欧州議会の貧困対策報告

先週、欧州議会の雇用・社会問題委員会が「ＥＵにおける社会的統合の促進と子供の貧困を含む貧困対策に関する報告」を採択しました。

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/pr/712/712471/712471en.pdf

リンク先は、提出時の報告案ですが、この形で採択されています。

はじめの方にずらずらと「having regard to」とか「whereas」とか並んでいますが、その後が本文です。

欧州委員会の提示するアクティブ・インクルージョンへのホリスティック・アプローチを支持すると述べ、具体的には、(1)社会的排除を避けるに十分な所得補助、(2)統合的な労働市場へのリンク、(3)質の高いサービスへのアクセスに加え、(4)ジェンダー・メインストリーミング、反差別、積極的な参加を挙げています。

まず所得保障については、

>3. Points out that there are still Member States in the EU-27 which do not have schemes　providing for minimum wages as a default in place;

最低賃金ぐらい作れよ、と。とはいえ、北欧モデルにとってはそういう国家介入が逆に問題なんですが。

>4. Agrees with the Commission that social assistance levels are already below the at-risk-of　poverty line in most Member States; insists that the central objective of income support　schemes must be to lift people out of poverty and enable them to live in dignity;

生活保護はもっと引き上げろ、と。

>5. Calls on the Council to agree on an EU target for minimum income schemes and　contributory replacement income schemes of providing income support of at least 60 % of　national median equalised income and on a timetable as to when this target shall be
achieved by all Member States;

最低所得保障は平均所得の60％に設定せよ、と。そうすると、確かに定義上「貧困」は根絶されますけど・・・。

>7. Calls on the Council to agree on an EU target for minimum wages (statutory, collective　agreements at national, regional or sectoral levels) to provide for a remuneration of at least　60 % of the respective (national, sectoral etc.) average wage and on a timetable for when　that target is to be achieved in all Member States;

最低賃金は平均賃金の60％に設定せよ、と。

次が子供の貧困として独立の項目が立てられています。はじめは、考え方の提示。

>9. Highlights the importance of an holistic approach on child well-being based on a child　rights centred perspective framed by the UNCRC supporting adequate incomes for　families, adequate housing for children and families, accessibility of high quality health　and social services and education;

10. Draws attention to the following different dimensions of a holistic approach:

(a) recognising that children and young people are citizens and independent holders of　rights as well as being part of a family;

(b) ensuring that children grow up in families with sufficient resources to meet all　aspects of their emotional, social, physical and cognitive needs;

(c) providing access to services and opportunities that are necessary for all children to　enhance their present and future wellbeing, enabling them to reach their full　potential and to prevent vulnerable situations;

(d) allowing children to participate in society, including in the decisions that directly　affect their lives as well as in social, recreational, sporting and cultural life;

いろいろと並べていますが、要するに、具体的に何をしろというかのというと、

>11. Calls on the Commission to consider child poverty and social exclusion in a broader
context of EU policy making including issues such as immigration, discrimination, gender
equality, active inclusion, early-years care and education, life-long learning and the
reconciliation of work and non-work life;

12. Urges the Member States to reduce child poverty by 50 % by 2012 as a first commitment　towards the eradication of child poverty in the EU;

2012年までに子供の貧困を半減させるという数値目標を求めているわけです。

次は労働市場政策、

>13. Agrees with the Commission that employment per se is not always a guarantee against　poverty and social exclusion, as according to official statistics 8 % of workers in the EU　are at risk of poverty;

８％もワーキングプアがいるんだから、雇用は必ずしも貧困に対する保証ではない、と。いや、それはいささか論理が逆転しているような。

>15. Considers that ‘make-work-pay’ policies should address the problem of the low-pay trap　and the low-pay/no-pay cycle at the lower end of the labour market whereby individuals　move between insecure, low-paid, low-quality, low-productivity jobs and unemployment　and/or inactivity; stresses that higher levels and duration of unemployment and social　benefits should be addressed as a matter of priority;

労働市場の底辺における低賃金の罠や低賃金無賃金の繰り返しの問題に取り組まなければいけない、と。それはそのとおりなんですが。

>16. Calls on the Member States to phase out ‘activation policies’ that are based on too　restrictive eligibility and conditionality rules for benefit recipients, force people into lowquality　jobs that do not pay for a decent living standard nor lead to social inclusion;

このあたりが、欧州議会報告の危うさがにじみ出ているように思われるんですが、アクティベーションといって、働け働けと強制して、低賃金の仕事に送り込むのはけしからん、というのを、だからアクティベーション政策はやめよう、所得保障の条件付けをゆるめてしまおうという風に話が進んでしまって、思わず、それこそモラルハザードのもとでしょう、と。

17. Highlights the Council’s position that active labour market policies should promote ‘good　work’ and upward social mobility and provide stepping stones towards regular, gainful　and legally secure employment with adequate social protection, decent working conditions　and remuneration;

そう、「いい仕事」につなげていかなくてはいけないんですが、それは「働け」というな、ということではないはずで。

社会サービスについて、ホームレス問題、

>20. Calls on the Council to agree an EU-wide commitment to end street homelessness by　2015 and the provision by Member States of integrated policies to ensure decent housing　for all; urges Member States to devise ‘winter emergency plans’ as part of a wider　homelessness strategy;

2015年までに路上ホームレスをなくそう、と。

こういう視点もおもしろいですね。

>19. Urges the Member States to provide for social default tariffs for vulnerable groups (e.g. in　the fields of energy and public transport) in order to promote active inclusion;

エネルギーや公共交通における恵まれない人々用の社会的デフォルト料金（つまり貧困層向けの割引料金)の設定ですか。

雑駁たる感想として、欧州議会は欧州委員会に比べて、「まあ、皆ほんとに労働しない（と思われている）人嫌いだよね」派の色彩がちょっと強い、というところですか。