Activities of Konstantinos POUPAKIS related to 2011/2052(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
European platform against poverty and social exclusion (debate)
Amendments (27)
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas poverty is a multi-faceted problem requiring an integrated response which is tailored to different stages of life and to people's multi-dimensional needs, and which is based on guaranteeing access to rights, resources and services, to cover basic needs and prevent social exclusion
Amendment EE #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas poverty is a multi-faceted problem requiring an integrated response which is tailored to different stages of life and to people’s multi-dimensional needs, and which is based on guaranteeing access to rights, resources and services, as reflected in the Common Objectives of the open method of coordination on social protection and social inclusion (2006), in order to cover basic needs and prevent social exclusion,
Amendment FF #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas employmentgrowth and employment, even in a decent job, alone isare not sufficient to lift people out of poverty, and whereas the problem of the working poor has gained increasing recognition in recent years, and whereas the segmentation of the labour market has increased, working and living conditions have very much worsened, particularly during the financial crisis, and work has become much less secure – a trend which must be combated; whereas the problem of the working poor has gained increasing recognition in recent years but is not yet being addressed to an extent commensurate with the challenges it represents for our societies; whereas the number of the working poor has grown considerably in recent years, with 8% of the working population suffering in-work poverty and where 22% of those at risk of poverty are in work1; whereas the fact of people having access to decent, egalitarian working conditions constitutes an advance in terms of reducing poverty and social exclusion among families and people living alone, __________________ 1 EUROSTAT (2009), SPC Report: SPC Assessment of the social dimension of the Europe 2020 Strategy (10 Feb. 2011)
Amendment I #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls forWelcomes the Commission’s announcement of a Communication on implementing the Commission’s 2008 recommendation concerning the active inclusion strategy and calls for it to include, in particular, a timetable for implementing thits three Ccommission’s 2008 recommendation concerning the active inclusion strategyponent strands, specifying a multi-annual work programme for delivery at national and EU level; expresses its concern at the postponement of the Communication on Active Inclusion to 2012, and asks the Commission to advance the publication of the Communication to 2011; calls for an explicit commitment by the Council, Commission and Parliament to mobilise all policies to reduce poverty, ensuring that economic, employment and social inclusion policies contribute to the eradication of poverty rather than to its increase;
Amendment KK #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas, because our society is ageing, the number of dependent people will increase considerably in the near future; whereas elderly people, in particular women, are at greater risk of poverty than the general population, in several countries, as a result of their loss of income on retirement and other factors such as physical dependence, solitude and social exclusion; whereas the breakdown of intergenerational social bonds is a major problem facing our societies,
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas employment alone is not sufficienta decent job allows to lift people out of poverty, and whereas the problem of the working poor has gained increasing recognition in recent years,
Amendment LL #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas women are in general more vulnerable to poverty than men owing to various factors such as gender discrimination at work, which results in the persistent gender pay gap, the resulting pension disparities, and labour market discriminationbut also career breaks in order to care for dependants and labour market discrimination; whereas only 63% of women work in Europe, compared to 76% of men, and having regard to the lack of support networks and concrete measures to help parents achieve a work/life balance, including affordable care services,
Amendment N #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Ccalls for equal rights and equal social protection for all workers in each Member State, with due regard for differing practices, collective labour agreements and legislation in the various Member States and for the subsidiarity principle, for respect for equal rights and equal social protection for all in each Member State, whether they are Union citizens or third- country nationals; calls on Member States to fight against illegal and undeclared work;
Amendment P #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Acknowledges the need to assess the impact of EU funds in terms of achieving the poverty reduction target, even where this is not their primary objective, where possible, the effectiveness, impact, coordination and value for money of EU funds, especially of the European Social Fund (ESF) in terms of achieving the poverty reduction target, even where this is not their primary objective, reducing the economic discrepancies, prosperity imbalances and differences in living standard levels across EU Member States and regions, and therefore promoting economic and social cohesion; maintains that priority must be given to projects that combine employment targets and strategies with integrated active inclusion approaches, such as projects designed to strengthen intergenerational solidarity at regional and local level or which specifically contribute to realising gender equality and the active inclusion of vulnerable groups; stresses the importance of effective action for solidarity, including reinforcement, anticipation of transfer and reduction of cofinancing in respect of budgetary funding for creating decent jobs, supporting productive sectors and fighting poverty and social exclusion, rather than creating new forms of dependence; stresses the importance of supporting the combat of poverty and social exclusion, and access to quality employment and non discrimination, ensuring adequate income and promoting access to quality services;
Amendment R #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission to initiate a horizontal anti-discrimination directive with a view to further eradicating discrimination; Urges the Member States to agree and adopt as soon as possible the proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (COM(2008)0426); calls on the Commission to continue to support the overcoming of technical difficulties within the Council in order to ensure a swift agreement is reached, and to close gaps in the existing anti-discrimination legislation which is currently not covering all relevant aspects, with a view to further eradicating discrimination, including social discrimination; Note: A citation referring to the Kosa report will be added by oral amendment.
