11 February 2010 - The EU is holding today an Informal European Council, with Head of States meeting to discuss the European Agenda 2020 among other issues. Caritas Europa wants to seize this opportunity to urge EU-leaders to pursue an agenda that privileges the protection of the human being and the environment.

Caritas Europa thinks that the following points should be acknowledged as pivotal to reach this goal:

• Provide a guaranteed income sufficient for a dignified living. 
  
  
• Provide equal access for all to quality social and healthcare services.
  
  
• Pay specific attention to the role of non-profit providers in the application of Community rules to social services of general interest.
  
  
• Adopt well-developed vocational training systems for young people to respond to the actual unemployment trends.
  
  
• Strengthen the role of social security systems to ensure a decent living standard to all, including decent pensions, allowances for ill people and a basic income for disabled people who do not have sufficient resources for dignified living conditions. 
  
  
• Reduce by half the number of children living in poverty in the EU by the next decade.
  
  
• Adopt a directive on the rights of migrants, ensuring equal rights as a necessary basis for equal opportunities.
  
  
• Structural funds (ESF, ERDF) must complement national budget allocations to clear social targets, through effective promotion and monitoring.
  
  
• Strengthen the European Coordination on poverty and social inclusion issues.
  
  
• Guarantee that EU and Member States' policies will be coherent with the objective of reducing poverty in Europe and developing countries
  
  
• Acknowledge that the EU, as a global actor, has leverage and responsibility to promote human rights and the fight against poverty
  
  
• Take the results of this consultation into account; enable a public debate at EU level.