EU Policy Update October 2016

1. 5 EU Policy Update October 2016 Sian Jones Policy Coordinator European Anti Poverty Network www.eapn.eu

2. 5 Outline • The Context – The EU in crisis • State of the Union speech and Bratislava Road Map • Other policy developments – Employment and Social • EAPN Action • Social Pillar next steps • BREXIT – what implications/what’s our approach?

3. 5 The Context: EU crisis continues… • GREXIT: New threat of GREXIT.Trokavisit 16 Oct to tackle 330bn Eu debt, with talk of 4th bailout. IMF saysrecovery impossible withoutdebtforgiveness. • MIGRATION: 90% reduction of refugees/migrants to Greece, but squalid conditions + delay in admin support for asylum applications. Increasednumbers to Italy/Spain. • HUNGARIAN REFERENDUM: 98% vote against EU migrant quotas but invalidbecauselessthan 50% vote. (2 Oct) • EUROPEAN COUNCIL CONCULSIONS ON MIGRATION: protectingexternalborders, revising Schengen, preventingillegal migration fromAfrica, implementing EU-Turkeypact, but can’tdeliver. (Oct) • BREXIT: Leave vote won, Cameron resigned. New PM Theresa May won’tstart Article 50 until March. EU defends 4 freedoms. Fears of knock on effectsacross the EU. • SECURITY & TERRORISM: Top priority in Junckers’ State of the Union Address and in the Council’sBratislave Road Map.

4. 5 State of the Union speech • State of Union speech on 14 Sept sets out Juncker’s priorities for next period. See here • EU in “existential crisis” with “the risk of fragmentation”; “high risks of high unemployment and social inequality….as well as huge challenge of integrating refugees”. • EU must be “a world leader when it comes to the fight for human rights and fundamental values”… • 5 priorities – A Europe that protects, preserves EU way of life, empowers, defends, takes responsibility • Key Actions: Doubling Investment Fund, Investment Plan for Africa, free wifi by 2020, new EU border/coast guard.. • But little on protects and social rights (EPSR)…

5. 5 Bratislava Declaration and Road Map • EU Ministers met 16 September to set out road map follow up, linked to State of the Union. See here • Make a success of EU 27, and find common solutions, being clear about subsidiarity. • Migration: stop uncontrolled flows, control borders, and deliver common EU migration policy • Internal and External Security: increased cooperation and border checks, stop radicalisation; EU plan: security + defence. • Economic and Social Development: EFSI, deepen single market, more open trade deals, youth unemployment follow up • Next meeting: Malta, March 2017 – Anniversary Ty of Rom.

6. 5 Other Policy Developments - Employment • Work-Life Balance : A second-stage consultation with social partners was launched in July 2016 (till 30 September); the approach is still very narrow – getting more women into employment. • Social and labour market integration of refugees and asylum-seekers: The Commission launched a repository of promising practices of labour market integration and social inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees across EU Member States. You can submit a good practice here. • Platform on Undeclared Work: Intergovernmental initiative, involving mostly labour inspectorates, launched earlier this year; first plenary meeting in October; priorities of for 2017-2018: cooperation and joint action, mutual learning, increasing knowledge; upcoming: study of bogus self-employment; seminar on holistic approaches to tackle undeclared work; national seminar in Sweden; mutual assistance project in Romania. • Mobility Package: Rather than the announced package, only revision of the Posting of Workers Directive, ongoing; difficult discussions on fair remuneration; recent European Parliament report on social dumping in Europe.

