The Social Inclusion Process

The Open Method of Coordination

Following the introduction under Article 136 and 137 EC by the Amsterdam Treaty of the fight against social exclusion among the social policy provisions, the European Council of Lisbon in March 2000 recognised that the extent of poverty and social exclusion was unacceptable. Building a more inclusive European Union was thus considered as an essential element in achieving the Union's ten year strategic goal of sustained economic growth, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. The Lisbon Council agreed to adopt an Open Method of Coordination in order to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion by 2010.

The key elements in the Open Method of Coordination are:

• Social Protection Committee

• Common Objectives on poverty and social exclusion which were agreed at the Nice Summit in December 2000 and were revised at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in December 2002.

• National Action Plans against poverty and social exclusion; covers a period of two years - the first plans were adopted by the Member States in June 2001. A second round of plans is due in July 2003.

• Joint Memoranda on Social Inclusion; these outline the situation and policy priorities in relation to poverty and social exclusion in the acceding countries. They were signed by the Commission and national authorities in December 2003.

• Joint Reports on Social Inclusion (Sept.- Dec. 2003) and regular monitoring, evaluation and peer review

• Common Indicators to provide a means of monitoring progress and comparing best practice

• Community Action Programme to encourage cooperation between Member States to combat social exclusion
  

• Studies Regional indicators to reflect social exclusion and poverty; Policy measures to ensure access to decent housing for migrants and ethnic minorities; How household structures and the roles of women and men affect poverty and social exclusion; Policy measures to promote the use of Microcredit.
  -Non-governmental Expert Reports on National Action Plans (June 2001-June 2003)

Social Inclusion in the New Member States [ SEC (2004)848 ]
This Commission Staff Working Paper is a synthesis of the Joint Memoranda on Social Inclusion (JIM) which were signed jointly in December 2003 by the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs and the Ministers responsible for Social Affairs of the new Member States. The report examines the main challenges the new Member States face in order to combat poverty and social exclusion and to promote greater social cohesion. (More Information…)

Eurobarometer survey on Social Precarity and Social Integration
The European Union's efforts to promote social inclusion are reinforced by the results of the Eurobarometer survey 56.1 on Social Precarity and Social Integration. This survey was
carried out in all 15 Member States of the EU for the DG Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission.
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