We have now completed 30 National Conferences on Minimum Income Schemes and two thematic reports: 1) On ‘Not Take Up’ done by FEANTSA and 2) ‘Adequacy of Incomes for Older people’ done by AGE- Platform.

You are now invited to register for the final Conference (of phase one of the project) which will be held in Brussels on Thursday 11 December from 13.30 to 18.00. The outcome of the work will be presented and other key actors will be present and contribute; on how to build momentum for adequate Minimum Income Schemes.

See attached document for more information _Conference Programme. A more detailed programme will be available later.

Register be sending an email with your name and organisation to sigrid.dahmen@eapn.eu before 31 November.

See attached short information and awareness raising leaflet on Minimum Income Schemes in the UK. The leaflet also includes information on what needs to change and key ideas on what’s blocking the changes that are needed.  One information from the leaflet is the following:

A Trade Union Confederation survey has shown that people think 41% of the total welfare budget goes on unemployment benefits; the true figure is nearer 3%.

Read the whole leaflet here.

10/10/2014-Watch the video of the main inputs at the Austrian EMIN Conference held on 10 October 2014.

17/10/2014- It is not possible for EAPN Greece to take a clear position, supporting or rejecting the pilot initiative, given the lack of clarity surrounding the announcement of the pilot Minimum Guaranteed Income (MGI) scheme. We have a positive stance towards the introduction of a MGI scheme, we have fought for it over many years, but we wait to see the final legal framework (the Ministerial Act) and the conditions of the pilot phase, to express more clearly our position. Continue reading →

10/10/2014-The Austrian EMIN-Conference took place in Kolping-Centre in Vienna. 120 participants from NGOs and universities, from public administration and authorities, from ministries and people experiencing poverty discussed the Austrian Minimum Income Scheme and European perspectives of adequate Minimum Income.

The introduction and comments on the “Bedarfsorientierte Mindestsicherung” (“means tested minimum income”) revealed numerous deficiencies and problems: Insufficient information from authorities, inadequate benefit levels, high non-take-up rates, unworthy and discriminatory treatment on Social Welfare Offices etc. Continue reading →

It is not possible for EAPN Greece to take a clear position, supporting or rejecting the pilot initiative, given the lack of clarity surrounding the announcement of the pilot Minimum Guaranteed Income (MGI) scheme. We have a positive stance towards the introduction of a MGI scheme, we have fought for it over many years, but we wait to see the final legal framework (the Ministerial Act) and the conditions of the pilot phase, to express more clearly our position.

In the press release we raise our strong concerns. We also call for the establishment of a consultation procedures with the civil society, including EAPN Greece, during the ‘piloting stage’ to monitor its implementation, aiming at its optimization and efficiency.  The absence of a consultation procedure so far, has prevented a better understanding of the various aspects concerning the proposed MGI, and is a missed opportunity to draw on the experience of NGOs and others to maximise the possibility to have a successful scheme.

Please read the full press release MGI scheme Press Release_en and the attached PPTGreece Poverty and MGI_en given some more background information on poverty in Greece.

26/09/2014- The National Conference EMIN “Country Report. Guaranteed Minimum Income in Romania” took place at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania. The event was held with the support of the Romanian Senate and was attended by Lăcrămioara Corcheş, Director of the General Directorate of  Social Assistance within the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Protection and the Elderly. From our European partners in the EMIN Project, participated Maria Jeliazakova, national coordinator EAPN Bulgaria and Fintan Farrell, EMIN European Coordinator (EAPN Brussels). At the Conference participated more than 50 participants, professionals from the field of social protections, NGOs, trade unions and people experiencing poverty. Continue reading →

1/10/2014- The national EMIN conference “Guaranteed minimum income as a Tool to fight Poverty?” was held in Luxembourg.

At first, Christine Mayer the Economic Chief of the European Commission’s Representation in Luxembourg, made an introduction about fighting poverty in the UE and underlined the importance and relevance of such a European Minimum Income Network.

Anne Van Lancker, EMIN policy coordinator, described the EMIN project in detail and presented the EU roadmap towards progressive realization of adequate and accessible Minimum Income Schemes.

Jonathan Devillers, Expert by experience of the Belgian Anti-Poverty Network (BAPN), then presented the situation of the minimum income in Belgium. Continue reading →

7/10/2014- Czech Republic held their National EMIN Conference on the World day for Decent Work. The Conference was held under patronage of the Vice – president of Senate Mr. Zdeněk Škromach. In his opening speech, Vice-President of Parliament Zdeněk Škromach reviewed developments in Europe and the Czech Republic since the resolution “The role of minimum income in combating poverty and promotion of social inclusion in Europe”, adopted by the European Parliament in the 2010 European conference at the same time committed to efforts to reduce the level of poverty in the Strategy for 2020. Despite being in Europe, a strong focus on poverty reduction, the poverty rate is still rising.

Continue reading →

7/10/2014- The Irish Round table was built on the Report on Minimum Income in Ireland by Robin Hanan and Audry Deane.

It discussed two draft discussion paper on a Road Map to an Adequate Minimum Income System in Ireland and a Road Map to an Adequate Minimum Income System in Europe

Speakers from the round table where as seen in photo: Robin Hanan, Micheál Collins, Audry Deane, Anne Van Lanker, Katherine Duffy and Hugh Frazer (Chairperson). Continue reading →