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.

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Contributor information2

Name of sender: NÚRIA CORTADA DE LA PEÑA C. del Marquesat de Marianao, 2, bx. Contact details: 08800 Vilanova i la Geltrú (address, telephone, email) Tel 938140000, ext 3442 [email protected] On behalf of: VILANOVA I LA GELTRÚ CITY COUNCIL (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) Country: 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.

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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? In 2011, the city carried out a study to identify social exclusion in Vilanova and Geltrú, with quantitative and qualitative data derived from various participatory processes and the analysis of 12 life stories. The study identified eight groups of socially vulnerable people, who required special attention in the city: a) people with difficulties due to incapacity and/or dependency, b) people living alone, c) families with financial difficulties, d) unemployed people, e) people with difficulties in education, f) people experiencing difficulties in accessing housing, g) people with family burdens, f) immigrants experiencing difficulties in adapting.

These eight groups are those which most urgently require preventative measures to ensure their full participation in the city, with a guarantee of proper living conditions and autonomy and sufficient capacity to live their lives with dignity. To this end, the main challenges facing the city, like those faced by the entire inclusion policy, are essentially to work to guarantee inclusion along three main lines: a) equality of opportunity in accessing the labour market and minimum working conditions; b) participation in two-way social networks and community networks; and c) social and political rights guaranteed by law. Failure to participate in all of these areas amounts to social exclusion. Participation in each one of them is necessary if someone is to be regarded as being socially included.

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_03_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 4 - In order to tackle the social exclusion faced by these groups, in 2012 a social inclusion action plan was drawn up (Plan de Acción para la Inclusión Social), bringing together strategies, policies, and inclusion programmes, and translated into 60 concrete measures, which should be applied across the board and in cooperation with the city's third sector in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

As regards preventing child poverty, as we mentioned above, one of the vulnerable groups identified was families with financial difficulties, people with difficulties in education, people experiencing problems accessing housing and people with family burdens. A very high percentage of these family groups are made up of children, meaning that these disadvantages have a negative impact on their growth, forming social ties and ultimately their social inclusion.

The problem of accessing housing is also serious, since not having a home represents one of the final steps towards social exclusion, from which it is very difficult to recover. The main challenges we are facing are: - over-indebtedness of families, mainly because of housing costs - the loss of principal place of residence, either rented or bought. In the latter case, the situation is worsening because of current Spanish legislation which permits the loss of housing and perpetual indebtedness because datio in solutum is not provided for. - shared housing, with more than one nuclear family in a home and overcrowding, the result of evictions which lead to families putting up other family members. - energy poverty

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). The social inclusion action plan is based directly on three main framework objectives which are fully consistent with the objectives of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion. The first framework objective is to promote participation, volunteering and association-building, which helps guarantee economic, social and territorial cohesion. The second framework objective is to broaden knowledge, transparency and coordination at all levels, methodologies which help increase awareness and recognition of the basic rights of people suffering from poverty and social exclusion. The third strategic objective is to promote the social economy and entrepreneurship, so that we are able to provide people who are currently excluded from the labour market with opportunities to join it and to participate actively in society.

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). As the social inclusion action plan was being drawn up, various participatory processes were carried out, more specifically 12 working meetings attended by different social stakeholders from the city: organisations, those in charge of all departments at Vilanova city council and related bodies, associations and organisations from the third sector and professionals from the municipal social services. This means that each action has been proposed, designed and approved by each of the stakeholders. The methodologies used to carry out the meetings were various participatory techniques applied on the basis of the meeting's objective.

As regards work with other administrations, we have participated closely in meetings with Barcelona provincial council and the autonomous government of Catalonia, who have ultimate responsibility for the social inclusion plan. All of this joint work has been carried out over the past two years.

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The Mesa de entitades sociales (social organisations table) is a successful example of working in a network, which involves the city council's cooperation with ten social organisations from the city. The aim is to pool efforts in order to provide a better and bigger response to social needs. Through the table and the organisations it comprises, the public is being offered services such as the food bank, projects to combat the lack of child nutrition, initiatives to integrate people into the labour market through laundry projects, bicycle parking, second-hand clothes shops, etc. This project started in November 2009 with the number of members growing, and is now fully operational.

