Taking Forward the EU Social Inclusion Process: An independent Report commissioned by the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Report & Annexes

This Report is an independent document written at the request of the Luxembourg Government, in the context of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first semester of 2005; it does not represent in any way the views of the Government of Luxembourg. It has been prepared with the cooperation of the European Commission, but does not represent in any way the views of the Commission or the European Union (EU). We, the four authors are writing in a strictly personal capacity, not as the representative of any Government or official body, free to express our own views. The Report was presented and discussed at the high-level Conference on ?Taking Forward the EU Social Inclusion Process?, organised by the EU Luxembourg Presidency with the support of the European Commission (Luxembourg City, 13-14 June 2005). The Report and Conference represent a project established as an initiative of Marie-Josée Jacobs, Luxembourg Minister for Family and Integration. The scientific coordination of the whole project has been entrusted to the Luxembourg-based CEPS/INSTEAD research institute, and has been the responsibility of Tony Atkinson and Eric Marlier. The Report has been finalised following the Conference; where feasible within the short timescale the very valuable comments made by participants have been taken into account. The Report aims to be complementary to the activities of official bodies in reviewing the Lisbon Agenda, the Social Inclusion Process, and the Open Method of Coordination in the social field. We have been anxious to avoid duplication of the work that has been, or is being, undertaken by the Commission, by the EU Social Protection Committee and its Indicators Sub-Group, and by other EU bodies. In preparing the Report, we have sought to take the position of outside, but informed, observers, assessing some of the strengths and weaknesses of the current processes, and considering how they may be advanced. It is to be hoped that this external assessment will be a helpful input into the 2005 official review procedure.