Some links to the current swedish debate on begging and homelessness among EU-migrants in Sweden.
http://www.socialpolitik.com/tiggeri-vardighet-politik/
http://www.svt.se/nyheter/sverige/hatsk-debatt-om-tiggeri-i-agenda
http://www.dn.se/debatt/darfor-bor-vi-gora-det-forbjudet-att-ge-till-tig...
Some articles regarding current events in Verona, where new regulation is making life for the homeless population even harder:
Presentation given at FEANTSA's Study Session in March 2014 - Prevention of youth homelessness through access to social rights. This presentation highlights examples of changes in legislation and recent activism to ensure respect and promotion of human rights in Spain in the context of the economic crisis and the imposition of the government's austerity measures. In 2014, Caritas Espagne established a special unit to address the legal issues faced by people living in increasingly difficult circumstances, particularly those who have been made homeless or are at risk of homelessness due to
On 13 June 2014, Housing Rights Watch, along with Fondation Abbe Pierre and FEANTSA organized an expert workshop to talk about housing solutions for homeless people in Europe.
The global economic crisis is causing severe prejudice in Spain. Unfortunately, the current situation is primarily affecting people with mid-low level incomes, which, together with wage freezes or reductions and tax increases is forcing up the cost of living. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the number of homeless people in Spain. This increase in the number of homeless people entails a need to provide better protection to these people, given their vulnerable situation.
Due to the scope of the assignment please note that this chapter only includes discussion of such actions that may result in a penalty (i.e. crimes) and does not include actions that may be taken by the government or the Swedish municipalities in order to control homelessness by actions such as reducing public space, trimming trees and bushes, closing public toilets, removing comfortable park benches and increasing lightning in areas where homeless individuals may reside. Major Swedish cities like Gothenburg have in recent years introduced
The Slovak legal system does not direct impose sanctions against homelessness or related activities, such as begging or sleeping in a public place. Offences which might be committed by the homeless, such as causing a public nuisance, are addressed by provisions within the Act on Offences. However, this act allows the authorities discretion, and offences are usually punished by a warning.
For the purposes of drafting this chapter, we considered Romanian criminal and administrative legal provisions at the national level and secondary regulations at the local level that criminalise certain actions in an effort to target the everyday activities of the homeless. Unfortunately, there are no cases strictly pertaining to homelessness that can serve as examples of the relevant statutes in action.
No Polish laws have been introduced specifically to penalise the homeless, though certain everyday activities related to homelessness are penalised, usually by the Code of Petty Offences. For instance, bathing in forbidden areas, begging and the fouling and littering of public places are all subject to fines. In addition, domestic trespass is a criminal offence subject to a fine or imprisonment of up to one year.
According to the 2011 Human Development Index Ranking compiled by the United Nations Development Program, human development (i.e. the standard of living and quality of life) in the Netherlands is one of the highest in the world. In terms of overall health, education and living standards, the Netherlands is ranked third worldwide and second in Europe. In addition, according to other research, the capital of the country, Amsterdam, is considered as a leading city in the production and maintenance of social housing.
