REPORT on the Renewed social agenda

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

OPINION of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (25.3.2009)

OPINION of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (17.3.2009)

OPINION of the Committee on Culture and Education (5.3.2009)

OPINION of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (13.2.2009)

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

3.4.2009 - (2008/2330(INI))

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Rapporteur: José Albino Silva Peneda

Procedure : 2008/2330(INI)

Document stages in plenary

Document selected :

A6-0241/2009

Texts tabled :

A6-0241/2009

Debates :

PV 05/05/2009 - 10
CRE 05/05/2009 - 10

Votes :

PV 06/05/2009 - 6.12
CRE 06/05/2009 - 6.12
Explanations of votes
Explanations of votes

Texts adopted :

P6_TA(2009)0370

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
OPINION of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
OPINION of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
OPINION of the Committee on Culture and Education
OPINION of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

on the Renewed Social Agenda

(2008/2330(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 2 July 2008 on the Renewed Social Agenda (COM(2008)0412),

– having regard to its resolution of 18 November 2008 with recommendations to the Commission on the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women[1],

– having regard to its resolution of 22 October 2008 on challenges to collective agreements in the EU[2],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 2 July 2008 on a renewed commitment to social Europe: Reinforcing the Open Method of Coordination for Social Protection and Social Inclusion COM(2008)0418,

– having regard to its resolution of 3 February 2009 on non-discrimination based on gender and inter-generational solidarity[3],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 2 July 2008 on non-discrimination and equal opportunities: A renewed commitment (COM(2008)0420),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 26 November 2008 on a European Economic Recovery Plan (COM(2008)0800),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 October 2008 on a better work-life balance: stronger support for reconciling professional, private and family life COM(2008)0635,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 12 October 2006 entitled 'The long-term sustainability of public finances in the EU' (COM(2006)0574), and to Parliament's resolution of 20 November 2008 on the future of social security systems and pensions: their financing and the trend towards individualisation[4],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 17 October 2007 entitled 'Modernising social protection for greater social justice and economic cohesion: taking forward the active inclusion of people furthest from the labour market' (COM(2007)0620), and to Parliament's resolution of 9 October 2008 on promoting social inclusion and combating poverty, including child poverty, in the EU[5],

– having regard to Council 92/442/EEC of 24 June 1992 on common criteria concerning sufficient resources and social assistance in social protection systems[6],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 27 June 2007 entitled 'Towards Common Principles of Flexicurity: More and better jobs through flexibility and security' (COM(2007)0359), and to Parliament's resolution of 29 November 2007 on Common Principles of Flexicurity[7],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 25 June 2008 entitled "Think Small First" - A "Small Business Act" for Europe COM(2008)0394,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2007 entitled 'Social reality stocktaking – Interim report to the 2007 Spring European Council' (COM(2007)0063) and to Parliament's resolution of 15 November 2007 on Social Reality Stocktaking[8],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 24 May 2006 entitled 'Promoting decent work for all - The EU contribution to the implementation of the decent work agenda in the world' (COM(2006)0249), and to Parliament's resolution of 23 May 2007 on promoting decent work for all[9],

– having regard to its resolution of 13 October 2005 on women and poverty in the EU, and the definition of poverty it contains[10];

– having regard to its position of 17 June 2008 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion (2010)[11],

– having regard to its resolution of 13 October 2005 on women and poverty in the European Union[12],

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union[13], and in particular to the provisions therein regarding social rights, and to Article 136 of the EC Treaty,

– having regard to the Commission Green Paper of 22 November 2006 entitled 'Modernising labour law to meet the challenges of the 21st century' (COM(2006)0708),

– having regard to the Commission Green Paper of 18 July 2001 on promoting a European framework on Corporate Social Responsibility (COM (2001)0366) and to the Commission communication of 22 March 2006 on implementing the partnership for growth and jobs: making Europe a pole of excellence on Corporate Social Responsibility (COM(2006)0136); and to Parliament's resolution of 13 March 2007 on corporate social responsibility: a new partnership[14],

– having regard to its declaration of 22 April 2008 on ending street homelessness[15],

– having regard to the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966,

– having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee on Culture and Education and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A6-0241/2009),

A. whereas the major negative consequence for the EU arising from the current financial and economic crisis will be the dramatic increase of unemployment which will more severely affect the most vulnerable social groups; whereas higher levels of unemployment are associated with the increase of poverty and health inequalities, exclusion, criminality, insecurity and lack of trust,

B. whereas, regardless of the current crisis, the EU already faced difficulties as a result of weak economic growth, an explosive demographic situation and the difficulty of living in an increasingly globalised world economy,

C. whereas in 2007, 15.2% of European citizens aged between 18 and 24 were early school leavers,

D. whereas employment still does not guarantee a route out of poverty for many people in the EU, with 8 % of people at work at risk of poverty in 2006,

E. whereas in 2006, 16% of European citizens were at-risk-of-poverty; whereas children, large families, single parents, unemployed people, people with disabilities, young people, elderly people, ethnic minorities and migrants are especially vulnerable,

F. whereas women still face a higher risk of poverty than men, because of aspects such as their economic dependency the gender pay gap in the labour market and women's higher presence in lower-paid jobs; whereas this situation increases the risk of perpetuating poverty into the next generations,

G. whereas the price increases in recent years have had a considerable effect on household budgets and have disproportionately affected vulnerable social groups,

H. whereas various studies (e.g. the Future of Work Research of the Russell Sage Foundation) have shown that one in four of those working in the most developed economies may soon be low paid and find themselves at increased risk of poverty; whereas low-wage jobs appear to exhibit much uniformity as they often take the form of a non-standard employment relationship with low-skilled workers, part-timers, women, immigrants and young workers at a higher risk; whereas there is a tendency for low-wage work to be passed on from generation to generation and whereas it limits access to good education, good health care and other basic livingconditions,

I. whereas Article 2 of the EC Treaty stipulates that equality between men and women is one of the founding values of the European Union,

J. whereas the EU faces a demographic change of which the most important features are a life expectancy increase and a low fertility rate although some countries are showing signs of reversing the latter trend,

