This is always there for this type of devices

The European year of poverty is launched today. What can we expect from Europe

The paradox is that the citizens expect of Europe that it protects them from poverty, but they rather feel the threat. However, things began to move, including under the French Presidency. The President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, proposes that among the five main objectives of the 2020 figure the poverty reduction strategy, with detailed ways to control the key. It would be a radical change. The Belgian Presidency of Europe, which will follow that of the Spain is also acquired the principle of a costed objective of poverty reduction.

Why is this theme left little present in the political debate in France

I am the first surprise. I return from Peru, where poverty reduction targets have been set and are very present in the public debate. In France, I fought to ensure that such targets are listed in the Act, and we have succeeded in 2007, as the President of the Republic has agreed to commit to results. It is essential politically, because it is a dual response to those who denounce the alibis policies and those who fear that social spending increase, while poverty would never decrease... By displaying a reduction target of one third of poverty by 2012, I expect that the civil society in steals, that opposition asks me regularly accountable to Parliament, especially in times of crisis. But not. I prefer the sound polemic the burdensome indifference! There is still a lack of maturity of French society on the subject. I say to our interlocutors: stop wasting time on the impossible quest for the perfect indicator and focus on the complete dashboard that we developed together with targets on the working poor, on the older youth. To give more force to these questions, with Benoist Apparu Secretary of State in charge of housing, Editor's note we appoint Julien Damon, a specialist of indicators and assessment, at the head of the poverty observatory.

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Keep the goal of one-third reduction of poverty by 2012

Yes. We do not put it in brackets during the crisis. The interest of a proactive objective, it is precisely that it brings all the more strong measures that the crisis is important. It is for these objectives that are included in the anti-crisis plan different aid and temporary bonuses of the year 2009. It should also emphasize the importance of the adjustment of the minimum old-age and adult allowance disabled by 25 over five years. And measures relating to the young people, today the most affected population by poverty, which are consistent with our objective. The strong commitment is to reverse the trend in the increase of the number of poor workers suffered in recent years. This depends directly on the effect of the RSA and implies that it runs in full.

How many recipients of the RSA are there

The number of beneficiaries of the "RSA basement", homes that are not (as the former RMI), is estimated at 1.1 million end of December. This figure is roughly stable over the past two months, but an increase of 5 over a year, because of the crisis. And the increase is expected to continue in 2010. What is new, it is there, end of 2009, 600,000 homes that saw the RSA with income from activity.

It is still far from the objectives...

It was thought that the crisis would accelerate the movement of the inscriptions, but it was not the case. Probably more than 1 million people still did not assert their rights to the RSA. This is always there for this type of devices. For the RMI, there were only 200,000 registered within a year. The RSA rises more rapidly. We currently address letters to the 1.5 million employees of services to the person, often likely to benefit from the RSA, as well as the tenants of social housing. The right to the RSA will be also mentioned in the next tax return. We maintain, even if it is difficult, the objective of reaching 90 of the potential beneficiaries in the summer.

When the young RSA comes into force

Rights will be opened in September 1, with first payments early in October.

Reform retreats will not lead to a rebound in the poverty of the elderly

It must be fair and should not be in contradiction with the objective of poverty reduction. In my view, this should be an essential element of the specification and the President of the Republic has also clearly indicated Monday that he would not agree that it decreases pensions. Our country is one of the only in Europe where the poverty rate is lower in the more than 60 years the average of the population, but poverty drops more. As head of the fight against poverty, I prefer that we work longer, rather than to see the number of people at least age start rising. As head of the youth, I am sure that young people were aware that need to work longer, living longer old, but that society owes this commitment of non-paupérisation. It is for this logic that civic service at full retirement, which represents 25 of its cost, is not a straw.

The RSA and the SSA will not cover all the unemployed at the end of rights. What do you recommend

Before you create a new allocation, should already that all those who are entitled to these minima or these add-ins should use. I think that, in many households where one of the members of the couple is rights to indemnification of unemployment, there will be opportunity to touch the RSA. There is not a unique situation of end of rights, but different situations. The issue of principle that it will have to decide is whether if it is accepted or not to play the national solidarity when resources of the family are above a certain threshold.