European Year for Combating Poverty 2010 – how well engaged is Wales?

27 May 2010

The National Assembly for Wales’s European and External Affairs Committee is calling on the Welsh Government to outline how it intends to maximise the benefits to Wales of an EU-wide campaign to raise awareness of poverty and social exclusion, in a report published today (May 27).

Every year the EU chooses a high profile issue to highlight in a campaign - known as a European Year. 2009 was the Year of Creativity and Innovation, 2010 is the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, and 2011 will be the European Year of Volunteering.

These are aimed at raising public awareness and drawing national governments' attention to a specific issue.

This year poverty and social exclusion is the chosen focus, and the Committee undertook the inquiry to ascertain what measures the Welsh Government is taking to maximise Wales’s participation in the Year.

The report recommends that every effort is made to involve people of all ages and stakeholders in the planning and delivery of activities to promote the campaign, so that the agenda can be framed by people who have experience of poverty.

The Committee also wants to ensure that activities in Wales leave a legacy so that Wales can be used as an exemplar to other EU regions for future European Years on different topics.

Committee Chair Rhodri Morgan AM said: “The main outcome of the European Year has got to be a more consolidated approach by the public, politicians and organisations towards an agenda for combating social exclusion.

“Tackling poverty and social exclusion is a top policy priority in Wales, and a European Year on this subject is a great opportunity to evaluate what interventions work well and to share best practice both within Wales and across Europe.

“It also reminds us that not only the voices of the professional experts but also the voices of those actually experiencing poverty must be heard and fully involved in shaping the direction and activities of the European Year.

“This inquiry has also looked at the overall process of promoting European Years in Wales. European Years provide a useful means of highlighting issues that are important to European citizens, and both the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government should take full advantage of the opportunity for reflection, debate and activity they provide.”