With a view to preparing the European Council of 17 June 2010, ministers held a policy debate on Europe 2020 - A new Strategy for Jobs and Growth and agreed on an EU target on social inclusion, poverty reduction and appropriate indicators.

Based on a presidency note (see doc. 10025/1/10 REV 1 ) and a contribution by the Social Protection Committee (SPC), the Council reached agreement on an EU social inclusion target/poverty target and appropriate indicators, and approved certain conclusions:

The Council agreed to propose to the European Council:

that the quantified target of the Europe 2020 Strategy to promote social inclusion, in particular through the reduction of poverty, be formulated in such a way that it would aim at lifting at least 20 million people from the risk of poverty and exclusion by 2020;

to accept the three set up indicators established by the Social Protection Committee.

Similarly, the Council agreed that in the fight against poverty and exclusion it is necessary to boost inclusion in the labour market as well as in society. During the process of implementation of the EU 2020 Strategy, there will be scope for strengthening the current instruments for measuring progress in the reduction of poverty and deprivation and for understanding the phenomenon of exclusion from the labour market. The relationships between labour market exclusion and the situation of poverty at individual level will have to be better taken into account.

Member States are free to set their national targets on the basis of the most appropriate indicators taking into account their national circumstances and priorities. In this process they will take into consideration that their national targets should contribute to the achievement of the target at EU level.

The Council also considers that the mid-term review of the EU headline target in 2015, as suggested by the Social Protection Committee, would also include a review of the indicators, while fully respecting Member States’ role. This review could further allow taking into account economic developments and improved measurement instruments.

3019

O-0054/2010

2010/2705(RSP)

Debate in Parliament

B7-0215/2010