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ince its establishment in 1990 the European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN) has sought to highlight the issues of poverty and social exclusion S within the EU Member States. In doing this EAPN has sought to bring a perspective from those NGOs defending the interests of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion into developing proposals and actions aimed at THE EU eradicating poverty and social exclusion within the EU countries. EAPN continues to dream that a European Union free of poverty and social exclusion can be realised. In this third book produced by EAPN observations are made on existing EU strategies aimed at making a decisive impact on the eradication of THE EU WE WANT WE WANT poverty and social exclusion in the EU as well raising debates about the approaches that would be needed to really achieve such a vision for the EU. This book also includes a series of essays which provide evidence that there is a dramatic political failure to efficiently fight and prevent poverty and social exclusion both within and outside of the EU. These essays reflect on the root causes that lie behind this failure and create demands for a political leadership that is deeply in tune with the everyday aspirations of the citizens and residents of the EU Member States. The book also provides a series of portraits of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion in different EU countries. These portraits present a glimpse of some VIEWS FROM THOSE FIGHTING POVERTY of the realities behind the statistic of 68 million people who face poverty and exclusion in the EU. The portraits demonstrate the damage done to people by the failure to organise our society in a way that all people have access to their fundamental AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION ON THE FUTURE rights, as well as showing how people who face poverty and exclusion can overcome major obstacles and contribute to the creation of the EU We Want! DEVELOPMENT OF THE EU ISBN: 2-930252-35-9 2-930252-35-9 ISBN: Rue du Congrès 37-41 B-1000 Brussels www.eapn.org • Design : ACG Brussels ACG : Design EAPN is an independent coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and groups involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion in the Member States and candidate countries of the European Union. EAPN members aim to empower people and communities facing poverty and social exclusion to exercise their responsibilities and rights, to enable them to break their isolation and counter their social exclusion. Editors: Fintan Farrell, Director of EAPN Michaela Moser, EAPN Austria Alida Smeekes, EAPN Netherlands This publication is in three parts: • An overview of the reality of poverty and social exclusion in the EU including the development of EU anti-poverty and social inclusion policies. • Essays on key areas which need to be addressed if we are to reach the type of EU where all people have access to all their fundamental rights including their economic, social and cultural rights. • Portraits of people who live in EU Member States and who face poverty and social exclusion. Acknowledgements: Produced and published with financial support from the Commission of the European Union The opinions put forward in this publication are those of the authors and are not necessarily shared by EAPN or by the Commission of the European Union Published in English and French To check if other language versions are available consult the EAPN web site at www.eapn.org Reproduction authorised for non-commercial purposes subject to acknowledgement of the source EAPN, October 2005 ISBN: 2-930252-35-9 2 THE EU WE WANT Views from those fighting poverty and social exclusion on the future development of the EU 3 Chapter 6 : Addressing the Interface Table of contents between Discrimination and Poverty José Manuel Fresno 61 Foreword 5 General Introduction 6 - Portrait 5 : Barriers to Employment 72 Part 1 : General Overview Chapter 7 : Understanding Relationships between on Poverty and Social Exclusion Ageing and Poverty and Social Exclusion in the EU 7 Edward Thorpe 74 - Portrait 6 : No Money but Rich of Life 81 Chapter 1 : The Development and Current Context for EU Anti-Poverty Chapter 8 : Social Services Orientated Towards and Inclusion Policies Public Welfare in the EU Brian Harvey 9 Anita Morehard 83 - Portrait 7 : Mother and Children on Chapter 2 : Selected Statistics on the Margin of Society 93 Poverty and Social Exclusion in the EU Vincent Forest 17 Chapter 9 : Globalisation and its Impact on Chapter 3 : Welfare Systems – From an anti-poverty perspective What is Happening to Poverty? Maria Marinakou 94 Uncertainties of Poverty Measures – Challenges of “Postmodernity” - Portrait 8 : Obstacle Course to Integration 103 Zsuzsa Ferge 26 Bibliography 105 Part 2 : Essays and Portraits Highlighting Key Areas needing Notes on the Editors and the Contributors 109 to be Addressed to Reach the EU We Want 39 Chapter 4 : A Good Life for All Michaela Moser 40 - Portrait 1: A Special Cost Benefit Analysis 46 - Portrait 2 : A Neapolitan Story 49 Chapter 5 : Participation of People Experiencing Poverty and Social Exclusion Ludo Horemans 50 - Portrait 3 : Opening Up to Other People 58 - Portrait 4 : A Homeless Person that Became an NGO Worker 60 4 Efficiency must be balanced with the concern for Equity he process of European integration has been one of the most successful experiences in eliminating war and promoting human rights for its peoples – including social, economic T and cultural rights. At this crucial moment, the EU faces the challenge of continuing to play its dynamic role to improve the life of its inhabitants and provide guidance and a decisive contribution to the well-being of the rest of the world. One of the most critical tasks facing the European Union today is to convince its citizens and residents that cooperation through the EU institutions is the most efficient way to maintain a Europe where values such as human dignity, social justice and equality – what one chapter in this book refers to as ‘a good life for all’ – can be fully observed. To attain such an outcome requires the EU to demonstrate how it can play a part to ensure socially responsible “globalisation” where social justice within the EU is not practised at the expense of poverty and environmental destruction in the so-called ‘developing world’. The ‘EU We Want’ based on the experience of those fighting poverty and social exclusion is a unique contribution to the current debate about the future of the European Union. Responding to the ideals proposed in this book can be a timely and relevant way to promote confidence in the future of the EU. This publication demands that the EU place the question of equity in society at the very centre of its priorities, giving this concern at least as much attention as it gives the question of efficiency in the economy. This book describes the present reality of the struggle against poverty and social exclusion in the EU while at the same time illustrating, through personal stories, the experience which lies behind the shock- ing reality: that at least 68 million people in the EU Member States are facing poverty. The questions raised by the contributors are not just how to be competitive in a globalised economy, but rather what type of development model can be pursued which does not rely on creating enormous inequalities in our societies. These are questions that go to the very heart of what type of society we want to build and defend. Finding answers to these questions requires the active participation of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, as the chapter in this book on “participation” suggests. It is therefore with pleasure that I recommend this book to all those who are concerned about the future development of the EU. I hope that it will provide inspiration for much needed reflection and debate and that it will receive the attention it rightly deserves. I hope that it can indeed contribute, as the title suggests, to the development of the ‘EU We Want’. Federico Mayor Director Foundation for a Culture of Peace 5 General Introduction he EU We Want is EAPN’s third book and is aimed at making a contribution to the debate and policies needed to eradicate poverty and social exclusion in the EU. Combating poverty and T social exclusion: A new momentum in the European Union? (2000) was the first book produced by EAPN. It examined the move to develop specific national policies to tackle poverty and social exclusion in some EU Member States. This book addressed the question of how these emerging national policies related to proposed Community action in this field under the new article 137 of the Treaty of Amsterdam. Making a decisive impact on poverty and social exclusion? (2002) was EAPN’s second book, and was a progress report on the European Strategy on social inclusion. This EU inclusion strategy emerged from the Lisbon Council of 2000 and many of the features of this strategy were in line with the proposals contained in the first EAPN book. The EU We Want has a different ambition from the previous two publications. The book comes at a particu- lar time in the history of the development of the EU. Two prominent aspects dominate this period; firstly the enlargement of the EU and secondly the debates surrounding the ratification of the Constitutional Treaty for the EU. These events create a time for reflection and for debate about the role of the EU in the context of a world increasingly influenced by globalisation. This publication aims to contribute to these reflections and debates, a perspective from those actively engaged in the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

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