FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY : EMPL COMMITTEE TABLES AMBITIOUS PROPOSALS.

The European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) has called for taxation on high salaries to be used to boost welfare systems and income support, and reduce income gaps. The call comes in an own-initiative report on a European platform against poverty and social exclusion', written by Frederic Daerden (S&D, Belgium).

During a contentious vote, on October 6, MEPs declared their support for the platform's ambitious goal of lifting 20 million people out of poverty; one of five key objectives agreed by the EU's heads of state and government under the Europe 2020' strategy. Therefore, they called on member states to eliminate age discrimination when granting access to income support "since this excludes young people from income support schemes due to a lack of social security contributions". They also recommended the fixing of a minimum pension rate, to ensure sufficient quality of life for elderly people, and called on the Commission to launch a consultation on a...