On 5 July the European Anti Poverty Network invited the International Labour Organisation, Eurochild, the European Trade Union Confederation, Global Social Justice, and Joost Korte, Director-General of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission to outline what is social protection for all, what are the challenges and the promising practices at national level. How to achieve a stronger welfare state and how to finance it.
As European Food Banks Federation we were happy to attend and contribute to the discussions of this meeting.
The subject builds on the European Pillar of Social Rights, asking for social protection for workers, but what about the people who are not in employment? Such a protection should provide access to enabling services (housing, education, etc.), providing resources (food) and help people escape from risk of the poverty and social exclusion. Dis-investment from social security, tax evasion, mistrust towards Europe, rising income inequality are political challenges that can menace social stability and democracy.
The European Commission encouraged all the stakeholders to support the European Social Fund + (ESF+), as this is an opportunity to secure resources in the period 2021-2027, while no one knows how the future European Parliament and European Commission will look like and will be wanting to do.
