1 The National Action Plan on Social Inclusion as a Policy Instrument 29th March 2006 The NAP on social inclusion after the refocusing of the Lisbon strategy: still an adequate instrument? EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Hugh Frazer, Policy Co-ordinator, Social inclusion policies 1

Review of Social Protection/Social Inclusion Processes : a year of uncertainty Review Process –Evaluation Questionnaires –Luxembourg Conference –evaluation of Community Action Programme –learning from NAPs Implementation reports Communication on streamlined OMC on social protection and social inclusion (December 2005)

Spring European Council New strategy for growth and jobs a framework where economic, employment and social policy mutually reinforce each other Parallel progress on employment creation, competitiveness and social cohesion New objectives and working methods for social protection and social inclusion endorsed Annual reporting on progress to each Spring European Council

Spring European Council Reaffirms objective that steps have to be taken to make a decisive impact on the reduction of poverty and social exclusion by 2010 Member States are asked to take necessary steps to rapidly and significantly reduce child poverty

Streamlined OMC Brings together social inclusion, pensions and health care and long-term care Revised common objectives –3 overarching and 3 for each of 3 strands National Reports on social protection and social inclusion Annual Joint Report on SP and SI

Streamlining - Overarching objectives (a)Promote social cohesion and equal opportunities for all through adequate, accessible, financially sustainable, adaptable and efficient social protection systems and social inclusion policies. (b) Promote effective and mutual interaction with the Lisbon objectives of greater social cohesion, greater economic growth and more and better jobs and with the EU's Sustainable Development Strategy. (c) Promote good governance, transparency and the involvement of stakeholders in the design, implementation and monitoring of policy.

Streamlining - Objectives for the Inclusion Strand A decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion by ensuring: access for all to the resources, rights and services needed for participation in society, preventing and addressing exclusion, and fighting all forms of discrimination leading to exclusion; the active social inclusion of all, both by promoting participation in the labour market and by fighting poverty and exclusion; that social inclusion policies are well-coordinated and involve all levels of government and relevant actors, including people experiencing poverty, that they are efficient and effective and mainstreamed into all relevant public policies, including economic, budgetary, education and training policies and structural fund (notably ESF) programmes.

National Reports Common Overview (5-7 pages) –social situation –overall strategic approach –overarching messages NAPs/inclusion (10-15 pages) National Strategy Report for Pensions (3-5 pages) National Plan for Health and Long-term care (10-15 pages) Annexes

National Reports Common Overview Assessment of Social Situation (2 pages) Overall Strategic Approach (about 4 pages) 4 key areas: child poverty; social inclusion of migrants and minorities; longer working life; flexicurity –objective (a) –objective (b) –objective (c) Overarching Messages (about 1 page)

NAPs/inclusion – Guidelines: Key Messages Implementation Gap Increase Strategic Focus Integrated and Multi-dimensional approach Coordination with other strategies Improve mainstreaming Strengthen governance

NAPs/inclusion – Guidelines: Structure Key Challenges, Objectives and Targets (3-4 pages) 3-4 Priority Policy Objectives (2 pages each) –policy measures (existing and new) –resource allocation: level and responsibility –indicators and monitoring Better Governance (2-3 pages) –preparation process; policy coordination; mobilisation; mainstreaming; monitoring Annexes –good practices (maximum 4) –implementation report on NAPs/inclusion (optional) –elaborated NAPs (optional)

Objective: e.g. Eliminate Child Poverty or Ensure Inclusion of Immigrants and Ethnic Minorities or Reduce Homelessness or Increase Access to Employment of Vulnerable Groups or Reduce At-Risk-of-Poverty Levels Input or Out- put tar- gets Indic- ators to meas- ure prog- ress Policy Measures Employ- ment Econ- omic Inc- ome: tax, social protec- tion Educat- ion & Training (incl. ICT) Housing, Environ- ment & Basic Services Health & Social/ Family Services Culture, Sport & Leisure Trans- port Financial & Legal Services Non Discrim ination[ 1][ 1] Existing measures New measures Addition-al resources Agencies respon- sible for delivery (national,re gional, local) [1][1] i.e. policies to fight discrimination on grounds of sex, race/ethnic origin, religion/belief, disability, age and sexual orientation.

Other OMC Developments Indicator development Exchange of Learning –Progress "Light" Years –voluntary light updates –policy reports Mainstreaming at EU level Awareness raising Enlargement and Wider World

Strengths of New Arrangements - 1 Renewed political leadership Mutual interaction with Jobs and Growth – possibly making the Lisbon Δ real Links with Sustainable Development Strategy Enhanced reporting and visibility within the EU process

Strengths of New Arrangements - 2 More focussed and strategic More emphasis on implementation and outcomes – address implementation gap Further development of indicators Greater stress on monitoring and evaluation of impact More specific resourcing (including structural funds) and accountability Multi-dimensional policy making reinforced

Strengths of New Arrangements - 3 Sharper analysis and stronger "suggestions" –better data (EU SILC)= better analysis = stronger comparisons –more in depth analysis of issues Good governance reinforced (and extended to other strands) –preparation process –policy coordination at all levels of governance –mobilisation of actors –mainstreaming reinforced (nationally and EU) –reinforced monitoring and evaluation –more focus on good practice and learning

BUT

Some Risks - 1 OMC never was panacea – just a useful tool Strength of political commitment and leadership still to be proven –will mutual interaction with jobs and growth be taken seriously? –will lack of political visibility change? Lack of European level targets No power to make recommendations EU mainstreaming still remains weak

Some Risks - 2 Timing problem of different government cycles not solved Loss of social inclusion identity in a streamlined process Loss of comprehensive/multidimensional approach –Some issues become forgotten (e.g. access to culture, transport, sport and recreation) Becoming too broad (forgetting about those in extreme situations) or too narrow in approach (only focussing on small and very specific groups or just on child poverty) Risk of avoiding most difficult issues –e.g. undocumented migrants Capacity to deliver in several Member States

Child Poverty An opportunity –to create greater political ownership and urgency –to break intergenerational inheritance –to address issues of gender, equality, discrimination, employment etc. –to focus on rights

Conclusion An adequate instrument? –a more adequate instrument –provides new opportunities but –other things will be important as well, e.g.: effective social impact assessments of EU policies outcome of debate on services of general interest consultation on active inclusion and minimum income schemes