Press

EESC Various Interests Group March 2014 Newsletter

An interview with Heather Roy, President of Social Platform 

1.    Social innovation and co-production are approaches which are much discussed at the present time.  What do you think are the advantages?

Social innovation and co-production can significantly improve social service delivery and lead to social policy innovation, provided that they are not used only to save public money and are meaningful for the beneficiaries they are intended to address. Indeed, social innovations can contribute to promoting efficiency and effectiveness in social services and policies, but it’s not their raison d’être. It is a way to identify new or improved solutions to already existing, inadequately met or emerging social challenges.

However, there are some pre-conditions to be fulfilled: good social innovation comes from well-funded and well operating environments. Innovation also involves failures as well as successes. Social innovation also requires conditions for sustainability – there is no use in having an idea funded if it is not sustainable nor if the correct conditions for scaling up are not available/accessible.

2.    The recent Convention on the Platform against Poverty continued to highlight the lack of involvement of stakeholders in constructing the National Reform programmes and the difficulty of developing structured dialogue from EU, through national and local level.  What are your views on how this situation could be rectified and developed?

The involvement of civil society, let alone people who experience poverty, in the processes of the European Semester is still very disappointing. The purpose of involving all stakeholders, including social NGOs, should be to ensure the best possible design, implementation and evaluation of policies promoting social inclusion and cohesion so as to generate a maximum positive impact and change. This could be achieved already partially at EU level by the Commission, engaging in a more formal consultation for example when preparing the Annual Growth Survey. To support stakeholder engagement at national level, European guidelines should be developed on how to engage with all relevant stakeholders in the elaboration of National Reform Programmes. But also more in general, clear and transparent procedures have to be developed and applied at all levels to allow for structural and meaningful stakeholder involvement in developing, implementing and evaluating policies under the Europe 2020 Strategy. Favourable environments with sustainable funding for social NGOs need to be created to underpin their meaningful involvement.

3.    Given that the number of people experiencing poverty is increasing how do you think the active inclusion strategy can realistically be achieved?

Active Inclusion is a key tool to fight poverty and social exclusion. The Recommendation on Active Inclusion dates from 2008, but member states are still hardly delivering on its proper implementation.  But the increase of poverty in Europe goes beyond the active inclusion strategy. It is an issue about what kind of economic and social policy we want for the next 6 years and longer.  It is a question of political choice and priority for the EU and member states. In its communication assessing progress of the Europe 2020 strategy, the Commission clearly says that the poverty target is politically binding. It should not only be binding, but it should be at the centre of all policies to ensure that we have 20 million less people in poverty in 2020 than in 2010.  For us, the setback in achieving the poverty target should in no way mean that the EU should disengage from this priority. On the contrary, when looking at the current trends across the member states, the social pillar should be the main priority of the EU in the coming 6 years – having 100 million in poverty in 2020 is not acceptable.

4.    Although it is still early days are you confident that the Social Investment Package will make a strong contribution to achieving progress?

The paradigm change that appears to be embedded in the Social Investment Package is welcomed; it is in line with our view that social policies and services are not a cost but an investment for better cohesion in our societies.  However social investment should not be prioritised over social protection as both are effective only when combined. The Package can make a real difference and have an impact on social policies if the EU and member states commit to its proper implementation throughout all policies. For example, there needs to be a clear social investment approach in both the National Reform Programmes and the Country Specific Recommendations.

5.    What are your views on the ability to achieve policy coherence at EU, national and local level throughout the Member States?

The EU needs consistent governance, we must ensure the coherence of policies set at European level and indeed a member state level – without this we will never deliver on the inclusive pillar of Europe 2020.   With the best will in the world by some parts of the European Commission this year’s Annual Growth Survey really concerns us as we are going to see another cycle where the focus is still firmly on economic growth without a balancing social dimension and respect for human rights. Macro-economic objectives will continue to prevent the implementation of social objectives where as they should instead be supporting them.  True consistent governance means the preservation and enabling of fundamental rights, member states cannot commit to fundamental rights with their social hand and then withdraw them with their economic hand.