are the targets set by your country appropriate to your local situation? Please explain......

9) Does your country's 2012 (current) National Reform Programme20 (NRP) for Europe 2020

19 Please note that some Member States have not set targets in the field of poverty eradication. 20 All available here: http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/making-it-happen/country-specific- recommendations/index_en.htm.

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 7 - adequately respond to your regional/local needs in the policy areas covered by the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion (see Box 1)? If not, would you suggest any changes in your country's NRP for 2013? ......

10) Do you have the opportunity to contribute to the drafting of your NRP, or your National Job Plan, in the policy areas covered by the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, even if this takes place indirectly through the organisations that represent cities and regions in your country? If yes, please state how in brief......

Policy and funding issues

11) What sources of funding are used to finance your actions under the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion (as provided under question 2)? In particular: what is the role of the EU Structural Funds in funding actions relating to the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion? ......

12) Have any of the goals pursued in fighting poverty and social exclusion been jeopardised due to fiscal consolidation policies and subsequent financial difficulties? ......

13) Were you directly or indirectly involved in the preparation of the forthcoming Partnership Agreement which is to be signed between your national government and the European Commission for the management of the Structural Funds under the Common Strategic Framework 2014-2020? If yes, please explain how in brief......

14) How should poverty issues be addressed in the forthcoming Partnership Agreement mentioned in the above question? ......

15) Please add any further comments you wish to make on the issues covered in this questionnaire......

SHARE YOUR GOOD PRACTICE

As part of the preparations for the CoR conference to be held on 29 May 2013 and to showcase good practices in areas covered by the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, you are invited to submit examples of good practice from your local area. Please complete the form available on our website: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/MonitoringFlagships/Pages/Welcome.aspx

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 8 - JOIN THE EUROPE 2020 MONITORING PLATFORM

To help convey the voice of EU cities and regions in the implementation of Europe 2020 at EU level and in your country, join us. For details on how, see: http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/Knowledge/Pages/BecomeaMember.aspx

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!

CDR3048-2013_18_00_TRA_TCD .../...