The Commission for Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) organises the 9th EU meeting of people experiencing poverty in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

meeting

BERÈS, Pervenche (S&D, FR)

MARTINEZ LOZANO, Isabel (ES)

HOREMANS, Ludo (BE)

fight against poverty (T)

9th EU Meeting of people experiencing poverty: extracts

SOUNDBITE (English), Ludo HOREMANS, President of the European Anti-Poverty Network EAPN, This is a very important thing that the voice and the proposals of people experiencing poverty are heard by the people who are responsible for the policy as well as at the European level as at national level. Because we know very well all who are responsible at national level have an important role to play in decisions at European level.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ludo HOREMANS, President of the European Anti-Poverty Network EAPN, That should be the ultimate goal that we keep in front of us the complete eradication of poverty which is a shame for such a welfare area as the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (French), Pervenche BER&#200;S (S&amp;D, FR), Between the ministers there is sometimes a certain imbalance in terms of the authority which certain things are said. There is an imbalance of minister for economic affairs and minister of social affairs. But we need to strike a balance. So the minister for social affairs, when they come to the parliament and when they sepalspeak something useful, must be heard by the minister for economic.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Isabel MARTINEZ LOZANO, Spanish Presidency of the EU, The European Union has set up as objective to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty by 25% in other words by 20 million people. And this objective should be reached by 2020. Fighting and combating poverty should remain one of the top priority of employment strategy.