Resolution on the United Nations World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty (17 October 2001)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution which calls on the European union to formally recognise the 17 October as European day to overcome extreme poverty. There is welcome for the initiative of the Belgian Presidency to organise a joint meeting at the European Parliament to discuss ways of doing this with all interested parties. There is also a call on the Member States to develop workable strategies that will ensure equal access to all fundamental rights such as education, housing and health care for the most vulnerable members of society. The Commission is called upon to draw up a report on poverty in cooperation with the Member States with a view to improving monitoring and using comparative indicators to measure progress. Specifically, MEPs are calling for a stone to commerate the victims of extreme poverty to be placed in the area infront of the European Parliament in Brussels.