ANNUAL REPORT 2014 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Welcome to Social Platform’s “Annual Report 2014”, a look back at the highlights and successes of a huge year of change in WELCOME the .

From May to December change was abound across a number of the European institutions we work with. Following the strength in numbers European elections in May a new opened its doors for its five year mandate, followed by a new European Consumer Affairs) council meetings on Commission in November headed by equal footing with social partners and President Jean-Claude Juncker. The member states for the very first time. We transition was complete in December when took this opportunity to directly address Donald Tusk took office as President of the European employment and social affairs European Council. ministers to put forward our views on The effect of this wave of new faces has a common EU Unemployment Benefit been two-fold. On the one hand, the Scheme and maximising the potential of Commission’s mantra of jobs and growth the social economy. lacks any focus on social issues, instead Our success in communicating our highlighting the economy as the sole positions to decision-makers and citizens priority. Despite statements made by alike highlights the effectiveness of then-President-elect Juncker, achieving our Platform and demonstrates that a social “triple A” rating appears to have we gain strength in numbers. Despite dropped off the Commission’s priority list the numerous views our 48 members altogether. On the other hand, the turnover represent, we are united by a common of Members of the European Parliament – cause: a social Europe that serves the 52.73% of whom are newly-elected – has people. With this in mind, we wish to thank brought innovative ideas and renewed drive our members and their national members that we hope will act as a breath of fresh for their undying support, our friends in air to social issues. The expression “when the European institutions who share our one door closes, another door opens” has aspirations, and the people of Europe never been truer. for continuing to set our agenda for us. As well as meetings with high-level 2014 was a year of transitions, trials and representatives of the EU institutions, tribulations, but it is yet another rung on including Commissioners Marianne our ladder towards a better Europe for all. Thyssen and Cecilia Malmström and Thank you for taking the time to read our numerous MEPs, 2014 was also the “Annual Report 2014”. year that we broke new ground by being invited to attend the Informal EPSCO Heather Roy & Pierre Baussand (Employment, Social Policy, Health and President & Director of Social Platform

2 Social Platform is the largest civil society alliance fighting for social justice and participatory democracy in Europe. We campaign to ensure that EU policies are developed in partnership with the people they affect, respecting fundamental rights, promoting ABOUT solidarity and improving lives. Our work is centred around our six strategic orientation objectives 2014-2020: people-centred services, socio-economic justice, equality for all, quality employment, social protection and civil dialogue. social platform Members annual report 2014 2014 saw three new organisations join Social Platform, bringing our membership to 48:

Social enterprises are Parents want a more Leave no one behind! on board! The European inclusive Europe! The European Network of Social EPA has been the only Organisation for Rare Integration Enterprises – EU-level organisation Diseases - EURORDIS ENSIE aims to contribute representing parents as a is a non-governmental to sustainable development stakeholder group since patient-driven alliance through different actions its foundation in 1985. of patient organisations such as creating links EPA has a nearly full and individuals active in between the job market coverage of Europe as it the field of rare diseases, and the social integration has members, national dedicated to improving the of disadvantaged risk- parents’ associations from quality of life of all people groups by improving their 26 EU member countries living with rare diseases employment opportunities and from some non-EU in Europe. Its mission and productivity, and countries as well. EPA’s is to build a strong pan- promoting the economic core activities are based European community of viability and the innovation on the Convention on the patient organisations and of social enterprises Rights of the Child giving people living with rare and the integration and parents sole rights, duties diseases, to be their voice reinforcement of their role and responsibilities for the at the European level, and in the general economic well-being and raising of - directly or indirectly - to landscape. their children, supporting fight against the impact of the children in exercising rare diseases on their lives. their rights as well as demanding countries to provide the necessary support for this.

For a full list of members please see the back-inside cover.

3 TIMELINE Building on our work on financial inclusion, the European Parliament and the Council adopt We present to the Commission a directive ensuring First year of the and Parliament our nine basic bank accounts implementation principles for meaningful for all - anyone legally of our new social innovation at our event residing in the EU now Strategic in the Parliament. Social has the right to open a New Social Platform logo Orientation innovation must ensure the basic payment account, launched to reflect our (2014-2020). well-being of people and bring and this right cannot be Strategic Orientation. added social value. denied on the grounds of nationality or place of residence.

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The manifesto of the Spring Alliance – of New EU rules on which we are a founding member along public procurement with trade unions and development and and concession The EPSCO council environmental organisations – is launched at contracts approved meeting takes on board an event in the European Economic and Social by the European our concerns and Committee. We presented to political groups Parliament reflect messages regarding the of the Parliament key recommendations to be many positions Europe 2020 strategy pushed towards the next Commission. taken by our and the social challenges members, such facing the EU, and as encouraging concludes that “policies should focus on making the use of quality We asked all member states to put sure that improving the criteria and social in place adequate minimum income social situation across considerations when schemes that are accessible for all the Union becomes a designing bids. people that need them at the informal widely shared priority.” EPSCO council meeting in Greece gathering European ministers of employment and social affairs.

