This year, the European Commission is due to present a strategy to combat poverty. This is the first specified comprehensive paper in the EU. In their report, Europeans called for increased efforts to combat poorness to destruct this phenomenon by 2035. Among the key demands were the creation of a budget of EUR 20 billion for the European Children's warrant and the allocation of a certain share of the European Social Fund Plus to combat poverty.
– Our study says that poorness should not only be linked to deficiency of income or deficiency of work, but besides to deficiency of access to education, housing, wellness care. This multifaceted knowing of poorness is fresh but besides very good said Joanna Scheering-Wielgus, associate of the European Parliament of the fresh Left, in an interview with Newseria agency. – I hope that the European Commission, after proceeding our recommendations in Parliament, will prepare very good government to put this fresh strategy into practice.
At its February 2026 session, the European Parliament called for increased backing and better coordination to combat poorness and social exclusion in the EU. In a study adopted by 385 votes in favour, with 141 against and 53 abstentions, the Euro MPs argued that in the strategy under preparation, the European Commission should recognise poorness as a violation of human dignity and take urgent action to eradicate it by 2035 at the latest.
Parliament expects better support for associate States in implementing the European warrant for children. The intent of EDG is to warrant children access to free education, both early and school activities, free wellness care, healthy nutrition and a suitable place to live. A budget of EUR 20 billion should be created in the opinion of Members of the initiative, and associate States should allocate 5% of the European Social Fund plus or 10% if the level of kid poorness and social exclusion exceeds the EU average.
– I hope that happens due to the fact that everyone is aware of the problem we face.– emphasises Joanna Scheering-Wielgus. "The subjective poorness rate for the EU is about 17%, in Poland it is about 16%, while there are countries where it is about 30-36%. It is crucial that we be solid on this subject.
Data from the European Commission show that 93.3 million people in the European Union were at hazard of poorness or social exclusion in 2024. 20 million of them are children. The problem concerns 1 4th of all children in the EU, especially those with disabilities. According to European Disability Forum data, around 29 percent of people with disabilities in the Union are at hazard of poorness and social exclusion. In 2024 24.6% of young people with disabilities finished education early. In the case of their peers without disabilities, this percent was 8%.
– People with disabilities are exposed to poorness by 61% more than healthy people. This shows how serious this problem is and how serious we should take it – assesses Mr Jagna Marzuchajtis-Walczak, associate of the European Parliament of the civilian Coalition. – Each associate State would gotta take strong action to combat poverty. This is not possible solely by the evidence in Parliament's reports or actions. associate States besides have a lot to do here.
Former Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy Marlena Maląg, presently a Euro MP for Law and Justice, points out that Poland has done a lot in fresh years to make the problem of kid poorness marginal.
– It was primarily socio-economic benefits, from 500+ and 800+ to 13th and 14th retirements, that caused poorness to have no baby face in Poland today. These socio-economic programmes have truly improved the situation of Poles. Unfortunately, present we see that there is no support. In the European Union the level of poorness is rather high, and socialists are seemingly presenting solutions that would aid to improve surviving standards, but this is not the case. – evaluates Marlena Maląg.
He adds that, above all, measures are needed to boost entrepreneurship and increase the competitiveness of European companies, without which it is hard to talk about the increase in the well-being of Europeans. Today, in the opinion of the Euro MP, this is blocked by climate policy, which "presses" industry.
– We must remove the muzzle from entrepreneurs so that they can drive the economy. If they make the economy, the Union will be competitive, then it will be better to live – emphasises the erstwhile Minister.
In a plenary report, the Euro MPs pointed out that full employment and social protection should be objectives of economical and social policies, and that the Commission and EU countries should advance policies to safeguard workers' rights and guarantee fair wages, including equal pay for equal work. In order to end poorness among workers, the European Parliament believes that better access to childcare services and career guidance is needed. The study besides stresses the request to increase investment in policies ensuring, inter alia, universal access to housing. It calls for the closure of the EU-wide homelessness action plan by 2030, including circumstantial measures aimed at children and families, workers who have lost their jobs and women.