K. Whereas the demographic change is expected to lead to the doubling of the old age dependency ratio until 2050 with consequences regarding in particular the physical and mental health of the population,

L. welcomes the Commission 'Demography Report 2008: Meeting Social Needs in an Ageing Society' (SEC(2008)2911), which recognises the pivotal role that informal carers play in society, calls on the Commission to consider the strong social arguments for the inclusion of carers in the formulation of future policy;

M. whereas the effects of the financial crisis on the real economy are not fully known but it will be impossible to reach the target of creating 5 million jobs in the EU between 2008 and 2009; whereas an economic recession will lead to higher unemployment and certainly more poverty and will pose challenges for the European social model,

N. whereas the financial and economic crisis is causing increasing unemployment and insecurity, in which social cohesion across the EU is under substantial strainwith social fractures and tensions in numerous Member States,

O. whereas the EU has committed itself to the aim of socially and environmentally sustainable development, and whereas the opportunities for job creation that can arise from this commitment should be fully exploited,

P. whereas social dialogue can be important to tackle the confidence crisis that is being aggravated by the economic crisis as many people in our society are afraid of the future; whereas equal priority must also be given to those who are already excluded and whose current position is worsening in the current crisis,

Q. whereas the EU’s more interventionist institutional arrangements, characterised by a certain degree of income redistribution and the common notion of a ‘European social model’, have a positive effect on the quality of the working lives of millions of men and women in the more disadvantaged segment of our labour markets,

R. whereas respect for national legal and conventional frameworks, characterised by balancing labour law and collective agreements, which regulate those models, are a precondition for harmonised values in a diversity of systems;

S. whereas in the case of non-standard employment relationships the rules and procedures are defined by the partners in collective bargaining no longer apply,

T. whereas the renewed social agenda ought to be based on the principle that effective and efficient social policies contribute to economic growth and prosperity, and whereas this can also help to restore the declining support of citizens for the EU,

U. whereas it is regrettable that the renewed social agenda does not deal with the question of the legal security of general interest social services,

V. whereas considerable concern has been voiced about the role and visibility of the renewed Social Agenda, including the lack of clarity of its purpose or how it will be followed up on as well as the lessening of the prominence given to the social Open Method of Coordination (OMC),

W. whereas the European social models are a unity of values in a diversity of systems and are in general a competence of Member States, the aims of social Europe, enshrined in the Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights and in the reform Treaty, must be emphasised as the overarching goal for the EU, if it is to meet with the expectations and fears of its citizens; whereas successive Spring European Council meetings have reiterated the objective of the eradication of poverty and social exclusion and the need to reinforce the social dimension in Lisbon; whereas the failure and success of national social and employment policies also have an impact on other Member States, therefore, the debate on the reform of the European Social Model must be put at the heart of this interaction between the EU and Member States,

X. whereas the failure of the growth and jobs strategy to decrease poverty, currently standing at 78 000 000 persons living in poverty, and rising inequality must be of central concern; whereas the EU must make progress on the development and implementation of EU and national targets on reducing poverty and social exclusion, and in key areas where indicators currently exist, if people are to be convinced that the EU is there to serve first the people and then businesses and banks,

Y. whereas in several proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Communities, the notion 'provisions that are crucial for the protection of the political, social and economic order' has been used without clarifying who can decide, in this regard, which provisions are crucial for the protection of the general public policy provisions in a Member State,

Z. whereas in the Court of Justice held that it is not up to the Member States to define unilaterally the notion of public policy or to impose unilaterally all the mandatory provisions of their employment law on suppliers of services established in another Member State and whereas it is unclear in whose hands that competence lies if not with the Member States,

AA.whereas there is no clear distinction between labour-only subcontracting and dubious trafficking and provision of services that is based on lawful contracts with genuine self-employed people; whereas the difference between fraudulent practices and true civil and commercial business relationships should be addressed,

Priority actions

European social models

1. Calls upon the Council and the Commission, given the economic recession, to reaffirm the importance of a strong social Europe, incorporating sustainable, effective and efficient social and employment policies; calls on the Commission to develop an ambitious Social Policy Agenda for the period of 2010-2015;

2. Urges the Commission to put forward a coherent policy plan on decent work in line with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;

3. Stresses the importance of putting job creation and promotion at the top of the social agenda in these difficult times; considers that greater flexibility in the workplace is now more important than ever;

4. Invites the Commission to combine the renewed social agenda with other initiatives such as the European pact for gender equality, the European Youth Pact and the European Alliance for families, in order for disadvantaged social groups to have better access to social benefits;

5. Is concerned that the measures proposed in the Commission communication are insufficiently coherent to impact on the current levels of poverty and exclusion in the EU and to address the current challenges to social cohesion;

6. Regrets, in particular, that the Commission communication lacks proposals on the following issues, which are crucial in order to achieve a balance between economical freedoms and social rights:

- a directive providing for basic labour rights for all workers, regardless of employment status, to protect the ever-increasing numbers of atypical workers;

- a review of the Council Directive, accompanied by a gender-neutral work evaluation system, in order to reduce gender pay gaps both within and between economic sectors;

- a directive on cross-border collective bargaining, in accordance with the realities of cross-border business operations;

7. Stresses the need to further develop minimum standards in employment rights; is aware that neither economic freedoms nor competition rules prevail over fundamental social rights;

8. Notes that social policy should cover key actions such as a better balance between stronger social rights and freedoms, combating discrimination and promoting equality, modernising and reforming the European social models while strengthening their values;

9. Notes that the delineation of what constitutes Member State provisions that are crucial for the protection of the political, social and economic order' is a political matter and should be defined in a democratically legitimised process; therefore calls upon the Commission to initiate an open debate in order to clarify the notion of what constitutes those general public policy provisions and propose legislation where necessary;

10. Considers that this is not the time to reduce social expenditure but rather to reinforce structural reforms; adds that the EU should support the infrastructures of the Member States' social models, including social services of general interest, by reaffirming the importance of their universal access, quality and sustainability;

11. Regrets that although the financial crisis demonstrates the importance of State action in regard to maintaining economic activity and strengthening social cohesion, the Commission has not ensured the future of and the crucial role played by public services in the European Union by proposing a framework directive on services of general interest;

