Press Release: Social exclusion : Commission follows up Lisbon summit accord to get tough on poverty and the causes of poverty

The Commission adopted on the 16 May 2000 measures setting up a new Community programme to establish comparable ways to measure poverty, to help Member States co-operate in drawing up national action plans to fight poverty and to assist networking of social partners and civil society. This initiative of the Commission is a response to the decision of the Lisbon special summit to launch a comprehensive EU economic and social strategy which modernises the European social model, invests in people and promotes social inclusion. The budget needs of the five-year programme are set at €70 million. The programme is also open to candidate countries.