Information about poverty is collected, analysed and published to help develop a coherent poverty-reduction policy.

As part of this work, the Observatory lends its expertise to actors through various activities (presentations, responses to specific questions, research steering committees, advisory groups, parliamentary questions, etc.) and is involved in a number of consultation structures to support the politics on the issue of poverty.

• A Cooperation Agreement between the Federal State, Communities and Regions for policy continuity on the issue of poverty, signed 5 May 1998 (http://www.luttepauvrete.be/accordcooperation.htm)
• A Brussels Poverty-Reduction Action Plan (2008 in French and Dutch, 2010 in French and Dutch). This part of the poverty report was included for the first time in the order of 2006. An inter-cabinet permanent working group was created to draft this policy action plan. The Observatory acts as the secretariat.
• The National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPIncl) and the section on healthcare and long-term care in the Strategic Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion:

  The European Union has requested that all Member States draft a strategic report on social protection and social inclusion every three years. This is part of the poverty-reduction strategy adopted at the Lisbon European Summit in March 2000, in line with the "Open Method of Coordination" (OMC). NAPIncl is part of the Strategic Plan, as is the section on healthcare and long-term care and the National Pensions Strategic Report. In Belgium, the NAPInclusion and healthcare and long-term care sections are drafted and monitored in collaboration with the Federal State, Communities and Regions. NAPIncl is also submitted for advise by organisations in the field (http://www.mi-is.be/be_en/02/nationale%20actieplannen/index.html).

  The Observatory represents the Brussels-Capital Region (and gathers information from the Brussels governments: Region and Community Commissions) in the Actions working group (plan drafting and monitoring) and in the Indicators working group (processing the indicators annexe in the NAPIncl).

• Collaboration with European network EUROCITIES