12. Calls on the Commission to submit a legislative proposal seeking to guarantee the legal security of general interest social services;

13. Emphasizes the need to find ways to modernise and reform the national security systems to eradicate poverty with a long-term perspective, especially concerning adequate minimum income, pensions and health care services; stresses that there is potential to strengthen the financial sustainability of the minimum wage and pensions systems as well as the quality and efficiency of health care services through the improvement of their organisation and access and increasing partnership between the public and private sector, respecting the principles of subsidiarity, and supporting increased efforts to establish progressive taxation systems which can reduce inequality;

14. Points out that most Member States have schemes for a national minimum wage, but that several do not; encourages Member States to provide for such schemes in order to promote social inclusion, and urges them to exchange best practices; recognises that, where there is provision of social assistance, Member States have a duty to ensure that citizens understand and are able to obtain their entitlement;

15. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that all citizens have access to basic banking services;

16. Maintains that sport and cultural activity are essential instruments of social inclusion and help to foster personal development, promote the good of society, and nurture talents;

17. Looks to the Commission to ensure that environmental and health issues are rapidly integrated in all Union policies in order to ensure a high level of health and environmental protection, in accordance with the provisions of the EC Treaty;

18. Shares the Commission’s determination to extend the Social Agenda to include new areas; deplores the fact that the environment is too often being considered only from the point of view of climate change; welcomes the renewed declarations by the Commission in favour of a sustainable economy with low CO₂ emissions, but regrets the fact that the Commission’s proposal contains no specific measure to take into account the social and health consequences of the environmental and climate crises;

19. Stresses that extreme poverty and the ensuing social exclusion cannot be understood solely in economic terms on the basis of figures, but must also be understood in terms of human rights and citizenship; recognises that the principle of the free movement of capital and goods cannot, in itself, eradicate poverty or chronic poverty (especially persistent poverty) and that extreme poverty deprives those affected of opportunities and prevents them from fully taking part in the community life by making them indifferent to their surroundings;

Social and employment policies

20. Welcomes the proposals included in the Commission's work-life balance package launched at the end of 2008; encourages the Commission to make recommendations to the Member States that are clearly lagging behind the objectives of the 2002 Barcelona European Council as regards the provision of childcare for 2010; invites the Commission further to encourage employers' openness regarding flexible work arrangements, optimising the use and knowledge of ICT and new forms of work organisation thus promoting the flexibility of work schedules and its compatibility with business, administration and school hours;

21. Invites the Commission to make a proposal on a better reconciliation between private, family and professional life optimising the use and knowledge of ICT and new forms of work organisation, taking into consideration the needs and well-being of children, whilst promoting more effective employment protection, which confirms parents' and carers' right to flexible working patterns, corresponding to their needs and paying particular attention to access for those on low incomes and in precarious or low-quality employment;

22. Deplores the weakness of EU and national policies in the face of growing poverty, especially child poverty;

23. Encourages Member States to provide for guaranteed minimum income schemes for social inclusion, in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality;

24. Suggests that new demographic challenges could be tackled by addressing the situation of women who live in poverty, with unequal and inadequate access to nutrition, housing, education, pay, and who face difficulties in reconciling work, family and private life;

25. Calls for a more effective prevention and combating of early school leaving under the motto that 'school pays off'; calls for effectively organised education systems and school curricula adapted to tomorrow's job market which take account of society's needs and technological developments; calls for the further promotion of and assistance to the concept of Second Chance Schools and informal and non-formal learning that have proved to lead to higher participation of young people and adults than traditional school environments contributing to lower the drop-out rate in the European Union; for that purpose, calls for the long awaited elimination of any and all inequalities of opportunities in educational systems in the EU, in particular, the elimination of low-level and segregated education which has irreversible negative effects on marginalised groups, particularly on Roma;

26. Insists on the need for more effective lifelong learning and training actions aiming to better equipping citizens, especially the less qualified, to (re-)enter the job market smoothly and without discrimination and contribute to social innovation; suggests emphasising entrepreneurial skills principally the entrepreneurship of women and young people, ICT and communication competences, financial literacy and language skills;

27. Stresses the need to improve education in Europe by dynamising the process of compatibility and comparability of the Member States' educational systems with a view to facilitating the mutual recognisation of professional qualifications and standards;

28. Considers that active social inclusion policies must make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion, both for those in paid employment (the "working poor") and for those not in paid employment;

29. Highlights the necessity of promoting University-business cooperation as it is important to ensure that these partners cooperate and that they support each other for the benefit of their own organisations, of their staff and their students; considers that bridges should be built between university curricula and the world of enterprise, and that businesses should have the possibility to complement study programs, to offer internships, organize open days for students, etc.;

30. Draws attention to the need for a more balanced approach between flexibility, security and the need to ensure decent wages aiming at integrating young and elderly people, women, long-term unemployed people and disadvantaged groups into the labour market; suggests that the Member States reflect upon the Parliament's resolution of 29 November 2007 on Common Principles of Flexicurity when implementing national flexicurity strategies;

31. Whereas especially in a time of financial and economic crises, often resulting in redundancy and restructuring, worker participation in the decision-making process within companies that effect their jobs and livelihoods is of the utmost importance; welcomes the recent revision of Council Directive 94/45/EC of 22 September 1994 on the establishment of a European Works Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees[16];reiterates its call for the further strengthening of the functioning of European works councils as laid down in its resolution of 4 September 2001 on the application of the abovementioned directive[17];

32. Highlights that social and employment policies should foster job creation and be quickly activated as a response to the current economic crisis and should provide job opportunities and opportunities for education and also mitigate income loss; considers that these policies should actively motivate people to look for job opportunities or to start their own entrepreneurial activity; to this end considers that Member States should consider affordable financing channels, such as credit guarantees, reduced interest rates or providing a lump sum of unemployment benefits which, while also mitigating income loss, provide opportunities for education which will help unemployed people find to new jobs; recalls the Commission's holistic approach to active inclusion which encompasses adequate income support, access to inclusive labour markets and high-quality social services;

