The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) exchange views with Laurette ONKELINX, Belgian Minister for Social affairs and Public Health, on the priorities of the Belgian presidency as regard social affairs, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

exchange of views

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

social Europe (T)

meeting

Employment policy (T2)

ONKELINX, Laurette (BE)

DELIZEE, Jean-Marc (BE)

Belgian Presidency - Public Health: extracts from the exchange of views with Laurette ONKELINX, Belgian Minister for Social affairs and Public Health

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurette ONKELINX, Belgian Minister for Social affairs and Public Health, It would be dangerousfor the interest of European citizens to promote in Europe a social competition that would destabilise our economic and social reality and would impact on the living conditions of our citizens.Therefore we insist on the importance of The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) in the future macro economic governance of the EU.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurette ONKELINX, Belgian Minister for Social affairs and Public Health, Better focus on th&eacute; 2020 strategy tools. We have an objective regarding the reduction of poverty.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurette ONKELINX, Belgian Minister for Social affairs and Public Health, The European legal framework is not designed to match the way the social services are currently organised. We consulted many stakeholoders and listen to their concerns , therefore during our pesidency we will address 2 subjects; find out guidelines to b etter adapt the legal framework , we will use the second report by the Commission ionorder to do so, we will also use the works of the social protection Committee in order to propose a European quality framework for these services.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Marc DELIZEE, Secretary of State for Social Affairs, in charge of disabled persons, It is an important matter because it targets thoses who live beyond the poverty line, 17 % of European citizens find themselves in this situation according to Eurostat, the second subject is children poverty. this question refers to the rights of children and falmily rights, 20 %of children in European live under the proverty line . We want to put this debate forward in order to adopt a recommendation as regard children poverty.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Marc DELIZEE, Secretary of State for Social Affairs, in charge of disabled persons, Third priority of the Belgian Presidency is the problem related to homeless people. A conference will be organised to deal with this matter in Decemberto deal with the implementation of the recommendation on "active inclusion" with its three pillars, an inclusive employment market, a minimal wage and accessible quality services.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Marc DELIZEE, Secretary of State for Social Affairs, in charge of disabled persons, There is also a mater regarding disability, we know it is a difficult one . the question with the Commissionos to see if we can take this matter forward, especially regarding those who have disabilities and to fight all the discriminations they are victims.