Amendment T #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. AdvocatesRecommends the Member States to adopt a proactive decent housing policy in order to ensure universal access to decent, affordable housingquality housing at affordable prices or on preferential terms of purchase, and to prevent the loss thereof, with guaranteed access to services essential to health and safety, the lack of such housing being a serious affront to dignity, along with a proactive energy policy that steps up the use of renewable energies and boosts energy efficiency in order to combat energy poverty; calls for more attention to be paid to housing for migrants, who are often exploited and forced to live in sub- standard housing; recalls Protocol 26 annexed to the Treaty of Lisbon on social housing and calls for the provisions contained therein to be respected, in particular on the Member States’ freedom to organise social housing, including the question of financing; encourages the Member States to implement special housing programmes and opportunities for homeless people, in view of guaranteeing the most basic standards of living for the most vulnerable in society;
Amendment W #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Wishes the Commission to initiate a framework directive on minimum incomelaunch, in full compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, a consultation on the possibility of a legislative initiative on a sensible minimum income that will allow economic development, designed to prevent poverty and serve as a basis for people to live in dignity, play their full part in society and make headway with finding employment or identifying training opportunities and playing an automatic stabilising role for the economy, with due regard for differing practices, collective labour agreements and legislation in the various Member States, the definition of a minimum income being the prerogative of the Member State; wishes the Commission to help Member States share best practice on minimum income levels and encourages Member States to develop minimum income schemes based on an average of 60% of the median income in each Member State;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas elderly people, in particular women, are at greater risk of poverty than the general population as a result of their loss of income on retirement and other factors such as physical dependence, solitude and social exclusion; whereas the breakdown of intergenerational social bonds is a major problem facing our societies,
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas womensingle parent families are more vulnerable to poverty owing to various factors such as the persistent gender pay gap, the resulting pension disparities, and labour market discrimination,
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas 20% of children are at risk of poverty, compared with 17% of the EU'’s overall population, and low-income families are amongst the categories most exposed to poverty
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for a timetable for implementing the Commission's 2008 recommendation concerning the active inclusion strategyn integrated EU anti-poverty strategy based on human rights, in particular economic and social rights;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Urges Member States to enhance the effectiveness of public employment offices, including through a more effective diagnosis of the needs of the labour market, since employment is the first step in preventing and combating poverty and social exclusion;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Recommends that Member States, in implementing the principles of flexicurity in the labour market, ensure, after consultation with the social partners, that equal weight is given in practice to the flexibility and security of workers and, by providing incentives, increase the participation of these workers in vocational education;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for equalnsuring the respect of enshrined rights and adequalte social protection for all workers in each Member State; calls on Member States to fight against illegal and undeclared work;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Urges Member States to step up their efforts to substantially and effectively combat the phenomenon of undeclared employment, which, in addition to the enormous adverse economic consequences it has for the viability of social security systems, is incompatible with the principles of decent work and denies access to social security systems, thereby creating a severe risk of poverty;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Highlights, in view of the importance of welfare policies in combating poverty and social exclusion, the importance of the existence of socially effective and adequate social security benefits to support vulnerable social groups (e.g. the disabled, single-parent families, the unemployed, etc. ) as well as specific population groups (e.g. large families);
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Urges Member States, as part of measures to support participation in employment, especially of women, through the reconciliation of work and family life, to facilitate access to quality and affordable care facilities, since a large proportion of EU citizens remain outside the labour market as they are taking care of a family member, which increases the risk that they will fall into poverty;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Acknowledges the need to assess the impact ofinvest more effectively EU funds in terms ofhe view to achievinge the poverty reduction target, even where this is not their primary obfor example by mainstreaming social inclusion through all ESF-funded projectives; maintains that priority must be given to projects that combinpursue employment targets and strategies with ain an Active iInclusion approach;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission to initiate a horizontal anti-discrimination directive with a view to further eradicating discrimination;close gaps in the existing anti-discrimination legislation which is currently not covering all relevant aspects.
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Advocates a proactive housing policy in order to ensure universal access to decent, affordable housing, along with a proactive energy policy that steps up the use of renewable energies and boosts energy efficiency; Member States shall be encouraged to implement special housing programs and opportunities for homeless people, in view of guaranteeing the most basic standards of living for the most vulnerable in society;
Amendment 358 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Emphasizes that the fight against poverty requires a holistic and consistent approach, embracing all policy areas; it is particularly important to reinforce actions at both European and national level in terms of both prevention and intervention to address this phenomenon;
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Wishes the Commission to initiate a framework directive on minimum incomeEncourages Member States to develop minimum income schemes at Member States level, designed to prevent poverty and serve as a basis for people to live in dignity and make headway with finding employment or identifying training opportunities, with due regard for differing practices, collective labour agreements and legislation in the various Member States;