33. Invites the Commission to take initiatives that will lead to a clear distinction between on the one hand employers, genuine self-employed and small entrepreneurs, and, on the other hand, employees;

34. Stresses the vital need to support mothers, by means of family allowances during infancy and the creation of a suitable framework for their return to the labour market, paying particular attention to single mothers in view of the vulnerability of this group;

35. Points out that the social economy, as another form of entrepreneuurship, plays an essential role in contributing to a sustainable European economy, by combining profitability with solidarity; adds that social economy enterprises need a secure legal framework; highlights the very important contribution of volunteer work in the social field particularly in the fight against poverty and social exclusion and in the support to the more disadvantaged groups in society;

36. Highlights that not all people are able to work, nor are there currently jobs for all, and affirms the importance of implementing the 1992 recommendation, affirmed by the December Council, on providing “sufficient resources and social assistance to live in a manner compatible with human dignity”, through the extension of minimum income schemes to all Member States and increasing levels to ensure access and adequacy;

37. Believes that the development of microcredit can play an important role in supporting (long-term) unemployed people to move into self employment; points out that microcredit has already helped in many such situations with reintegration into working life and that this is in line with the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs;calls on the Commission to improve the generation of and access to information on the possibilities and availability of micro-credit and to target actively those groups in society that could benefit most from and that have most need of micro-credit supply;

38. Calls for the promotion of a stronger link between the implementation of flexicurity and the enhancement of social dialogue, respecting national customs and practices;

39. Insists on the removal of bureaucratic obstacles for small and medium enterprises; calls for the further implementation of the principles proposed in the Commission's communication on a Small Business Act for Europe;

40. While fully recognising Member States have competence for wage policy, suggests that social partners at national level discuss new methodologies for wage policies which could reverse the current declining percentage relation between salaries and profits and include higher financial participation of employees in companies' proceeds through the use of schemes that mitigate the impact of inflation; considers that such schemes could allow for channelling employees' extra earnings to special capital funds created by companies; calls for a debate regarding ways of encouraging companies to engage in those methodologies, and furthermore calls for a debate regarding legal frameworks that regulate the access of employees to those funds in a gradual way over time;suggests to social partners the importance of a renewed commitment to 'decent living wages' which guarantee minimum wages significantly above the adequate income level, to enable people to move out of poverty and to benefit positively from work;

41. Insists that advancing non-discrimination and equal opportunities relies both on a sound legislative basis and on a range of policy tools and that non-discrimination and equality must be mainstreamed into all aspects of the renewed social agenda;

42. Asks the Commission to conduct studies on the medium and long-term impact of knowledge mobility, in order to use the results as a strong basis for measures to mitigate negative effects;

Immigration

43. Draws attention to the negative impact (possible brain drain) that immigration may have in the development process of the countries of origin including family structures, health, education and research; recalls, on the other hand, the effects of the economic crisis in terms of imbalances in the employment markets of the host countries;

44. Stresses the importance of ethical recruitment from third countries, particularly with regard to health-care professionals and calls on those Member States that have not already done so to develop a Code of Practice for international recruitment;

45. Emphasizes that the long-term impact of immigration on the demographic change is uncertain since it depends on the volatility of migration flows, family reunification and fertility rates;

46. Considers that immigrants can, when legally employed, contribute to the sustainable development of social security systems and also guarantee their own pension and social rights;

47. Stresses that a successful human rights based immigration policy should promote a coherent and efficient strategy for the integration of migrant people on the basis of equal opportunities rooted in guaranteeing their fundamental rights and ensuring a balance between rights and obligations;

48. Welcomes the Commission proposal to impose sanctions on employers who employ illegally staying third country nationals; emphasises the importance of combating the exploitation of illegally staying third country nationals whilst respecting the rights of those in vulnerable positions; in this context calls upon the Commission to promote the opportunities for lawful employment of legally staying third country nationals;

49. Welcomes the proposal for a directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border health care (COM(2008)0414); however, draws attention on the fact that the directive, in turn, must not lead to a greater discrimination of citizens of the union on grounds of their economic status;

50. Considers that strengthening of the implementation and enforcement of existing labour laws under national and Community law and under ILO conventions must be a priority for the EU institutions and the Member States;

51. Stresses the need to strengthen anti-discrimination laws throughout the EU further; calls on the Commission to stimulate the exchange of best practises between the Member States with regard to promoting of successful integration of migrants further; notes that, especially in times of economic hardship, the most vulnerable in society, amongst whom are often migrants, are disproportionally be affected;

The EU at an external level

52. Believes that in its external relations the EU could have a more proactive role in promoting core social and environmental standards; is convinced that additional efforts need to be made regarding mechanisms on the prevention, surveillance and sanction of infringements;

53. Considers that the EU could do more to influence the international agenda concerning the decent work agenda and actively promote compliance with International Labour Organisation conventions, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that this could contribute to achieving world peace and also to the protection of the EU's interests and values; 54. Emphasises the fact that the development of the Community legal framework, either through primary or secondary legislation should in no way contradict international obligations in the framework of the ILO conventions;

55. Notes that the EU should aim for a globalisation process that is more socially inclusive and economically and environmentally sustainable; notes that the way in which corporations conduct business not only has a large economic impact but also has a significant social impact, within the EU as well as in third countries, in particular in developing countries; therefore urges the Commission actively to promote the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, either through the promotion of soft law or through legislative proposals where appropriate;

Structural Funds

56. Suggests strengthening the potential of structural funds, through simplification, flexibility and improvement of procedures, and the social integration dimension, with the aim to help Member States to optimise the output of social and employment policies; calls on the Member States and regions to fully involve the partners pursuant to Article 16 of the General Regulation on the Structural Funds; strongly recommends making the ESF accessible to the partners in order to build up capacity;

57. Stresses that the renewed Social Agenda must make a clear commitment that EU structural and cohesion funds will help to achieve the objectives of the Social Agenda; therefore asks the Member States to use the European Social Fund (ESF) and all the other Structural Funds not only in order to improve the employability of people but also the social infrastructure;

