Building a stronger EU Social Inclusion Process: Analysis and recommendations of the EU Network of independent national experts on social inclusion

On request of the Commission, the independent experts have investigated the extent to which politicians and other decision makers, academics, civil society and the wider public are aware of the EU process on social inclusion (social inclusion strand of the Social Open Method of Coordination (OMC). They have also examined the effectiveness of the OMC in helping Member States prevent and tackle poverty and social exclusion. According to the report both awareness and effectiveness of the OMC are quite limited and there is much room for improvement. The report recommends a range of actions that could be implemented to strengthen the EU Process sufficiently so that it truly contributes to meeting the objective of making a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion. This report was specifically intended to inform the Commission during the preparation of the ?Renewed Social Agenda? and the Communication on reinforcing the Social OMC.