4 The European Parliament adopts First NGO to meet with Our conference a resolution on the mid-term Marianne Thyssen, the in Riga, Latvia, review of the Europe 2020 strategy, newly-appointed European Widely represented brings together taking on board a number of our Commissioner for at the European EU and Latvian recommendations making clear Employment, Social Affairs, Commission’s social NGOs to that employment and social Skills and Labour Mobility. poverty convention present their considerations should be put on a (EPAP), with social priorities par with macroeconomic ones. participation in to the Minister In line with our proposals, the opening panel responsible for ministers of employment and with Commissioner employment and The European Citizens’ Summit, social affairs at the EPSCO Marianne Thyssen, social affairs of which we co-organised, gathers council meeting stress the a workshop on the upcoming hundreds of participants to need for “better coordination financial inclusion Latvian EU discuss with MEPs an alternative and balance between economic and a joint side- Presidency. vision for Europe beyond its and fiscal policies so as to event on public growth obsession. achieve sufficient growth, jobs procurement. and social cohesion”.

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Our joint European Presented our Appointed as Parliament event on position on an EU one of the nine how to maximise the Questions from Selected for Unemployment members of the impact of the EU’s Social Platform on the European Benefit Scheme Fundamental social clause in all EU the social dimension Commission’s and the importance Rights Agency’s policies brings together of economic, trade, structured dialogue of the social advisory panel, MEPs, civil society, migration, justice, group of experts economy at the to support the social economy actors internal market, on European informal EPSCO Director in the and trade unions. employment and Structural & council meetings organisation and social affairs policies Investment Funds of employment coordination of are raised by MEPs to support the work and environmental the Fundamental Among the first NGOs at the European of the Commission ministers, on equal Rights Platform to meet with Cecilia Parliament hearings in ensuring a footing for the first gathering a Malmström, European with European social dimension time with member network of 400+ Commissioner Commissioners- in the development states. civil society responsible for Trade, designate, following of policies on organisations. to discuss the impact our innovative social cohesion and rural of trade agreements media campaign. development. on social, health and education services.

5 2014 was a year of transition for the EU. A new European Parliament was elected in May, and approved the new college of European Commissioners following a round of hearings. Our innovative social media campaign reached out to MEPs on committees related to YEAR OF our policy areas to encourage them to raise our concerns during the Commissioner hearings on a wide range of topics including civil dialogue, minimum wage, migrants’ rights, public services, the Europe 2020 strategy and policies to help the development CHANGE of social enterprises. Consequently, nine of our questions were put to Commissioners Dombrovskis, Katainen, Malmström, Moscovici and Thyssen, and Commissioners strength in numbers Timmermans, Jourová and Avramopoulos addressed our concerns during their interventions.

We saw the European Parliament vote in line with a number of our positions, including:

• A Directive on access to basic bank accounts: not having access to a bank account directly impacts an individual’s inclusion in society as they may not be able to sign a contract of employment, rent accommodation or receive social protection benefits. The EU’s Directive is a first step in the fight against financial exclusion and discrimination.

• A Resolution on the employment and social aspects of the Europe 2020 strategy: the resolution criticises the trend favoured by the and member states of focusing on economic growth and side-lining social priorities. We hope to see a shift in attitude among EU and national decision-makers, with a strong commitment to finding an urgent solution for the millions of people living in poverty across the EU.

Task Forces

Our ten Task Forces provided members with a platform to discuss, debate and develop common positions. In 2014 we published the following nine position papers as a result of the hard work of the Task Forces, which will form the foundations of our advocacy actions towards decision-makers:

• Spring Alliance manifesto: A better Europe now • Employment - how to make labour markets inclusive • Mid-term review of Europe 2020 • EU directive on adequate minimum income • Maximising the potential of social economy and social enterprises • Rebalancing economic and social stabilisation in the EU: towards a common Unemployment Benefit Scheme? • Financing of social services • EU internal strategy to promote human rights • Minimum wage

6 2,296 1,507 Website visits grew by 13% to Facebook fans Twitter followers NUMBER On Facebook we 54,214 reached 91% more people in second half of 2014 9 position papers adopted CRUNCH compared to first half social platform 15.5% growth in MailChimp subscription list annual report 2014 16 training & capacity building sessions held for members and staff

9 questions raised by MEPs during EP hearings with Commissioners-designate

HH 2 new members of staff, H1 new member of the Management Committee

Total Income Total Expenditure MONEY 712,487.01 € 701,318.09 €

EC core budget Staff costs 598,785.41 € 423,915.35 € Members’ eligible fees Other expenditures 54,813.00 € 260,320.37 € Members’ non-eligible fees Non-eligible expenditures 20,439.25 € 17,082.37 € Other sources 38,449.35 €

7 Management Committee TEAM

strength in numbers

President – Heather Roy Vice-Presidents – Rodolfo Cattani, Maciej Kucharczyk Treasurer – Michel Mercadié Ordinary Members –Jana Hainsworth, Barbara Helfferich, Brigitte Triems

Secretariat

Director – Pierre Baussand Policy & Advocacy Advisers – Valentina Caimi, Annica Ryngbeck Policy & Advocacy Officer – Herlinde Vanhooydonck Administrative & Financial Officer – Ilias Papageorgiou Communications & Media Officer – Helen Joseph

8 MEMBERS

C:100 M:50 Y:30 K:15 R:0 G: 98 B:132 #006284

C:0 M:40 Y:100 K:0 R:250 G: 166 B:26 #FAA61A

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The European Federation of Older Persons Fédération Européenne des Personnes Agées Bund der älteren Generation Europas Federazione Europea delle Persone Anziane EURAG EUROPE Square de Meeûs 18, B-1050 Brussels, +32 2 511 37 14 [email protected] www.socialplatform.org

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Social Platform acknowledges the financial support of the European Commission. This publication reflects the author’s views. The Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained in this publication.

Published in April 2015

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