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Description of initiative
The European Year aimed to foster a society that sustains and develops quality of life, including quality of skills and employment, social well-being, including the well-being of children, and equal opportunities for all. It recognised that social exclusion damages the well-being of citizens, hampering their ability to express themselves and to participate in society. The problem of poverty and social exclusion relates to a large number of factors, such as income and living standards, the need for educational and decent work opportunities, effective social protection systems, housing, access to good quality health and other services, as well as active citizenship.
In line with the analysis carried out and the priorities identified in the Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion, the European Year should focus, among others, on the following themes: ensuring equal access to adequate resources and services, including decent accommodation, health and social protection; and facilitating access to culture and leisure opportunities.
Further information on the initiative
Themes: Culture and...
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Results, benefits, impact and lessons learnt
The European Year has spurred a large mobilisation and has contributed to putting poverty and social exclusion at the centre of the Europe 2020. It allowed active participation by those experiencing poverty, led to new partnerships and stressed the need to build more bridges between key actors, such as NGOs, business, media, or public authorities beyond social inclusion services. However, the crisis raised significant obstacles for the campaign to deliver its full impact, by hitting both people at risk of poverty and those working with them on a daily basis. The Commission's evaluation report presents follow-up actions to take place after the EY2010. In particular, Member States have defined specific national targets for reducing poverty or social exclusion as part of the Europe 2020 strategy and progress is monitored through the European semester.
The Flagship Initiative "A European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusions" highlights the Commission's agenda through concrete actions in diverse fields such as the fight against child poverty, financial exclusion or social innovation. The legislative package tabled in October 2011 for Cohesion Policy 2014-20 entails a significantly stronger focus on the issue, including a 20% earmarking of the European Social Fund's activities towards social inclusion measures. At the end of the European Year, in December 2010, the Council of the EU adpoted the "Declaration on The European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion: Working together to fight poverty in 2010 and beyond" - https://www.eapn.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/118250.pdf).