Presentation given by Freek Spinnewijn, FEANTSA Director at the FEANTSA/French Permanent Representation to the EU seminar, 'Housing First: A Key Element of European Homelessness Strategies', 23rd March 2012.
KAHULUGAN AT KAHALAGAHAN NG GAWAING PANSIBIKO.pptx
The EU Policy Context for Homelessness Policies Update: Progress on Homelessness at EU Level
1. EU strategy on homelessness:
between dream and reality
Seminar Housing First
French PermRep
March 2012
BRX
2. Political quasi-consensus
European Parliament
Written Declarations 2008 & 2010
Resolution 2011
578+ // 51 - // 22 °
« Calls for the development of an ambitious, integrated EU strategy, underpinned by national and regional strategies, with the long-term
aim of ending homelessness within the broader (EU) social inclusion framework »
Committee of the Regions
Own Initiative Report 2010
Unanimity
The Committee of the Regions urges the Member States to work together through the EU in order to develop an overarching,
integrated homelessness strategy and then to ensure that such a strategy is underpinned by the national policy-framing that is needed in order
for it to be effective.
Economic and Social Committee
Own initiative report 2011
98+ // 6°
The European Commission should develop an ambitious strategy on the issue of homelessness and support the Member States in
developing effective national strategies, in accordance with the guidelines proposed in the 2010 Joint Report on Social Protection and Social
Inclusion and taking account of the recommendations made by the jury of the European Consensus Conference on Homelessness .
Council
Joint Report Social Protection & Social Exclusion
Strategies to address … homelessness have an important role in building socially and environmentally sustainable economies, and they should
be an integral part of post-crisis strategies .
EY2010 Declaration
Particular attention should be given to vulnerable groups such as migrants, the Roma and other ethnic minorities and to extreme forms of
poverty such as homelessness . No one should be left behind.
3. Building blocks for action available
EU consensus Conference 2010
Outcome
Definition: ETHOS
Objective: End
Intervention: Housing-led
Scope: ≈ Migration
Role EU: Strategy
EPAP Flagship initiative 2010
EU 2020 Strategy
Developing appropriate and integrated responses, both to prevent and
tackle homelessness, shall remain an important element of the EU’s social inclusion strategy .
Commitments
Follow up CC
Quality standards
Structural Funds
Wider network
FEANTSA & Satellite networks
NGO
Research comunity
European OBS
Public authorities
Ministries Forum
HABITACT
Homeless people
HOPE
Housing, Health, Employment sectors
ENHHW, Housing Practioners Forum, Employability Network
…
4. Opportunities / Threats
Political
Impact of economic crisis
Increasing levels of homelessness
Esp. in countries under supervision: GR, IRE, PORT
Up to 20% increase
Cost-Benefit argument
Housing-First
US - 5.5 billion $ over 10 years
Free movement
Homelessness amongst EU citizens abroad
Rough sleeping
Financial
Cohesion Policy 2014 - 2020
5. Strong Mandate
EP
Written questions
Other means…
MS
Individual demands
Strong engagement of policy makers
NRPs
Requirement?!
Council
Irish Presidency
People Experiencing Poverty
Annual conference
2011 focus on homelessness
Public
Barometer surveys …
6. EU strategy: what?
Hesitation around the concept strategy
Basic principles
Realistic
Longer term planning
Workload
Voluntary
Limit bureaucracy
No heavy reporting duty on MS/EC
Build on existing momentum/dynamic
Outcome oriented
Centered around knowledge gaps
Focused on practice
In line with subsidiarity
Support MS
OMC
7. EU Strategy: What?
Visible dynamic in which stakeholders can tap into
Strength of EU framework
Streams of action
Mutual learning (+)
Research (+)
Innovation (+)
Monitoring (+-)
Awareness raising (-)
Funding (+-)
8. Conclusion
FEANTSA (and partners)
Development
Flexible/open about form
Implementation
Through EPAP/other Flagship Initiatives & OMC
Responsibility for success
Process & Output
9. Thank you for listening
Freek.Spinnewijn@feantsa.org
10. Thank you for listening
Freek.Spinnewijn@feantsa.org