In 2000, EU leaders established the Social Inclusion Process to make a decisive impact on eradicating poverty by 2010. Since then, the European Union has provided a framework for national strategy development as well as for policy coordination between the Member States on issues relating to poverty and social exclusion. Participation by actors such as NGOs, social partners and local and regional authorities has become an important part of this process.
Action at European level had an impact in various ways. It encouraged Member States to critically examine their policies. It highlighted how countries perform well in certain areas, spurring on other Member States to perform better. It also created a better basis for policy making by involving a range of actors such as NGOs, social partners, local and regional authorities and those working with people in poverty.
In the field of social inclusion, EU action has finally created a clear consensus about the following key challenges:
- to eradicate child poverty by breaking the vicious circle of intergenerational inheritance;
- to make labour markets truly inclusive;
- to ensure decent housing for everyone;
- to overcome discrimination and increase the integration of people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and immigrants;
- to tackle financial exclusion and overindebtedness.
MPHASIS is contributing to improving measurement of homelessness at national and European level through national meetings with all relevant stakeholders. National representatives involved in the EU social inclusion process include delegates of :
- The Social Protection Committee (representatives from social affairs ministries)
- The Indicators Subgroup of the Social Protection Committee (statistical experts from social affairs ministries)
- National Contact Points on social inclusion (civil servants who prepare national progress reports on social inclusion)
- Independent expert network (researchers who assess the impact of the EU social inclusion process)