EUROPEAN YEAR FOR COMBATING POVERTY : MEMBER STATES DONATE 17 MN EURO.

The European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion got underway on 1 January 2010. A total of 17 million has been earmarked for activities throughout the EU as well as in Iceland and Norway. The aim of these events, which should be complemented by national co-financing, is to "raise awareness" about poverty and social exclusion. Earlier attempts by member states to reduce the number of people who are at risk of poverty throughout the EU have not proven to be successful. In 2000, at the launch of the Lisbon 2010 strategy, EU leaders pledged to "make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty" by 2010. However, ten years later, the number of people in poverty has grown compared to 2000. The year will be launched in Madrid, in January 2010, at a high level conference organised by the Spanish EU Presidency and the European Commission.

Participating countries, the EU, civil society, especially non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social partners will be working together to...