EU Presidency Statement - Commission for Social Development: Agenda Item 3a

Sommaire: EU Presidency Statement - Commission for Social Development: Agenda Item 3a (9 February 2006: New York)

Commission for Social Development, Agenda Item 3a, Review of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006); Statement by Dr Eveline Hönigsperger, Federal Ministry for Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection, on behalf of the European Union, New York

I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the European Union. The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.

Mr Chairperson,

1. As this is the first time Austria is taking the floor during this session of the Commission, please allow me to congratulate you and the other members of the Bureau on your election and to assure you that the European Union looks forward to participating actively and constructively during the 44th Session of the Commission for Social Development.

2. The European Union strongly reiterates its determination to ensure a full and effective implementation of the commitments made at the 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen and at the 24th Special Session of the General Assembly as well as those agreed in the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document.

3. The EU welcomes the consideration by CSocD of 'The Review of the first UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006)' as a priority theme for the agenda of its 44th Session. The eradication of poverty is one of the three core themes of the Copenhagen Programme of Action, inextricably linked to the other two: the promotion of full, productive and freely chosen employment while respecting the core labour standards and taking into account social dialogue and social protection and social integration. In particular, as highlighted in a recent report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly, the centrality of employment should be taken into account when searching for strategies for poverty eradication. In this respect, we welcome the conclusion of the UN World Summit 2005 that decent work for all is a global goal and has to be a central objective in poverty reduction strategies. The EU underlines the central role of the International Labour Organisation in this respect and its cooperation with other organs of the UN system as well as the Bretton Woods Institutions.

4. Poverty is an issue of concern both at the internal social policy level in the EU and at the global level, as a matter of EU development cooperation and development efforts of individual member states. Allow me to commence by reflecting on the role of and the challenges for eradicating poverty at the EU-internal social policy level.

Eradicating Poverty within the EU

The challenge: Fighting poverty within the EU

5. Employment is a prerequisite in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. Despite having some of the most developed social protection systems in the world, 68 million people live in low income households in the European Union. A particular concern for these people is the social exclusion they often experience.

6. The groups most at risk of poverty are those without a job, single parents, elderly people living alone, families with a large number of children, persons with disabilities and refugees. Long-term unemployment plays a significant role in social exclusion and poverty. The majority of those affected by poverty are women.

7. The recent economic slowdown in several EU-countries could place people at greater risk of poverty and social exclusion. Moreover, those who are already affected are likely to suffer if there were an overall increase in long-term unemployment and if it became more difficult to find work.

What has the EU done to address this challenge?

8. As part of the Lisbon Agenda 2000, EU leaders committed themselves to make a decisive impact on eradicating poverty by 2010. As a result, Member States have adopted National Action Plans to strengthen national, regional and local policies, to coordinate better the overall policy effort and to involve all relevant actors. In 2005 the Lisbon strategy was updated and the Council of the European Union passed new integrated guidelines to strengthen economic growth and employment.

9. The EU is committed to the comprehensive approach to eradicating poverty as laid out in the Copenhagen documents. Its policy to fight poverty is based on four main themes:

- to facilitate participation in employment and access by all to resources, rights, goods and services;
- to prevent the risk of exclusion;
- to help the most vulnerable; and
- to mobilise all relevant bodies.

10. The process has led to the identification of a number of key policy priorities. For example, fighting poverty among children is seen as a key priority, because they face a higher poverty risk (19% as opposed to 15% for the population as a whole) and because policies in their favour can help to break the cycle of disadvantage which can perpetuate poverty across the generations.

How has EU action made an impact on poverty reduction within the EU?

11. The EU focus on poverty reduction has led to an increased political awareness at national level and thus to a stronger focus on poverty and exclusion in national social and economic policies. A key element in the process is the involvement of all relevant stakeholder, such as NGOs, social partners, local and regional authorities.

12. Moreover, transnational exchange projects have helped Member States to share good practice and to learn from each other. Community funding has played an important role in promoting social inclusion, particularly through the Social Inclusion Action Programme and the European Social Fund (ESF).

13. Against this background, EU action on poverty has created a clear consensus about the key challenges: to make labour markets truly inclusive; to modernise social protection systems; to deliver high quality social services that are accessible for all people; to improve education, training and housing; to overcome discrimination and increase the integration of people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and immigrants; and to eradicate child poverty.

II. The development policy of the European Union: A common vision to eradicate poverty

The challenge: Fighting poverty worldwide

14. According to the report of the Secretary-General, there has been progress in poverty eradication worldwide over the last 10 years - the UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006) - but much remains to be done. Whereas the number of people living in extreme poverty declined by around 118 million persons, it still amounts to more than one billion.