58. Recognises that the Structural Funds largely remain the main funding instrument to fulfil social objectives, asks the Commission and the Member States to promote synergies with other programmes and support coherence across the multiannual framework programmes, such as Daphne, Progress, the Public Health Programme, and the 'Europe for citizens’ programme;

59. Calls for particular attention to be given to the regions that are most affected by globalisation as well as to regions in the new Member States that are in the process of social convergence;

60. Suggests that PROGRESS programme could contribute to a better assessment of the modernisation of European social models through the evaluation of pilot projects;

61. Considers that, as a result of the free movement of persons within the internal market, in some parts of the EU, and, in particular, in larger cities, new problems are emerging in connection with the provision of emergency social protection for people who are unable to support themselves, putting extra pressure on (charitable) private and public services which provide emergency assistance, for example for the homeless or for marginalised population groups in our society;

Instrumental actions

Social and civil dialogue

62. Stresses that flexibility and acceptance of change by citizens can increase through more mutual trust which can be enhanced by a more effective and transparent social dialogue as well as ensuring more effective participative democracy in policy design and delivery;

63. Considers it particularly important for the social dialogue to encourage policies on health and safety at work and, in general, promote improvements in the quality of life at the workplace; calls on the Commission to launch a debate on how workers who are not in full-time employment (temporary workers, part-time workers, workers on fixed-term contracts) can be brought into the social dialogue;

64. Given that the results of the negotiations of the European social partners are poorly known and disclosed, calls for the promotion of awareness of the results of social dialogue to improve its impact and promote its development;

65. Believes that the culture of cooperation, which has been replacing the conflict-based culture in the labour market, should continue to be encouraged through the promotion of the social dialogue;

66. Believes that civil society organisations, and people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, must be more directly involved in the debates on the economic and social model, on an equal basis;

67. Notes that social partners should make an effort to work with multiannual plans with specific calendars and deadlines aiming at a long-term sustainable strategy;

68. Calls for a wide debate between European stakeholders, national public authorities, employers and employees and civil society, about the social agenda for the post-2010 period;

69. Notes that companies play an important role not only in economic terms but also in social terms in the EU draws therefore attention to the promotion of corporate social responsibility and the need to make urgent progress as regards high-quality work, including decent living wages, to underpin the social model and to prevent social dumping;

70. Favours an effective dialogue between Parliament and civil society, a dialogue which is also needed within Member States on a central, regional and local level;

71. Notes that a European Year of Volunteering would be an ideal opportunity for the EU to connect with civil society; calls on the Commission to prepare the ground for 2011 to be declared as the European Year of Volunteering by submitting an appropriate legislative proposal to this effect as soon as possible;

72. Considers that civil society should be involved from the beginning of decision making processes, and that information should be publicly accessible, feedback should be reciprocal and the scope for change should be made clear to participants;

73. Stresses the importance and value of the consultation process as an effective tool in empowering citizens by enabling them to directly input into the policy process at EU level; calls on the Commission to take further steps to raise awareness of future EU consultations via the media and other appropriate forums at national, regional and local levels;

74. Suggests that it is urgently necessary for the European institutions, national social partners and civil society to adopt a "social pact" encompassing social actions with realistic, binding targets and indicators;

75. Notes that civic participation starts during childhood and calls for promotion and support of participation structures and initiatives at local, regional and national level for children and youth;

EU law

76. Stresses the need to make progress and finalise the regulation regarding the coordination of social security systems and the directive on portability of pension rights and the proposal for a directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation;

77. Calls for an improvement of the law making process at the EU level, by making it clear why actions at the EU level are needed, ensuring the quality of the content and delivering strong and independent impact assessments covering the social, environmental and economic effects; calls, in particular, for the effective implementation of the 2003 Inter-institutional Agreement on Better Law-Making;

78. Emphasizes that effective cooperation between Member States and effective monitoring of the transposition of EU law should be a priority;

79. Considers that better EU law-making should actively seek the involvement of civil society and address the concerns of citizens, thus bringing them closer to the EU;

Open Method of Coordination (OMC)

80. Considers that there should be a better linkage at the EU-level between economic and social policies, with a reaffirmation of the original Lisbon Agenda goals and the need to ensure that economic and employment policies actively contribute to the eradication of poverty and social exclusion; notes that the Lisbon Treaty establishes that very relevant aspects of social policy should be taken into account when defining and implementing EU policies;

81. Emphasises the need for the adoption of a legally binding charter of fundamental social rights;

82. Considers that there should be a better linkage at the EU-level between economic, environmental and social policies, notes that the Lisbon Treaty establishes that very relevant aspects of social policy should be taken into account when defining and implementing EU policies;

83. Considers that the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy should cover a strengthened OMC and invites the Commission to further encourage Member States to define national quantified targets, namely as regards poverty reduction and social inclusion, particularly supported by new measurable and quantitative indicators;

84. Calls on the Council and the Commission to open up opportunities for a real involvement of the European Parliament in the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy;

o o

85. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

[1] Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0544.
[2] Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0513.
[3] Texts adopted, P6_TA(2009)0039.
[4] Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0556.
[5] Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0467.
[6] OJ L 245, 26.8.1992, p. 46.
[7] OJ C 297E, 20.11.2008, p.174..
[8] OJ C 282E, 6.11.2008, p.463..
[9] OJ C 102E, 24.4.2008, p.321.
[10] OJ C 233, 28.9.2006, p.130..
[11] Texts adopted, P6-TA(2008)0286.
[12] OJ C 233 E, 28.9.2006, p. 130.
[13] OJ C 364, 18.12.2000, p. 1.
[14] OJ C 301 E, 13.12.2007, p. 45.
[15] Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0163.
[16] OJ L 254 , 30.9.1994, p. 64.
[17] OJ C 72 E, 21.3.2002, p. 68.

In the framework of the current economic crisis it is crucial that social policy goes hand in hand with economic policy aiming at a sustainable recovery of both the European people and the European economy.

The renewed social agenda should focus on the policies that contribute to the above and have, given the Commission’s analysis, not been sufficiently covered in previous social agendas.

This process should be based on a broad consensus and involve all key interested parties namely civil society organisations; national public authorities; cultural, social and economic agents; employers and employees while also respecting national customs and practices.

