The President of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) has said the EU’s yearlong initiative to tackle poverty must be more than just a “publicity campaign”.

The 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion was launched in Madrid today by European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso and Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

The initiative seeks to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of poverty in Europe and commits EU member states to doing more to help the 80 million Europeans – 17 per cent of the population – currently living below the poverty line.

Mr Barroso said he wanted the initiative to act as a catalyst in raising awareness and building a more inclusive society.

“Combating poverty and social exclusion is an integral part of getting out of the crisis,” he said. “It is too often the vulnerable in society who end up being hardest hit by the impacts of a recession.”

The initiative was launched as EU leaders meet to discuss economic, social and ecological targets for the coming decade.

CPCE President Thomas Wipf said: “The social impact of the financial crisis is affecting ever more people in Europe. We hope that this year will be more than just a publicity campaign.

“The churches expect the EU and its member states to set themselves very concrete goals to be reached in the coming years for the overcoming of poverty in Europe and in the world.”

In a 2008 survey, CPCE member churches identified social exclusion as the greatest social challenge for Protestant churches in Europe.

The CPCE is currently circulating its “Stand up for justice” study, which includes the results of the survey, among member churches for consideration.

It hopes the study will enable member churches to coordinate action against poverty on a Europe-wide level and speak with a common voice.