The European Economic and Social Committee is organizing a conference jointly with the italian region of Tuscany on the role that education clan play against social exclusion. President Sepi will propose in FLorence a Green Paper to President Barroso on this issue

One EU citizen in four is affected by poverty and social exclusion: 24% of Europeans are forced to live on less than 70% of the European average and are thus denied an acceptable standard of living – a secure job, decent housing and even healthcare and education, culture and sport. One European in ten has an income of less than half the EU average, while 6% of the population have an income below 40% of the average.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), which brings together representatives of economic groups and social organisations from the 27 Member States, has invited the European institutions, national governments and NGOs to Florence from 20 to 22 May, to give fresh impetus to the debate on the role of education in combating poverty and social exclusion. The conference is jointly organised with the region of Tuscany.

EESC president Mario Sepi stresses that the Florence conference could be the "first step towards new European legislation based on the key instrument of education", and will propose to European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, who will attend the concluding session, that a Green Paper be drafted on the matter.

This biennial conference "Learning, knowledge and understanding are the keys to sustainable social inclusion" comes in the framework of 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.