For those actions to be effective they should be built up on a democratic and a bottom-up participatory process carried out locally and close to the citizen. Therefore it is fundamental a very good articulation between the central and local government and civic society.

Nowadays, a broad stratum of our society feels insecure and fearful and is reluctant to accept change. In order to contribute for the support of the European citizens for change, social dialogue could be enhanced aiming at increasing the transparency in decisions of social adjustment and economic restructuring for example in the labour market.

It is important to emphasize that social dialogue is an ongoing process that goes beyond the short term and beyond collective bargaining.

The European social models are facing several challenges, namely demographic change and globalisation, to which they cannot stay immune. Therefore, they need to be modernised with a long term perspective while also preserving their original values.

The pension system funding should be reconsidered so that it is not based on the state system alone. The three-pillar approach remains as a balanced option and therefore people should be given information and the right incentives for greater use of alternatives to state-funded pensions. These include occupational pension schemes and those based on personal saving throughout working life.

The possibility of keeping people in the labour market on a voluntary basis beyond the statutory retirement age should be debated by social partners. Flexible retirement on a voluntary basis ought to be encouraged amongst workers and also employers.

Social partners could also discuss the implementation of benefit measures for women who take time out of the workplace to look after children. Those measures could promote both fertility and women participation in the job market. They could include credit years in the calculation of the contributory history of those women or a reduction in the number of years needed to qualify for full pension. Those benefit measures could also positively depend on the number of children.

Regarding the challenges posed by globalisation, the EU should seek for innovative and flexible responses in a framework in which emerging powers like Brazil, Russia, India and China will play an important role.

EU funds should not be seen as a panacea but they could help in emergency situations especially in regions which have been more negatively impacted by globalisation. Therefore, those funds should allow for flexibility in terms of use.

Professional mobility within the EU should be promoted with the aim of fully exploiting the European job market opportunities and in this sense the need for adequate language skills should be given particular attention. It should be mentioned that the mobility of citizens within the EU is still very low and has remained unchanged for a long time.

There are certain areas in which it is needed better enforcement of the implementation of existing EU law and if it proves necessary better law making. The open method of coordination (OMC) should be enhanced and deepened as an essential complement of the EU legislation.

The OMC could have a more local orientation and be more participatory. It could be used to evaluate progress towards targets and indicators of the "social pact" mentioned in this report and assess if they can be adapted or new ones could be introduced.

In brief, social policies should not be a patchwork of loose actions and ideas and there should be better articulation between economic, employment, environmental and social policies.

As a last remark, it should also be understood the need for better coordination between monetary policy, which is decided by the European Union, and the economic policy which is decided by the Member States, under the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. A better articulation of all these policies could help to foster growth and employment.

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on Renewed Social Agenda
(2008/2330(INI))

Rapporteur: Eoin Ryan

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs calls on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1. Reiterates the importance of a strong SME sector in order to provide a stable foundation for sustainable economic growth and social development and in order to increase living standards and the social fabric by stimulating private ownership and entrepreneurial skills, generating employment, diversifying economic activity, and contributing to regional development; welcomes, therefore, the Commission's initiative to reduce red tape in business but, given that the vast majority of enterprises in the European Union employ fewer than 10 people, believes that more needs to be done in this regard;

2. Regrets that although the financial crisis demonstrates the importance of State action in regard to maintaining economic activity and strengthening social cohesion, the Commission has not ensured the future of and the crucial role played by public services in the European Union by proposing a framework directive on services of general interest;

3. Will pay particular attention to the Commission’s report on the impact of demographic ageing on public spending and to its communication on the long-term sustainability of public finances, which are to be submitted in 2009; in that context, will take steps to ensure that the proposals for the modernisation of pension schemes do not lead to a decrease in the resources available to retired people; will also pay particular attention to the pension status of atypical workers;

4. Welcomes the importance given to the conventions adopted by the International Labour Organization, which must be regarded as minimum standards as regards decent work, and emphasises the importance of restoring the remunerative value of work, both within the European Union and in its relations with third countries;

5. Recognises the role that micro-credit can play in promoting social inclusion and in enhancing economic opportunities; calls on the Commission to improve the generation of and access to information relating to the opportunities as regards and availability of micro-credit and to target actively those groups in society that could benefit most from and that have most need of micro-credit;

6. Believes that the Commission and the Member States should step up their efforts to improve digital literacy and access to the information society; emphasises that special attention must be given to tackling the digital divide by focusing on access to information technology and to education by older people, people with disabilities, and people living in rural and marginal regions;

7. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote financial inclusion and education and to ensure that all citizens have access to basic banking services;

8. Welcomes the setting up in 2007 of the European Global Adjustment Fund; calls for further exploitation of the potential of that fund through the simplification of the relevant procedures.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on the Renewed Social Agenda
(2008/2330(INI))

Rapporteur: Anne Ferreira

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety calls on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

A. whereas the number of European citizens affected by poverty, insecurity, declining living conditions and an increase in social and health inequalities is increasing,

B. whereas the population of Europe is ageing and the number of people affected by serious physical and mental illness is rising; whereas there is also a link between an ageing population and disability,

C. whereas poor social and environmental conditions have an impact on the emergence and seriousness of some diseases; whereas there has been a steady increase in the incidence of cancer linked to environmental and dietary factors,

D. whereas the large-scale financial crisis and the serious economic and social crisis may add to the crisis affecting the environment and the climate;

1. Welcomes the presentation of the Renewed Social Agenda and the European Union’s recognition of the imbalances in the current agenda;

2. Looks to the Commission to ensure that environmental and health issues are rapidly integrated in all Union policies in order to ensure a high level of health and environmental protection, in accordance with the provisions of the EC Treaty;

3. Shares the Commission’s determination to extend the Social Agenda to include new areas; deplores the fact that the environment is too often being considered only from the point of view of climate change; welcomes the renewed declarations by the Commission in favour of a sustainable economy with low CO₂ emissions, but regrets the fact that the Commission’s proposal contains no specific measure to take into account the social and health consequences of the environmental and climate crises;

