SOCIAL INCLUSION : EAPN WANTS TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL DIMENSION OF LISBON STRATEGY.

• Position: European Anti-Poverty Network's comments on the 2007 Lisbon Implementation Reports and the European Commission's Progress Report on growth and employment - Brief article

The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) is critical of the Lisbon Implementation Reports 2007 and the European Commission's Annual Progress Report on growth and employment. In its report of 16 January, it presents in particular a social inclusion score board assessing the contribution made to social inclusion by the revised Lisbon Strategy.

"While the Commission may congratulate itself on delivering on growth and jobs, the assessment of the EAPN members is that the revised strategy is not delivering on inclusion and social cohesion, despite the commitments made by the spring Council," said Fintan Farrell, the director of EAPN.

EAPN is therefore calling on the Commission, the Council and the Parliament to take steps before the spring Council to respond to forge a new integrated vision consistent with a sustainable development model. EAPN asks the EU to: rename the strategy as the Strategy for Growth, Jobs and Inclusion'; to insert an overarching...