A/HRC/7/15 page 4 7. In his second report (E/CN.4/2006/43), the independent expert tried to show the distinct value of approaching extreme poverty in terms of violation or denial of human rights on the basis of the definition of extreme poverty provided in his first report and the obligations it implied for relevant actors to ensure implementation of effective programmes to combat extreme poverty. 8. The independent expert also carried out a fact-finding mission to the United States of America from 24 October to 4 November 2005, when he met with people living in extreme poverty and representatives of civil society organizations and Government. The result of that mission was reflected in the report of the mission submitted to the Commission (E/CN.4/2006/43/Add.1). 9. On 23 and 24 February 2007, OHCHR organized an expert consultation on extreme poverty and human rights in Geneva. The discussion by the experts highlighted issues such as the legal empowerment of the poor; the need to safeguard social security expenditure with international support; the role played by national agencies, transnational companies and developed countries in the fight against extreme poverty; and strengthening participatory approaches transcending domestic sovereignty. 10. In his third report to the Council (A/HRC/5/3), the independent expert developed that approach and suggested methods of dealing with extreme poverty by using his findings from several case studies from different regions and the result of the expert consultation. 11. In the present report, the independent expert takes stock of all the issues that have been raised on extreme poverty and human rights. The section below deals with the conceptualization of the notion of extreme poverty and the approaches towards its eradication. The independent expert discusses the issue of social exclusion identified as a component of extreme poverty in his earlier reports, and seen as a key characteristic in many approaches to extreme poverty adopted in the European Union. The independent expert then considers the importance of international development cooperation for eradicating extreme poverty and studies the poverty reduction strategy papers in Africa as a tool for achieving the same. The final section presents the views of the independent expert on the draft guiding principles elaborated by the Sub-Commission. III. UPDATE ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INDEPENDENT EXPERT 12. On 17 January 2008, the independent expert met with Jérôme Vignon and Walter Wolf at the European Commission in Brussels. Mr. Vignon is Director of Social Protection and Integration in the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, while Mr. Wolf is a policy officer working on social inclusion. 13. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss European Union policies addressing poverty and social exclusion within European Union member States from the perspective of the mandate. The independent expert shared with the European Commission his definition of extreme poverty as the combination of income poverty, human development poverty and social exclusion. Bearing in mind his mission to the United States in 2005 in his capacity as independent expert, he enquired on how the European Union applied the concept of social inclusion to policies tackling extreme poverty in its member States.