4. Draws attention once again to the need to incorporate the Lisbon Strategy, the strategy of sustainable development and the fight against climate change into all Union policies; regrets the lack of real and practical Union commitment, as part of its proposal on the renewed Social Agenda and in its recovery plan, to the ‘greening’ of the European economy and the creation of ‘green’ jobs;

5. Considers that the Union should henceforth rapidly endow itself with an ambitious environmental agenda, proposing a review of environmental legislation so as to achieve a more environmentally and health-friendly economy; stresses that this environmental agenda must be in line with and coordinated with the Union’s Social Agenda;

6. Regrets the mismatch between the aim of living longer and in better health, and the measures proposed; deplores the lack of reference to the various European action plans and programmes for the environment or public health in 2004-2010 and for health at work and calls on the Commission to incorporate therein the positions adopted in this area by the European Parliament;

7. Stresses that the health and health systems of Member States are a matter of general interest and that the health systems of Member States are a key component of the high levels of social protection in Europe and contribute to social cohesion and justice and to sustainable development; recalls the competence of Member States in organising, providing and financing social protection systems and the right of each citizen to high- quality effective and comprehensive healthcare and services within easy reach which are accessible to all; takes note of the proposal for a directive on the application of patients’ rights as regards cross-border health services; stresses that that proposal for a directive cannot be a solution to medical shortcomings or problems of access to healthcare in some Member States.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on the Renewed social agenda
(2008/2330(INI))

Rapporteur: Cornelis Visser

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Culture and Education calls on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1. Underlines particularly importance of adult learning and advocates greater dialogue between enterprises, training bodies, trade unions and the voluntary sector, aimed at identifying and forecasting new competences so that provision of adult education could reflect the demand for skills; the content of education must correspond to vocational and practical requirements;

2. Highlights the necessity of promoting University-business cooperation as it is important to ensure that these partners cooperate and that they support each other for the benefice of their own organisations, of their staff and their students; the bridge between university curricula and the world of enterprise should be built, business sphere should have the possibility to complement study programs, to offer internships, organize open days for students etc;

3. Points out that the reconciliation of family life, working life and lifelong learning requires broadening the scope of public and private childcare facilities and of health and social support for dependants. Draws attention to the need to involve employers to create flexible working conditions so that parents have the opportunity to continue with lifelong learning while being employed and to achieve a work-life balance;

4. Reiterates the importance of the role that ICTs play in lifelong learning (for example, distance learning) and of providing greater support for language learning following three lines: development of "1+2" language principle, special language programs for immigrants in order to increase their employability and social integration and finally the policy of learning the language of, and promoting joint training programmes with, neighbouring countries in border areas as it opens them job opportunities;

5. Stresses the importance of courses in information and communication technology at all levels and in all types of education as an essential element of increased employability prospects and development of a modern knowledge-based society;

6. Points out that sport has is an outstanding instrument of social inclusion and makes contribution to the development of values such as fairness, solidarity, respect of rules and team spirit. It plays significant role in terms of health, education, cultural values thanks to organizations structured on voluntary lines;

7. Considers further reflection on the Renewed Social Agenda to be necessary in the light of the rapid changes in progress within the world economy, since they have major implications for young people's job and training prospects, require greater flexibility with no guarantee of job security and entail greater casualisation of work, undermining the principles on which social Europe is based;

8. Maintains that culture and cultural activity are essential instruments of social inclusion and help to foster personal development, promote the good of society, and nurture talents;

9. Believes that the unemployed need as soon as possible to be motivated and encouraged to participate in training for occupations not encompassed within the labour market.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on Renewed social agenda
(2008/2330(INI))

Rapporteur: Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality calls on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

– having regard to its resolution of 13 October 2005 on women and poverty in the European Union[1],

– having regard to its resolution of [...] February 2009 on non-discrimination based on gender and inter-generational solidarity[2],

A whereas Article 2 of the EC Treaty stipulates that solidarity and equality between men and women are among the founding values of the European Union, and it is the responsibility of the Commission and the Member States to ensure that women's rights are observed and to facilitate participation in economic and social life for all members of society,

B. whereas poverty is a violation of human rights and combating it must be a priority, with a particular focus on women who face a higher risk of poverty than men, because of their economic dependency (many of them being unpaid family workers), the persistent gender pay gap in the labour market and the fact that they represent a large majority of single parents and the elderly,

C. whereas investing in gender equality implies working towards lifting poor women out of poverty, thus reducing the risk of perpetuating poverty into the next generations,

D. whereas important fields such as labour mobility, knowledge mobility, and healthcare mobility have a different impact on women´s lives than on men´s,

1. Notes the presentation of the renewed social agenda by the Commission, permitting developments to go one step further and providing for a more targeted and integrated approach to social policies by mobilising the fields of employment, equal opportunities, education, health, and the information society, and hopes that this will contribute to furthering equality between women and men, the creation of more and better jobs and efforts to tackle poverty, discrimination and social exclusion;

2. Deeply deplores the fact that the renewed social agenda does not place women among the Commission's priorities, and calls on the Commission to mainstream women’s rights in all the key areas of action, so as to explicitly take into consideration the impact that all actions have on women, in order to prevent them from becoming the new exploited class of the 21st century;

3. Recalls the increase in poverty, precarious work and inequalities; calls on the Member States to adopt policies for the recovery of wages and pensions, which will contribute to greater justice in the distribution of wealth, improved living standards for workers and pensioners - specially women - and economic recovery;

4. Regrets in particular that the package lacks a review of the Equal Pay Directive, accompanied by a gender-neutral work evaluation system, to reduce gender pay gaps both within and between economic sectors, as well as special measures on reconciling work and private life;

5. Asks the Member States to level up by 2010 the gender equality legislation, to mainstream gender equality in all policy areas, as required by Article 3(2) of the EC Treaty, and to ensure the effective transposition and implementation of Directive 2002/73/EC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women concerning access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions;

6. Stresses that, in view of the new demographic challenges, the best solution to counteract negative tendencies is to address the situation of women who live in poverty, with unequal and inadequate access to nutrition, housing, education, pay, and who do not have the benefit of being able to reconcile work and private life;

7. Asks the Commission to carry out studies on the medium and long-term impact that the different types of mobility have on women and to propose measures to mitigate its negative effects;

