mr president i would like to echo the calls that have been made for a comprehensive strategy here
as has been pointed out we are now in the european year for combating poverty and social exclusion which we know is difficult in times of recession and that is why we have been asking for social conditionality on rescue packages so that those who are the most excluded do not find themselves falling even further behind
we have heard already that the gap is widening which is why our eu twenty twenty strategy also needs to take into account the need to reduce the gaps between rich and poor
the changes in the regional development funds are important
local authorities we would agree with the council are important because that is so often where discrimination is most closely felt on housing and the specific needs of the roma people there on education and on the police whose job it is to protect and not simply to criminalise as seems to be the way in some member states
and we want to see high-quality public services
council will remember its recommendation on the active inclusion of those furthest from the labour market where high-quality public services are seen as crucial
we are interested to know whether the council and commission are happy with the absorption rate being shown for funds at the moment
i would also welcome the context change that was strongly put out by the commission in terms of anti-racism and xenophobia and would hope that every member state government would commit itself to those ideals
