Campaigners fighting to retain current levels of social spending face a tough battle to preserve funds earmarked for alleviating poverty in the European Union.
The European Parliament’s social affairs committee voted on 21 May to reject a €1 billion budget cut to the EU’s fund for European aid to the most deprived, and urged that the fund be kept at the previous level of spending of €3.5 billion.
Speaking in Strasbourg on 22 May, the parliament’s rapporteur on the subject, Emer Costello, said that the committee vote sent a “very clear message” to the council that the current budget level should be maintained.
The committee voted to keep the fund by 36 votes to four. However, the result was two votes short of receiving a parliamentary mandate to go straight to trialogue discussion (talks between parliament and council on formulating legislation), a procedure which requires 25 votes. The committee voted 23 to 16 to start negotiations with the council.
It will now be up to the full parliament to endorse or reject the committee’s vote, where political groups are reportedly split, meaning the report is not expected to have a smooth passage. Likewise in the council with some member states being in a position to form a blocking minority. Germany, in particular, feels that this should not be an EU matter.
Despite these obstacles, Costello remained upbeat, saying she believed the strength of the committee vote “will be possible to replicate in plenary”. She added that the report had “lots of cross-party support.”
She said that the fund is an important tool for “mitigating against the effects of the crisis, and alleviate poverty.” However, she said that it “could not be a substitute for the comprehensive policies needed” in the fight to eradicate poverty in Europe.
At present, there are approximately 120 people at risk of poverty in Europe, with 140 million experiencing severe material deprivation. The fund, says Costello, helps to reintegrate many socially deprived people back into society. Currently, there are about 4 million homeless in the EU.
The committee vote, she said “sends a very strong message to the European Commission and council that we do not want to see the budget cut. We are appealing to the council that the budget line is maintained at its current level.”
It will be “a very sad day” in Europe if the EU can no longer look after its most vulnerable citizens, she said.