8. Considers that the EU's interests and values, among which gender equality features, must contribute to influencing decisions taken at international level within the framework of the Agenda on Decent Work, the application of fundamental rights and international conventions, particularly those concerning the work of women, mothers and children, but also education;

9. Reaffirms its rejection of the draft directive of working time and calls for the withdrawal of this proposal; furthermore, calls on the Council to make a strong commitment to reducing working-time without lowering wages, and on the Member States to coordinate their efforts to gradually reduce working time to achieve the short-term objective of a 35-hour week; considers that a reduction in working time without lowering wages should be seen as another way to create jobs - specially for women - and stimulate the economy;

10. Considers that flexibility and security must be used in favour of the socially disadvantaged, especially with regard to women and the elderly, who are more exposed to risks of extreme poverty, a fact highlighted by the Commission's studies; to this end, a balanced approach must be adopted regarding the interests of working women, as well as retired women, but also concerning the integration of women's potential and active contribution for promoting economic growth;

11. Underlines the need to implement new incentives to improve the reconciliation between family and professional life by providing women with the full range of social services;

12. Emphasises that there is no response to the crisis and its consequences without an improvement in public welfare; asks the Member States to strengthen the social functions of the State and social protection systems, strengthen public investment in infrastructure, particularly in nurseries and homes for the elderly, develop a housing policy that guarantees the right of everyone to housing, protect and develop public health services and enhance public education;

13. Considers that the elimination of lower wages in some professions, predominantly occupied by women, is a precondition for achieving a new model of social fairness and economic independence;

14. Underlines the importance of education in social policy; stresses the need for young people to benefit from a qualitative education in order to eradicate the phenomenon of early school leaving; further stresses the urgent need to combat school segregation throughout the EU; moreover youngsters, and especially girls and women, should be informed about the possibilities available to them in the field of education and training; invites the Commission to go one step further in the field of lifelong learning by adopting measures promoting equality between men and women, such as offering new skills (for example in the use of new technologies) to enable the reintegration of women in the labour market;

15. Encourages the enhancement of the dialogue with social partners, leading to an improvement in parental leave; welcomes the new proposals from the Commission concerning maternity leave and the rights of the self-employed; underlines the need to ensure that women can be reintegrated into the labour market, and accordingly calls on the Commission to promote it efficiently;

16. Stresses the importance of the participation of women in the labour market, both as employers and employees, with a view to reaching EU's objectives in the field of employment and social affairs, particularly social inclusion but also growth and well-being; stresses that opportunities should be given to women in order to develop their existing qualifications and to make use of their education and training; however, underlines the need to offer women options which facilitate a better organisation of their family and private life;

17. Urges the Commission to actively encourage women's entrepreneurship, which enables them to better reconcile family and professional life; calls on the Commission to ensure flexibility in the proposed legislation in order to avoid any administrative or financial burden that might restrict women's initiatives in the field of entrepreneurship;

18. Is of the opinion that employment does not in itself constitute adequate protection against extreme poverty and that, mainly as a consequence of occupational segregation, more women than men work in lower-paid jobs, while it is often the case that social security payments alone do not offer protection against extreme poverty either;

19. Invites the Commission to combine the renewed social agenda with other initiatives such as the European pact for gender equality, the European Youth Pact and the European Alliance for families, in order for disadvantaged social groups to have better access to social benefits;

20. Stresses that extreme poverty and the ensuing social exclusion cannot be understood solely in economic terms on the basis of figures, but must also be understood in terms of human rights and citizenship; recognises that the principle of the free movement of capital and goods cannot, in itself, eradicate poverty or chronic poverty (especially persistent poverty) and that extreme poverty deprives those affected of opportunities and prevents them from fully taking part in the community life by making them indifferent to their surroundings;

21. Calls for the close partnership with the very poorest women and families to be consolidated at all levels of the decision-making process so that their experience can be drawn on in devising measures and means to combat chronic poverty effectively and eradicate the ensuing social exclusion; calls, in order to make the above-mentioned partnership possible, on all the institutions concerned to adjust the open method of coordination and the operational framework for the renewed social agenda to the needs of women in situations of great poverty;

22. Calls on the Member States to adopt additional support measures, when implementing the renewed social agenda, that will help particularly working women who are single parents, or who have large families, to find forms of employment with flexible working hours so that they can meet their more extensive family commitments;

23. Commends the very poorest women in their daily struggle against extreme poverty, and acknowledges that the work performed by volunteers who assist and support them is an important contribution to the implementation of the renewed social agenda; pays tribute to the work of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as Caritas Internationalis or ATD Fourth World, which display a long-term commitment to the most disadvantaged groups, and to European NGO networks in the welfare sector;

24. Calls on the institutions charged with implementing the renewed social agenda, at all decision-making levels, to adopt the same definition of poverty as the one Parliament has adopted in all its resolutions on respect for fundamental rights in the European Union, namely: the lack of basic security means the absence of one or more of the factors, particularly employment, that enable individuals and families to assume professional, family and social responsibilities and to enjoy fundamental rights; such a situation may vary in extent, its consequences can vary in gravity and may to a greater or lesser extent be irreversible; the lack of basic security leads to chronic poverty when it simultaneously affects several aspects of life, when it is prolonged and when it severely compromises people's chances of regaining their rights and of reassuming their responsibilities;

25. Invites the Commission to combine the renewed social agenda with other initiatives such as the European pact for gender equality, the European Youth Pact and the European Alliance for families, in order for disadvantaged social groups to profit from social benefits.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

[1] OJ C 233 E, 28.9.2006, p. 130.
[2] Texts adopted on that date, P6_TA(2009)[...].

Date adopted

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

Members present for the final vote

Mariela Velichkova Baeva, Zsolt László Becsey, Pervenche Berès, Slavi Binev, Sharon Bowles, Udo Bullmann, Elisa Ferreira, Jean-Paul Gauzès, Sophia in ‘t Veld, Wolf Klinz, Gay Mitchell, Eoin Ryan, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Peter Skinner, Margarita Starkevičiūtė, Ieke van den Burg

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

Eva-Riitta Siitonen

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