- ATD Fourth World

In March 2000, hopes were raised for a resolute fight against poverty and exclusion.
In adopting what came to be known as the "Lisbon Strategy" at the Lisbon and Nice Summits, the Heads of State and Government of the EU Member States decided to make "a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty" [1] in Europe by 2010, and to make “the fight against poverty and social exclusion one of the central elements in the modernisation of the European social model [2].”

In February 2005, the European Commission dashes these hopes.
The objective to eradicate poverty is not mentioned in the Communication [3] concerning the review of the Lisbon Strategy,
Via this omission, the Commission is ignoring the 68 million people in Europe that live in poverty and exclusion today, and all those that are at risk of falling into poverty tomorrow.

The Commission is at fault if they think that concentrating exclusively on growth and employment will magically result in social cohesion and the eradication of poverty. History shows us otherwise.
The fight against poverty needs an explicit commitment from European, National and local institutions, civil society and all citizens, that is both strong and durable. This mobilisation across society can only happen if the objective to eradicate poverty in Europe, and the commitments made to achieve this, are supported and put into practice by European institutions and Member States, rendering them visible to all citizens.

It is not possible “to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world” by leaving behind a significant part (15%) of the population. Can we afford to accept the wasted human potential in this current situation?

The review of the Lisbon strategy should, on the contrary, be taken as an opportunity to directly associate people living in poverty in the definition, implementation and evaluation of actions undertaken. This would be a step towards considering these populations as partners, with whom the European Union and society as a whole can develop ways to fight poverty and social exclusion that would result in everybody in Europe having access to all fundamental rights.

In reviewing the Lisbon Strategy, ATD Fourth World appeals to the Commission, to all European Union institutions and to all European citizens to reaffirm, without ambiguity, that the eradication of poverty and the refusal of exclusion are priority objectives of our policies and our commitment as citizens.