The European Anti-Poverty Network

We believe in the power of democracy, true and meaningful participation, social justice and solidarity in a Europe that puts people at the center of policy-making.

The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) is the largest European network of national, regional and local networks, involving anti-poverty NGOs and grassroot groups as well as European Organisations, active in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. It was established in 1990.

Our mission

In order to achieve our ambitions, we have set ourselves the following mission: To promote and enhance the effectiveness of actions to eradicate poverty and prevent social exclusion;
To raise awareness around poverty and social exclusion
To empower the people living in poverty and social exclusion
To lobby for and with people and groups facing poverty and social exclusion. EAPN includes the objectives of gender equality and non discrimination in all its areas of work.

Discrimination sociale

The European Anti-Poverty Network was born out of the European Union’s poverty programmes in the 1990s. EAPN has consistently engaged with and been a key actor in the Social Open Method of Coordination, the European Employment Strategy, Europe 2020 and the European Semester processes, as well as the delivery of European Structural Funds and Cohesion Policy. As a member-driven organisation, EAPN engages with both national and EU policy, together with its 31 National Networks and 13 European Organisations, by both lobbying for more effective policies against poverty and social exclusion, as well as monitoring their implementation in Member States and in the European Union as a whole.

EAPN’s General Assembly provides the overall political and strategic direction of the organisation and its Executive Committee (EXCO) and Bureau ensure the follow-up of this work. Key policy work is carried out by the EU Inclusion Strategies Group (EU ISG). Both the EXCO and the EU ISG bring together national representatives from all 31 anti-poverty networks in membership of EAPN, as well as representatives from member European Organisations. These groups meet three times a year, for two days each time, and work to deliver the priorities of the organisation, based on yearly work programmes adopted in accordance with EAPN’s current Strategic Plan and Advocacy Strategy. For more information about EAPN’s structure and internal organisation, see the section Our Structure.

EU Funding
This website has been produced with the financial support of the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Commission.

EAPN
Boulevard Bischoffsheim 11
B-1000 Brussels (Belgium)
Tel: +32.2.226.58.50
Fax: +32.2.226.58.69
EAPN Europe Staff