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. Socio-cultural activities form part of the city's traditions, folklore and its public life. In addition, our city has a big tradition of festivities, with major events such as the carnival or the Fiesta Mayor. We also have an auditorium, theatre and other cultural facilities, which are of major importance to our city's artistic life. Participating and taking part in these activities is essential if people are to be integrated in Vilanova. What is more, the therapeutic benefits of creative and artistic activities for people experiencing difficulties have been clearly proven.

To give a recent example, this year in Vilanova and Geltru we set up the "Apropa Cultura" (bringing culture closer) programme, in cooperation with Barcelona provincial council. It is a socio-educational programme provided at cultural facilities and by the public administration aimed at users of social centres who work with people in a situation of inequality, discrimination and/or social exclusion. It offers these groups the possibility of taking part, in an accessible way and at a reduced price, in the city's cultural services (and throughout Catalonia) in a normal environment providing the chance to enjoy the programme of music, theatre, dance and circus. More than 15 000 tickets are offered for more than 300 shows.

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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 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 deprivations.

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.

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. 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.

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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. In light of the socio-economic situation of the country and the autonomous community, our city has to larger extent been affected, especially since 2008, by problems arising from unemployment and a precarious jobs market, and thus impoverishment and loss of purchasing power by families, resulting in over-indebtedness and impossibility of meeting costs derived from housing (as a basic need), and even the loss of peoples' homes.

These three issues are factors in social exclusion and feed off one other, since the loss of housing means marginalisation and exclusion from the labour market and vice-versa. People who are unable to find a decent job have difficulties in finding decent housing. The continuing identification of these (and more) problems in the local administration has led to maximum priority being given to social inclusion in the current political mandate.

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. 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.

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_03_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 8 - 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. Local policies are consistent with those approved by the EC on the basis of the Social Investment Package and are the priorities of the local government, although the reason for establishing them is the socio-economic circumstances of citizens, or a proportion of them. At present, the Commission's decisions are far from having a direct impact on local policies.

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? Our level of knowledge of EU policies does not allow us to carry out the required analysis.

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. There are some national objectives which Vilanova and Geltru are already meeting, meaning that the other challenges we face are more of a micro nature. For example, the level of employment in our city in March 2013 was 80%, which is above the national objective of 74 %. Nonetheless, the problem of unemployment is very significant. Although meeting the national objective may be a political challenge, it does not solve issues at local level.

Other national objectives which may be monitored at local level are early-school leaving and the level of higher education. Regarding the first, the number of pupils who do not receive the school- leaving certificate (título de Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria) is 22% and therefore the national objective concerns us, although we should remember that competences in the area of education at local level are very limited. Since data on higher education is not collected rigorously at local level (the census is quite weak in this area, since it does not update this information), we do not have sufficient up-to-date information to check whether this objective is being met.

9) Does your country's 2012 (current) National Reform Programme20 (NRP) for Europe 2020 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? Although national policies clearly affect the local level, the reality of city councils is much more specific than the main objectives which can be set at national level. This means that the local administration's contact with citizens is direct and constant, as is the identification of issues and the need for swift and capable responses to meet citizens' needs. For this reason, although our objectives are based on figures and diagnostic reports, they are geared much more towards day-to-day measures and short and medium-term strategies.

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_03_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 9 - 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. We did not take part directly in drawing up the national reform programme. Probably municipal federations and associations did so, although we are not aware of this.

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? Vilanova i la Geltrú city council does not receive funds directly from the EU for measures to combat exclusion. However, it does draw on EU funds through support received directly from the central government or the autonomous government, like for example, the local social inclusion plans.

12) Have any of the goals pursued in fighting poverty and social exclusion been jeopardised due to fiscal consolidation policies and subsequent financial difficulties? The fiscal consolidation policies are putting more pressure on the public and are worsening their socio-economic situation, increasing the risk of social exclusion.

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. We have not participated in the preparation of the Partnership Agreement.

14) How should poverty issues be addressed in the forthcoming Partnership Agreement mentioned in the above question? We are not aware of the agreement's content.

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_03_00_TRA_TCD .../... - 10 - 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!

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