The European Commission: Eradicate poverty. Immediately

Wipe out destitution in one generation – it can be done

Brussels assures it focusing on “decent living conditions for everyone by 2030”

We are no longer talking of simply combating or decreasing. The precise term used is “eradicate”: cancel world poverty, at least extreme, in the span of a single generation. An impossible dare? Absolutely not, according to the EU. It involves an “at your fingertips objective.” Andris Piebalgs, the European Commissioner for Development assured, presenting a communiqué launched yesterday by the European Executive Branch, which will be the basis for a community position for Europe to bring to the debate with the UN and the rest of the world.

The battle against poverty, according to Piebalgs, “is not a matter of resources but of political will and a suitable agreement.” Many, according to the Commissioner for Development, will get involved in the next two years and “the EU wants to have a crucial role” in the international community decision making.

In 2015 the objectives for the millennium development goals come to an end, meanwhile the Rio+20 conference launched the process of formulating the objectives for the Sustainable Development plan. According to the Commission, the two challenges must be approached together. Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, highlighted  “the efforts to eradicate poverty and sustainable development must go hand-in-hand ; otherwise they will be in vain.”  This is why today’s communiqué proposes a single, coherent framework “to guarantee a decent life for everyone by 2030.”Regulations on education, nutrition, clean water and air: the framework defines a standard of living bottom-line that no human should have to go below to be in place by 2030. Among the elements that the Commission indicates as fundamental are also basic human living conditions, the driving force for inclusive growth and the sustainable management of natural resources. And then there are the issues of fairness, equality, justice, peace and security. These conditions should be valid for all countries and all citizens of the world.

The challenge is without a doubt important, judging by the latest data on youth poverty. In 2011, according to Eurostat, 27% of youth and children under the age of 18 were at risk of poverty. A situation even more serious in Italy, which registers a percentage among the highest in all of Europe with 32,3% of minors at risk: almost 1 out of 3.

Europe is working precisely on this, assures Silvia Costa, a PD member of the European Parliament, who reminds us in particular, the “launch of a new European program for the institution of a fund for food aid and integrative measures for poverty-stricken people, children above all.”

In order to reduce the impoverish population by 20 million in 7 years, as forecasted by the European objectives of 2020, according to Costa, it is necessary to deal with an “increase of the phenomenon for the effects of the crisis.” To attempt to change the situation, the Italian MEP suggests, we need to work on three issues: it is indispensable to forecast a minimum income for citizens; analyze a “coordinated and efficient plan for 20% of the Social Fund from 2014-2020 targeted for a policy against poverty”; and finally envisage fiscal deductions for families with more children and a reduction in labor costs for those who provide employment to youth and women.

 Letizia Pascale