Documents European Anti Poverty Network, Brussels 6 results

"Governments' austerity measures have only been worsening an already dramatic situation, shows EAPN's new report on the social impact of the crisis and of the recovery policies in 2010. EAPN's report clearly demonstrates that:

* The social impact is getting worse, as Governments' austerity measures make the poor pay and undermine a sustainable recovery.

* The social impact is being systematically under-assessed and ignored.

* NGOs are gravely weakened and their fundamental contribution to society is at stake.

* The crisis was not inevitable and was a result of deregulation and increasing inequality, not public sector spending.

* Another, fairer way is possible – towards prosperity for all.

* The EU must restore the core values of the European Project, and use Europe 2020 to drive an ambitious social and sustainable vision."

"This report analyses the situation of health, social protection and minimum income systems before the pandemic and the positive and negative changes produced as a result of the spread of the virus and the measures adopted by governments to tackle it. The conditions of people suffering from poverty and vulnerability in countries participating in the study are described and analysed in detail, considering the impact that this crisis has also had on gender as well as other forms of inequality. A special section is devoted to delving into the worrying increases in population control and surveillance, carried out by some governments during the first months of the pandemic, and their possible threats to democracy and civic freedoms. After providing an indepth analysis of the current situation, EAPN makes important recommendations to national and European authorities, in order to leave no one behind, by rebuilding a rights-based Europe with a social heart and a commitment to ending poverty and reducing inequality. Annex 1 captures key EU trends and data, whilst Annex 2 provides a Country Annex summarising detailed input from the national level regarding all areas of the report. Responses were received from 25 national networks (AT, BE, HR, CZ, DK, FI, FR, DE, EL, HU, IC, IE, IT, LT, NL, MA, NO, PL, PT, SB, SE, SK, SL, ES, UK) and 3 European Organisations (SMES, IFSW and Age-Platform). ..."