Reducing inequalities with a special focus on child poverty

24.11.2016

Question for written answer E-008793-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Claudia Țapardel (S&D)

More than one in four children in the European Union currently lives at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This alarming situation stems from the fact that the majority of Member States give too little attention to using EU structural funds to reduce the growing rates of child poverty in Europe.

Bearing in mind the Commission communication of 15 February 2011 entitled ‘An EU Agenda for the Rights of the Child’ and the recommendation entitled ‘Investing in children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage’, on 24 November 2015 Parliament adopted a resolution (A8-0310/2015) in which it calls on the Commission to make reducing child poverty and social exclusion a visible and explicit objective of the Europe 2020 strategy.

1. What is the Commission doing to support the functioning of European and transnational networks working to combat child poverty and exclusion?

2. Is the Commission planning to establish a secondary objective in the Europe 2020 strategy geared to reducing child poverty and social exclusion?

3. What action has the Commission taken with the aim of drawing up guidelines or mechanisms to support children’s participation in decision-making processes that affect their lives?