RETIS Network of the European Regions for social inclusion met in general assembly in Brussels last week to review EU policy in the sector and analyse the “best practices” of its members (over 70 regions, cities and development agencies) in the network’s three years of activity. The conclusions of the meeting emphasize the overall need for greater investment by the European Union, whose “wave of neo-laissez faire” in favour of mere economic growth in the context of the Lisbon Strategy is causing concern to Retis: in particular, the network underlines the need for greater attention to access to housing for the poorer sections of the community through targeted programmes of subsidized housing. The chairman of Retis, Angelo Passaleva, has promised that by 2005 the network would publish “all the actions implemented in the individual European local areas that have produced positive results in terms of favouring social inclusion”. For further information, consult the website www.retis-eu.org
