SOCIAL POLICY : POVERTY TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT CITIZENS' AGORA.

The call to combat poverty and social exclusion, launched by a French homeless group, formed the backdrop to the third Citizens' Agora, which was dedicated to the present financial and economic crises and the types of poverty that confront society. Three key issues were on the first day's agenda - the new forms of poverty identified after the crisis, vulnerable citizens' access to a decent and sustainable way of life and, finally, the impact of the crisis on the migratory flows and integration processes. Migrant unemployment in certain countries is close to double that of the local population (for example, 28% compared with 15% in Spain). The member state that has recorded the highest level of poverty is Latvia (26%).

At the opening of the agora, on 27 January, the European Parliament's hemicycle was not full, but several notable EU personalities were present: Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, Employment Commissioner Laszlo Andor, Hungary's Permanent Representative to the EU Peter Gyorkos, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) President Staffan Nilsson and Committee of the Regions President Mercedes Bresso. All acknowledged the impact that the 2009 financial and economic crisis had on the most vulnerable members of society. "We must remember the crisis of 1929, which also involved unemployment and poverty - we must remember the past and choose another way in which to act: this is the reason for this Citizens' Agora," declared Buzek, stressing that "the agora is a return to the roots of democracy, which is impossible without citizens being able to express their criticisms".

The event aimed to offer a chance for civil society representatives to meet with members of the European Parliament and officials of other EU institutions in order...