Greater solidarity needed

A renewed attention to the family, basic nucleus of society, cradle of interpersonal relations, and first “social shock absorber”: in the initiatives linked to 2010 as European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, a new sensibility seems to be emerging at the European level.A “political imperative” for Barroso. “Too often it is the most vulnerable social categories that end up being those most adversely affected by the effects of the recession”: combating poverty is, therefore, “a priority political imperative in this decade that has just begun” and must become “a mainstay of any policy of development and social cohesion” in the 27-member EU. José Manuel Barroso, President of the Commission, has on several occasions in recent weeks supported these concepts. He reaffirmed them during the event held in Madrid on 21 January which officially opened the European Year. The Union has launched a campaign accompanied by the slogan “Stop to poverty”. It has placed on the agenda various conferences and seminars, information initiatives, an art exhibition, a competition for journalists. The EU has especially made an effort to “decentralise” the events: events aimed at raising awareness and social analysis will in fact take place at the regional and local level, so as to be “closer to citizens”. Two “thematic weeks” (in May and November), as well as cultural activities, will be held in each member state. Poverty, health, lack of education… The inaugural event in Madrid was preceded by a long phase of preparation, in which some key commitments for 2010 were defined. The documents drafted to this end emphasize, among other things, that in the course of the next twelve months it will be essential to concentrate on “poverty within the family nucleus”, paying particular attention to large families, single-parent families and those that have to care for a dependent person. Moreover, specific measures need to be taken to “combat child poverty”, the “poverty suffered by children placed in institutions”, and “the elimination of disadvantages in terms of education and training”. Special care should also be devoted to the disabled and the elderly. Further priorities spelt out for 2010 concern “equality of access to adequate resources and services, including decent housing, and health and social protection”; “access to culture and recreational activities”; “the social inclusion of immigrants and ethnic minorities”; the response to the pressing needs “of the homeless and other categories or persons in vulnerable situations”, including gipsies.Crisis and employment emergency. The phase of gestation and inauguration of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion was held in tandem with something that had not been planned by the EU: the grave crisis that has weakened the global and European economy, generating millions of unemployed. This situation made it necessary to revise some objectives, and concentrate also on the aspects of material poverty that arise from lack of work, precariousness or inadequacy of family income. Barroso in fact declared: “Combating poverty and social exclusion is an integral part of the strategy to overcome the crisis. The European Year 2010 ought, in this sense, to act as a catalyst, by promoting a greater consciousness and acceleration towards a more inclusive society, which represents one of the objectives of the Strategy 2020, which I proposed for the future of the EU”. The Strategy 2020 ought to take the place of the previous Lisbon Strategy for a competitive economy, based on knowledge and sustainability and able to ensure greater opportunities for employment: the EU extraordinary summit fixed for 11 February ought to focus on this issue.Spidla: a society of greater solidarity. The EU Commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, also spoke at the inaugural ceremony in Madrid and urged the need for more effective action to combat poverty: “In Europe one citizen out of six is forced to struggle daily to make ends meet, but poverty can also impact on the life of us all and on our societies as a whole”. “Though most of the tools to combat poverty are situated as the national level”, European citizens also “expect the involvement of the EU”. According to Spidla, 2010 poses ambitious goals to Europe: “It must remind us of the essential right of persons” in a condition of poverty or deprivation “to live in full dignity and play an active part in society”; and impose the need to “build and defend a society of greater solidarity”. The EU has allocated 17 million euros to “support awareness-raising campaigns at the European and national level, as well as hundreds of national projects linked to the different priorities” of the individual member states of the Union.