7. 5 Other Policy Developments – EAPN Action • Mid-Term Review Multiannual Financial Framework: Commission Communication published Sept 2016. See here. 13bn more for jobs, particularly youth, growth, migration, security. COM proposal by Dec 2017. • EESC new Opinion: EU Funding Effectiveness to fight poverty – Led by K Balon. EAPN working with rapporteur, and spoke in 2nd hearing on 4th October. Calling for new integrated fund to fight poverty. • Youth Guarantee: in October, Commission Communication highlights main achievements of the Youth Guarantee and Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). See here. Considered a success based on numbers – still no quality indicators, provisions against creaming, integrated support etc.   • New Skills Agenda for Europe: Launched this June, to improve the supply and relevance of skill provision in the EU, according to labour market needs; so far, the only concrete initiative has been the launch of a Europass CV template • European Education, Training, and Youth Forumtook place in Brussels on October 20-21, dedicated to the New Skills Agenda for Europe; EAPN in civil society dialogue with DG Education and Culture

8. 5 EAPN Action – Alliances and Other Initiatives • Energy Poverty / Vulnerable Consumers– Participation in meetings, feedback to cluster. EAPN in EPC Task Force: Energy Poverty-Oct 19 on financial means. • MEP Meszerics / Rapporteur: Energy poverty handbook, EAPN wrote opening chapter and good practices from EAPN cluster. Published in December. • Roma Inclusion – Continued participation in the civil society ad-hoc coalition, members of the email cluster kept informed; 10th European Roma Platform to take place on 29-30 November in Brussels. • Social Platform – Participation in Task Forces (social standards, services, EU funding, civil dialogue, human rights), Steering Group, and thematic ad-hoc meetings. • Living Wage Campaign: Webpage on the EAPN website, Facebook page, logo (translated in 5 languages), 2-page leaflet (in translation). • AlterSummit: Upcoming participation in their conference on 25-26 November; EAPN speaks in a workshop on Services, presenting our work and the paper; details here. • Investing in Children Alliance: participates in meetings/activities – latest Statement on children’s rights in EPSR to October Council.

9. 5 European Pillar on Social Rights - Update • National Consutation Process: national meetings in MS organized by Connect with European Semester Officers with EAPN participation. • EU: Commission DG EMPL stakeholder dialogue meetings (2) EAPN gives intervention on new ways of work. • High level Events with EP and other stakeholders: egwith Greens, 20 October – S+D; Eurodiaconia, Coface, ETUI etc; DG research event. • White paper, linked to deepening of EMU early 2017. • Emerging messages: • Commission is trying to damp down expectations of major changes, however Ruth Passermans/Thyssen’s cabinet last week said: • 3 key reasons for EPSR: improve social welfare, economic arguments that inequality is counter-productive and political: for Presidents to reconnect with citizens. • Basic principles for all, including migrants • Upward social convergence for all MS but particularly Eurozone • Legal base: Article 153, but possibility of legal benchmarks in Eurozone. • Benchmarks should feed into European Semester, but more social. .

10. 5 EAPN Actions and Next Steps • Nov 2015: People Experiencing Poverty meeting: fed into the EC Communication. • June 2016: EAPN Conference debate with members and Commission/European Parliament rapporteur and stakeholders. • July-September: Consultation with EAPN members on consultation response and draft position paper. • Sept – Contribution to Social Platform consultation response. • October 2016: Position paper: Last Chance for Social Europe finalized and consultation response submitted. National and EO member responses. • Oct 2016: meetings with DG ECFIN, Employment, EMCO, SPC, EP. • Sept-Oct 2016 – input and amendments to EP opinion: rapporteur Maria Joao Rodrigues, and with shadows. • November 2016: People Experiencing Poverty meeting – further input.

11. 5 EAPN Actions – What now? • What priorities should we focus on? • What advocacy and other actions at national level? • What advocacy actions at EU level? What alliances?

12. 5 BREXIT – Opportunity or Threat? • What are the implications of BREXIT? • What are the threats and opportunities to the EU? • What does it mean for EAPN? • How should we respond? Internally and externally • What alliances can we work with? See Post-Brexit Alliance: EAPN joins statement with 177 organizations on a new Europe for people, planet and prosperity for all: • Preparing action for the 60th Anniversary of Treaty of Rome?

13. 5 Thank you for your attention! For more information, please contact Sian Jones EAPN Policy Coordinator sian.jones@eapn.eu