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European Parliament Written Declaration on ending street homelessness 111/2007 adopted 

 
10 April, 2008: FEANTSA and its members are delighted to announce that the Written Declaration on ending street homelessness 111/2007 has been adopted by the European Parliament. 438 signatures were collected from Members of the European Parliament (MEP's) from all political groups and all European Member States.

In signing the declaration, the European Parliament (EP) has sent a clear political message that the issue of street homelessness is an urgent one across Europe and must be tackled in a determined and focused way.

FEANTSA believes that the adoption of the Declaration is an important step in the fight against homelessness, giving renewed impetus for follow up initiatives. FEANTSA calls for this commitment to be debated in national parliaments and for concrete steps to end homelessness to be elaborated, both on a national and EU level.
 
Information on the Written Declaration
 
A written declaration is a tool for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to launch or re-launch the debate on a matter falling within the European Union's scope of activities. It consists of a text of max. 200 words, which needs to be signed by at least half of the MEPs within a time limit of three months.

A cross-party written declaration on ending street homelessness was registered in December 2007 by MEP's Mary Lou MacDonald (GUE/NGL, Ireland) Claude Moraes (PES, United Kingdom), Jacek Protasiewicz (EPP-ED, Poland), Gérard Onesta (Greens/EFA, France) and Jean-Marie Beaupuy (ALDE, France).

The Declaration:

  • Calls on the Council to agree on an EU-wide commitment to end street homelessness by 2015;
  • Calls on the Commission to develop a European framework definition of homelessness, gather comparable and reliable statistical data, and provide annual updates on action taken and progress made in EU Member States towards ending homelessness;
  • Urges Member States to devise "winter emergency plans" as part of a wider homelessness strategy.

Full text of the Written Declaration EN ( for other languages, please click on the respective icons.)
"Crix silencieux" : in the framework of the Written declaration, FEANTSA co-organised an exhibition on street homelessness in the European Parliament in Strasbourg (18-20 February 2008).  EP President Hans-Gert Pottering opened the exhibition on 19 February 2008. To access Mr Pöttering's web site and read his opening remarks, please click here (latest news on the left, then speeches).  Pictures available here.
Common letter by 14 major European networks calling on MEPs to commit to ending street homelessness EN FR
 
FEANTSA Members' Activities on the Written Declaration - see here.
European media coverage of the Written Declaration - see here. 
 
You are a FEANTSA member and would like to support this initiative? Access FEANTSA campaigning tools
 
Please go to the Press Room for the latest press releases on the Written Declaration!

For further information, please contact stefania.delzotto@feantsa.org.


Picture by Philippe Gabel, from the exhibition "Cris silencieux", design and distribution by Zérane S. Girardeau zerane@gmail.com