- ATD Fourth World

Aim
To introduce the concerns of people living in poverty into the work of the European Parliament.
Representation of populations living in poverty and exclusion; mobilisation to ensure that the fight against poverty is a priority issue; analysis of different files and propositions from the point of view of those with experience of living in poverty and exclusion.

Action
Proposition of amendments to reports; introduction of resolutions; written questions to the Commission; adoption of position papers; publication of press releases; awareness raising through informal meetings and thematic discussions with grassroots activists.

Approach

• That poverty be regarded as a violation of fundamental rights and human dignity
• That there be a global and integrated approach to the fight against poverty (the mainstreaming of the fight against poverty into different EU policy areas: employment, health, social protection, education, youth, culture, economic and monetary policy, the Euro, budget, freedom of movement etc.)
• Partnership with people living in extreme poverty as a basis (participation of people living in poverty and exclusion and the organisations that represent them)

Priority Themes for last term
European Social Inclusion Strategy; Charter of Fundamental Rights; Convention on the Future of Europe and the draft Constitutional Treaty; Enlargement of the EU; Sustainable Development; Services of General Interest; Child and Youth Poverty; 17 October - World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty.

Examples of recent Appeals and Position Papers Open letter to the Convention responsible for the development of a Charter of Fundamental Rights to ensure the consideration of social rights and the executive nature of the Charter; various appeals asking for a European strategy and objectives to fight poverty and social exclusion; appeal to the Gothenburg European Council calling for the eradication of poverty to be treated as an essential element of sustainable development; appeal to the Convention on the Future of Europe asking, amongst other things, that the eradication of extreme poverty be included as an objective in the Constitutional Treaty.

The European Fourth World Committee sent an open letter to the President of the UE asking to place the fight against poverty at the top of the list of priorities for the EU.

Bureau of the European Fourth World Committee - 2005

• President: Mr Iñigo Mendez de Vigo Montojo (EPP-ED, Spain)
  Vice-presidents: Mrs Martine Roure (PSE, France), Mr Bronislaw Geremek (ALDE, Poland), Mrs Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, United Kingdom) et Mrs Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL, Portugal).