15. At the Millennium Review Summit we committed ourselves once again to what remains the biggest social challenge - the elimination of poverty. The Summit reiterated our determination to ensure the timely and full realization of the development goals and objectives agreed at the major United Nations conferences and summits, including those agreed at the Millennium Summit that are described as the Millennium Development Goals, which have helped to galvanize efforts towards poverty eradication.

16. To address this challenge, we need more and better aid, delivered through real partnerships, strengthened policy coherence for development and a focus on the special needs of Africa to help empower the poor.

What does the EU do to address this challenge?

17. Each country must take primary responsibility for its own development. Developing country governments are called on to prepare, implement and continuously adapt ambitious national poverty reduction strategies that take into account the human rights and gender dimension of poverty, promote decent work and good governance and ensure accountability and transparency in public and private sector management.

18. Development assistance in the field of poverty eradication and employment creation can play an important role. The European Union and its Member States are highly committed to the eradication of poverty. Action by the private sector needs to be mobilised as it can have a multiplier effect on development assistance if societal developments and the necessity to protect weaker participants in the market are taken into account. Among other actions the Decent Work agenda of the International Labour Organisation ILO plays an important role in this respect. Fair distribution of prosperity created through a globalized economy requires recognition of the core labour rights and actions, which support fair distribution of work on a global scale along the lines set in the report of the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, which the EU supports.

19. The EU supports those partner countries' development and reform strategies which are coherent and focused on poverty reduction. Social development is essential in reducing poverty and the EU believes that a holistic and coherent approach to human and social development is needed, including not only health and education but also gender equality, youth and children, employment and social cohesion.

20. On 20th December 2005 the Presidents of the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission signed the new "European Consensus on Development", thus committing the three major European institutions and the Member States for their bilateral development policies to a common set of objectives, values, principles and means for development. The Development Policy Statement builds on the strong consensus that now exists on the MDGs and puts poverty eradication at the centre.

21. The Development Policy Statement in its entirety fully reflects the commitments on the Millennium Development Goals and their special focus on human and social development. The EU believes that special attention should be given to achieving the health goals, not least the child and maternal health goals, which have shown low levels of progress up to now. A reproductive health target as well as indicators will help the international community to monitor progress in many of the MDGs including HIV and AIDS, poverty, maternal and child health and gender. We are pleased that the Millennium Review Summit reaffirmed importance of attaining the goal of universal access to reproductive health. The MDGs cannot be reached unless progress is made in meeting universal sexual and reproductive health and rights as set out in the Cairo Programme of Action.

How has EU action made an impact on poverty reduction worldwide?

22. Nearly half the money spent worldwide to support developing countries comes from the European Union and its member states, making the EU the world's biggest aid donor. The European Union and its member states pay out more than €30 billion a year of public aid to developing countries. Of this amount, about €6 billion are channelled through the European Commission. In May 2005 the EU has followed up on its 2002 decision to raise the level of development assistance by 2006 and agreed on a further significant increase by 2010 - which amounts to an extra €20 billion per year with 15 member states committed to reach the 0.7 target by 2015. We invite other donors to follow this example recalling the Monterrey consensus which was reaffirmed at the World Summit.

23. In line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the EU Development Policy Statement also aims to enhance the effectiveness of our aid - and to ensure greater coherence between development policies and other EU policies. After the 2005 Millennium Review Summit, the key aim of the Declaration is a vision of how to meet the Millennium Development Goals. The EU is about to start the next round of programming, in which it will translate the new political priorities into action.

24. While each country must take primary responsibility for its own development, EU development cooperation seeks to give control over their own development to disadvantaged people in developing countries. This means improving access to food and clean water, education, health, employment, social protection and a sound environment, as well as action to reduce the debt burden. The EU also promotes poverty eradication strategies which enable developing countries to consolidate the democratic process, expand social programs and reinforce respect for Human Rights, including equality between men and women.

Mr. Chairman,

25. In conclusion, there is little doubt that realising tangible improvements in the eradication of poverty has a vital role to play in promoting social development centrally, regionally and locally. Economic modernisation at both the EU and the global level must go hand in hand with eradicating poverty and improving social inclusion. At the Millennium Review Summit we committed ourselves once again to the elimination of poverty - and we acknowledged that unless urgent action is taken we will not achieve the Millennium Development Goals for poverty reduction by 2015.

26. For all these reasons, the EU is keen to support the Commission in its work on this priority theme and looks forward to its deliberations and conclusions on this important issue. In this regard, the Commission for Social Development has a crucial contribution to make.

Thank you for your attention.

* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process

Ref: PRES06-021EN
Source UE: Présidence UE
UN forum: ECOSOC (Conseil économique et social), (y compris Commissions fonctionnelles)
Date: 9/2/2006

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