The European Commission has proposed that solidarity and social protection should be built on so as to smooth the impact of the economic crisis and to help recovery. In its proposals for the Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2009 to be agreed by the Council of Minister dealing with employment, social policy, health and consumer protection (known as EPSCO) the Commission has identified ten key messages to be accepted by governments across the EU.
Other issues addressed in the Commission’s proposals are unemployment, active inclusion strategies, child poverty, homelessness, disability, pension adequacy, health and long-term care. CORI Justice welcomes the thrust of these proposals as they highlight the importance of protecting the most vulnerable at a time of major economic difficulty. They also go some way towards recognising that economic development and social development are interdependent and must be addressed simultaneously if development is to be sustainable in the long term.
These proposals are now being considered by these governments and will be finally voted on at the Council meeting scheduled for March 9-10 2009.
The Commission’s ‘Proposal for the Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2009’ includes the following key messages:
The Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion is foreseen to be adopted by the EPSCO Council (Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Protection in spring 2009 (meeting scheduled for 9-10 March 2009).
Everyone is invited to take part in an online consultation on the economic and social future of Europe. The 2009 European Citizens’ Consultation, a pan-European debate among citizens from every EU Member State was launched in Brussels on Wednesday 3rd December 2008 with websites in all 27 Member States going live on Thursday 4th December.
Eurobarometer opinion polls show that rising inflation and unemployment are now the public’s main concerns. But what role can the EU play in addressing these and other concerns about our economic and social future? Does the EU take a balanced approach to economic, social and environmental development? What should the EU do to ensure that every person in the Union has the resources to live life with dignity? These are just some of the questions that you can address in this consultation. The website dedicated to the debate in Ireland is
www.european-citizens-consultations.eu
/ie or
www.comhairliuchan-eorpach-do-shaoranaigh.eu
The National Forum on Europe is the Irish partner in this programme. Everyone can join the online debate which is focussing on what the EU can do to shape our economic and social future in a globalised world.
People can post their comments and make recommendations for action, which will then be discussed at a series of national consultations – the Irish one will take place in March 2009 in Dublin - and at a European Citizens’ Summit in May 2009. The final recommendations will be presented to EU policy-makers on the eve of the European elections which are scheduled for June 2009.
The European Citizens' Consultations are run by a consortium of more than 40 European partner organisations, led by the King Baudouin Foundation (KBF), and is co-funded by foundations including the KBF, Compagnia di San Paolo and the Robert Bosch Foundation, and funders at national level.
Everybody can contribute to the debate on the following website:
www.european-citizens-consultations.eu
/ie or
Organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the EU.
EU Presidency: conclusions of the Brussels European Council - 22 and 23 March 2005
(including conclusions on the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy).
Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community
Introduction Download Pdf
1 Ireland and the future of Europe: A European perspective : Pat Cox Download Pdf
2 The Just Society: Can we afford it? : David Begg Download Pdf
3 Business and the future of Europe : Brendan Keenan Download Pdf
4 Ireland and the future of Europe: A regional perspective : Patricia O’Hara and Patrick Commins Download Pdf
5 Ireland and the future of Europe: A social perspective: Sean Healy and Brigid Reynolds Download Pdf
Bibliography Download Pdf
Government established the National Forum on Europe after the first Nice Referendum. It was given responsibility for generating ongoing national discussion on all issues pertaining to the future development of the European Union.
The Forum is made up of members of the Oireachtas together with an Observer Pillar consisting of a range of organisations with various interests in the development of the European Union. Members of the Observer Pillar have the right to full participation in the debates but don’t have voting rights.
Having urged Government over many years to establish a forum of this nature the Commission welcomed its establishment and was glad to accept a seat in the Observer Pillar of the Forum. The Commission has been very active in the Forum’s ongoing deliberations at both national and local levels. Fr Sean Healy represents the Commission on the Forum and his alternate is Sr Maureen O’Connell who has played a very active role in the Forum’s work.
In recent months the Forum has focused on the new draft EU treaty being developed by the Convention on the Future of Europe (established by the Council of Ministers and based in Brussels). This treaty may well mark a watershed in EU development as it is likely to propose the first ever constitution to guide the EU and to replace all existing treaties.
The Justice Commission continues to emphasis the importance of three key issues concerning the future of Europe that are not being adequately addressed at present i.e. social policy and socio-economic rights, the democratic deficit and the issue of neutrality.
For latest updates on the Forum on Europe - Ireland.